The Dolores star., 1921-02-18

Upon returning to Hotel Sequoia.
found o. in hotel bar. Saw him to
bed at 10 sharp"
a most amazing effect upon Colonel
Pennington. and when at length he
could recover his mental equilibrium.
he set about quite calmly to analyze
the report. with the result that he
promptly arrived at the following con-
ciusion:
~ His niece Shirley Sumner was
not to be trusted In so far as young
Bryce Cardigan was concerned. Do
spite her assumption OF hostility to
ward the fellow since that memorable
day in Pennigtons woods. the Colonel
was now fully convinced that she had
made her peace with him and had
been the recipient OF his secret atteu-
tions right along.
(2) The y. C. o. was still a mys-
terry. but a mystery In which Bryce
Cardigan was interested. Moreover.
he was anxious to aid the N. @. o. In
every way possible. However. the
Colonel could understand this. Cardi.
gan would nid anything that might
possibly tend to lift the Cardigan
lumber interests out from under the
iron heel OF Colonel Pennington.
(3) The N. c. o. was going to make
mighty blum. even to the extent Of
applying for franchise to run over
the city streets OF Sequoia. Hence
Ogilvy's visit to Mayor Poundstone-
doubtless on the advice Of Bryce Car
digan.
(4) Ogilvy had carried small
leather bag TO and from Henry Pound
stones office. That bag was readily
explained. 1t had contained a bribe
In gold coin and young Henry had
been selected as the go-between. That
meant that Mayor Poundstone had
agreed to deliver the franchise-for
consideration. Ogilvy had called
first on the mayor to arrange the de
tails: then he had called on the
mayors son to complete the transac-
ton.
(5) II franchise had been ar
ranged for and the bribe already de
llvered, that meant the prompt and
unadvertised commencement Of oper-
ations. Yes. the N. @. o. was going
to carry It's monumental blufr to the
point OF building a mile OF track
through town. No-no. they
wouldn't spend that much money on
blum: they wouldn't bribe Poundstone
unless the road was meant. And was
1t a common carrier. after all7
The trail was growing hot: the
Colonel mopped his brow and concen.
trated further. II the n. C. o. was
really going to start operations. In or
der to move Its material from the
Cardigan dock to the scene OF opera
tions 1t would have to cut his (the
Colonel's) tracks somewhere on Water
street. Damnatlonl That was It.
They were trying to slip one over on
him. They were planning to get
Jump-crosslng in before he should
awake to the situation: they were
planning. too. to have the city coun.
ell slip through the franchise when
nobody was looking, and once the
crossing should be in. they could laugh
at Colonel Pennington!
'The sconndrels!" he mur1nured.
am on to them! Cardigan is play.
ing the game with them. That's why
he bought those rails from the old
Laurel Creek spur! Oh, what
blithering idiot l have been! How
ever. it's not too late vet. Pound.
stone is coming over to dinner Thurs
day night, and I'll wiring the swine
dry before he leaves the honse. And
as for those rails Cardigan managed
to hornswOggle me out Of"
He seized the telephone and fairly
shouted to his exchange operator to
get his woods foreman, Jules Ron.
deau. on the line.
THAT you. Rondeau?" he shouted
when the big French Canadian re-
sponded. pennington talking. What
has young Cardigan done about those
rails I sold him from the abandoned
spur up Laurel creek?"
"He have two tiat-cars upon re spur
now. Dose woodsgang of hees she
tear up dose rails from re head OF re
'hu' anu ioNd III Et llhl-tITS.
See to 1t, Rondeau. that they do
not leave until I give the word. Un-
derstand? Tell them the switch-en-
CINE Is In the shop for repairs or Is
busy at other wOrk-anything that
VIII stall him Off and delay delivery"
Suppose Bryce Cardigan, he comes
around and say, 'WhyT" Rondeau
queried cautiously.
XIII him." the Colonel retorted
coolly. at strikes me you and the
Black Mlnorca are rather slow play
Ing even with young Cardigan"
Rondeau grunted. II theenk mebbe
so you kill heem yourself, boss" he
replied enigmatically, and hung up.
cTo BE CoNTINUED)
Tobacco Not Wasted Now.