The Dolores star., 1921-02-04

he had been In town less than an
hour when the editor of the SeQuoia
Sentinel sent up his card. The an
nouncement of the incorporation of
the California Outrage (for so had Mr..
ogtlvy. in huge enjoyment Of the
misery he was about to create, dubbed
the road) had previously been flashed
TO the Sentinel by the United Press
association. as a local feature story.
and already speculation was rife In
SeQuoia as to the identity OF the hare
Drained individuals who dared to back
an enterprise as nebulous as the mil
lenium. Mr.. Ogilvy was expecting the
visit-ln fact. impatiently awaiting It I;
and since the easiest thing he did
was to speak for publication. natural
ly the editor OF the Sentinel got n
story which. to that individuals sim
| pie soul, seemed to warrant seven
column head-which It received. In
| glowing terms he spoke of the billions
of tons OF timber products to be haul
ed out Of this wonderfully fertile and
little-known country. and confidently
| predicted for the county future com
merclal supremacy that would be sim
ply staggering to contemplate.
When Colonel Seth Pennington read
this outburst he smiled. That's n
bright scheme on the part OF that
Trinidad Redwood Timber company
gang to start a railroad excitement md
unload their white elephant" he de
| clared
When Bryce Cardigan read It, he
laughed. The interview was so like
Buck Ogilvy! In the morning the lat
ter's automobile was brought up from
the steamship dock, and accompanied
by his secretary, Mr.. Ogilvy disappear
ed into the north following the bright
new stakes Of his surveying gang, and
for three weeks was seen no more.
| On II day when Bryce's mind hap
| pened to be occupied with thoughts of
Shirley Sumner. he bumped into her
on the main street of Sequoia, and to
her great relief but profound surprise,
he paused in his tracks. lifted his hat,
smiled, and opened, his mouth to say
something-thought better of It,.
changed his mind. and continued on
about his business. AS Shirley pass
ed him. she looked him squarely in the
face, and in her glance there was nell
ther coldness nor malice
Bryce felt himself atire from heels
to hair one instant. md cold and clam
my the next. for Shirley spoke to him.
"Good morning. Mr.. Cardigan"
He paused. turned. and approached
her. Good morning, Shirley" he re-
piled. How have you been?"
'I might have oeen dead. for all
the interest you took In me-" she re-
piled sharply. "As matters stand. I'm
exceedingly well-thank you. BY the
way. are you still belligerent?"
He nodded. 81 have to be-"
al think you're a great big crouch,
Bryce Cardigan" she fared at him.
you make me unutterably weary"
I'm sorry" he answered, "but just
at present I am forced to subject you
to the strain. Say year from now,
when things are different with me,
I'll strive not to offend"
"rll not be here year from now."
she warned him.
He bowed. Then I'll 70 wherever
you are-and bring you back" And
with a mocking little grin. he lifted
his hat and passed on.
Col. Seth Pennington was among
those who. skeptical mt first and In
clined to ridicule the project into an
early grave, eventually found himself
swayed by the publicity and gradually
coerced into serious consideration of
the results attendant upon. the build
Ing of the road. The Colonel was
naturally as suspicious as rattle
snake In August; hence he had no
sooner emerged from the ranks OF the
frank scoffers than his alert mind
framed the question:
"How is this new wroad-improbable
as know 1t to BEGGING to affect the
interests of the Laguna Grande Lum-
her company. II the unexpected should
happen and those bunco-steerers
should actually build road from
Sequoia to Grants Pass, Ore, and
thus construct a feeder to q trans
continental lineY
Five minutes Of serious reflection
sufticed to bring the Colonel to the
verge of panic, notwithstanding the
fact that he was ashamed of himself
for yielding to fright despite his firm
belief that there was no reason why
sale should bs frightened. Similar con-
siderations occur to smdll boy who
Is walking home in the dark past a
cemetery.
The vltAl aspects Of his predica-
ment dawned on the Colonel one night
at dinner. midway between the soup
md the 6sl. So forcibiy did they oc-
cur to him. in fact, that for the nonce
he forgot that his niece was seated
opposite him.
"Confound them" the Colonel mur-
INJURED distinctly, II must look into
this Immediately"
1 lpto hnA q