The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1921-05-06


wen beat en-" predicted tie boss.
They've got 10 let 80. How about our
c. s. & w. friends? Are they still
gamer
"FlnoW asserted tire lawyer. "Tht
stock Is Over-subscribed everywhere
now, and G. S. & W. Is q going concern
The building boom Is on. / venture
TO say there are over two THOUSAND
mechanics at work at the different
centers, rushing up the buildings 1of
the new plants, at this moment. You
ought to have o monument, Norcrcss
It's the most original scheme for
breaking monopoly chat was ever
devised"
The boss was looking out OF thu
window sort OF nbsently, chewing or
his cigar, which had gone out.
Ripley, wonder what you'd gay u
| should tell you that the idea Is not
mlneY" he said, after a little pause.
Not yoursT
NO; IT, or at least the germ OF 1t.
was given 10 me by a woDan w0'
man who knows no more about bust.
ness details than you do about driving
white elephants"
I'D like 20 be made acquainted with
the lady" said Ripley, with n tired
little smile. Such gems are too
valuable TO be wasted on mere lumber
yards and fruit psckeries and grain
elevators and the like"
You'll meet her some day" laughed
the boss. with a sort OF happy lit In
his voice that fairly made me SICK
knowing what did; and knowing that
he didn't know il. Then lie switched
tho subject abruptly: "About the
other matter, lnpleSs4 know you've
been pretty busy bs1t you've had Faf-
bell nearly q week. What have you
found 0ut?"
Ripley brIefed the general situation
as IL stood on the night OF the engine
theft In a few terse sentences. Aside
from the fight on Red Tower Con
soldated, the new railroad policies
were threatening 10 upset all the time
honored political traditions OF the
machine.governed state. An election
was approaching, snd the railroad
vote and Influence must be whipped
into line. AS the grafters viewed 1t,
the threatened revolution was one
man government. and If that man
could be removed the danger would
vanish.
The execution details had been
turned over to C'6nahan, the political
boss Of Portal City.
The plot Itself was simple. At
certain hour Of given night an
anonymous letter was 70 be sent to
Mr.. Norcross, telling him that q gang
Of noted train robbers was stealing
an engine from the Portal City yard
for The purpose Of running down the
line and Wrccking the Fast Mail,
which often carried bhllicn express
car. II the boss should fall for tt
as he did, when the time came--snd
20 in person to step the raid, he was
TO be overpowered and spirited away.
Il forged letter purp0rting to be no.
tice Of Ais resignation was to be left
for Mr.. Van Britt, and fake tele-
gram. making the same announce
ment, was to be sent 10 President
Dunton in New York. Nothing was
left Indefinite but the choosing Of the
night.
IL suppose Hatch was to give the
word" said the boss. who had been
listening soberly while the lawyer
talked.
'grhat Is the inference. Hatch prob
ably gave the word after his talk with
you, but the time was made even more
propitious by the arrival Of the two
kilograms; the one from Mr.. Chad
wick. and the one from Mfr. DuntOn,
both Of which they doubtless Inter
copied by means Of the tapped wires"
Mr. Norcross looked up quickly.
Ripley, did Dunton know what was
going to be done to me?"
"oh, think not. 1t wasn't at NIL
necessary that he should be taken In
on 1t, He has been opposing your
policies all along, and had just sent
YOU pretty savage call-down. He
didn't want you In the first place. and
he has been anxious to get rid of you
ever since. The piotters knew very
we'll what he would do II he should
get wire which purported TO be your
resignation. He would appoint an
other man, quick, and all they would
have to do would be to make sure
that you were we'll OF stage, and would
stay of until the other man could
take hold"
1T worked out like q charm" ad-
mitted the boss, with wry smile. i
haven't been talking much about the
details, partly because I wanted To
find ont If this young fellow. Tarbell,
was as good as the majors recon.
mendaticn OF him, and partly because
I'm honestly ashamed, Ripley. Any
man of my age and experience who
would swallow bait, hook. and line as
did that night deserves to get all
that is coming TO him."
You cou tell me now, can't you?"
oueried the attorney.
'0h, yes; you have IL all---or proc-
tically all. fell for the anonymous
letter about the Nail hCld-up, and
while I don't rattle very easily. or