The Adair County news. [volume] (Columbia, Ky.) 1897-1987, 1921-04-13
Continued from Page 2.

victim. You were the executor Of my
fathers estate-you were my guardian
and financial adviser, and so you found
q very. very easy to swindle mer'
Il had my back to the WALL he
qu&vered. 81 was desperate-and it
wasn't at all the bad investment you
have been told it is. You had the money
more money than you knew what to
do with-and with the proceeds Of the
sa'o Of those cedar lands, I knew I
cord make an investment in California
redwood and more than retrieve my
foctunes-make big money for both
of uS''
You might have borrowed the money
from me. You know have never hes
ita cd to join in your enterprises"
This was too big a deal for you,
Shirley. had vision. / could see In
ca'culabIe riches in this redwood en-
pire, but 1t was a tremendous gamble
and required twenty millions to swing
It nj the very start. dreamed of the
control OF California redwood; and If
YOU will stand by me, Shirley, shall yet
mH'-e my dream come true-and half
Of il shall be yours. 1t has always
BEEN my intention to buy back from
yoH secretly and at nice profit to you
that Caribou red cedar, and with the
act;iisition Of the Cardigan properties
] would have been In position to do
so. Why, that Cardigan tract In the
San Hcdrin which we will buy In with.
10 q year for half a million, is worth
Ave millions at least. And by that
Hn n feel certain-in fact, / know
the Northern Pacific will commence
building in from the south, from Will
Hts"
- shall" he began, but he paused
abruptly, as If he had suddenly re-
merlbered that tact and not pugnacity
was the requirement for the handling
Of This ticklish situation.
She silenced him with q disdainful
gesture. "You shall not smash the
CarIigans," she declared firmly. you
are devoid of mercy, Of a sense of
craftsmanship. Now, then, Uncle
Seth. listen to me: You have
twenty-four hours In which to make
up your mind whether to accept my
Hltimatum or refuse 1t. If you re-
fuse. I shall prosecute you for fraud
and a betrayal Of trust as my fathers
executor on that red cedar timber
DEAL"
He frightened a trife. I'm afraid
that would be long, hard row to hoe,
my dear, and Of course, shall have to
defend myself"
"In addition" the girl went on qui-
city, "the county grand jury shall be
furnished with a stenographic report
OF your conversation Of Thursday
night with Mayor Poundstone. That
Will not be long, hard row to hoe,
Uncie Seth, for in addition to the
EternGrapher, have another reliable
witness, Judge Moore. Your casual
disposal of my sedan as bribe to the
mayor will be- hard to explain and
EatI"r amusing. in view of the fact
tina Bryce Cardigan managed to fright
en- Mr.. PoundStOne into returning the
sedan while you were. away. And
Il thHt is not sufficient for my purpose.
/ haze the sworn confession of the
Blac'; Minorca that you gave him FIVE
hundred dollars to kill Bryce Cardigan.
Your woods boss, Rondeau, will also
swear that you approached him with a
proposition to do away with Bryce
Cardigan. I think, therefore, that you
viii readily see how impossible a sit
station you have managed to create
and Will not disagree with me when
suggest that il would be better for you
to leave this county,"
His face had gone gray and bag
gard. 81 can't" he murmured, 81
can't leave this great business now.
Your own interests in the company
render such course unthinkable.
Without my hand at the helm. things
will go to smash"
"FIl risk that. I want to get rid Of
that worthless red cedar timber; so
think you had better buy it back from
me at the same figures at which you
sold it to me-"
"But / haven't the money and
can't borrow 1t. IL"
81 will have the equivalent In stock
OF llle Ia8uud OFd0Q6 LuInDeF COIL
pany You will call on Judge Moore
to complete the transaction and leave
with him your resignation as president
Of the Laguna Grande Lumber COM
pany."
The Colonel raised his glance and
bent IT upon her In cold appraisal.
She met it with frmness, and the
thought came to him: "She is a PEN
ningtonT And hope died out in his
heart. He began pleading in maudIin
fashion for mercy, for compromise
But the girl was obdurate.
81 am showing you more mercy than
you zerve-you to whom mercy was
ever a sign of weakness, of vacillation.
There is gulf between us, Uncle
Seth-a gulf which for a long time
have dimly sensed and which, be-
cause Of my recent discoveries, has
widcned until it can no longer be
bridged"
He wrung his hands in desperation