CAFE MAY OOgETY

THE

By FRANCIS LYNDE

br It.lbrtr’

CHAPTER xm—Continued. —11— I bli at tpy nyee nod held my breeth. Ur. Tlorneck t-.nia't the tllgbtest idea whrt thin lr^ he w»* eletin* orer. or bow ibli eeey mention at Mr. Van «rt!t nnght b- Jnst like rubbing salt Inlo n freaii cnz. P.y •l-.la time It was growing dar. and we were nmulng Inlo Portal City, and 1 war mighty gtao that It couldn’t l«*t much longer. 'Hie bosH dnln’t apeat again nntli the yard sw'lche* were rlanklng under the ear, and then be said: “Vyoa is weSl able to take ca-e of him #](, Homack. and I don't think wr need worry abont him.” and then ow I la ahouiler to me: "Jimmie. It'a time to wake up. TVe're pnlUng in." As he always did or a return trip. Mr. Norcruis rab op tc hla office to •ee If there «aa anything pressing, helore lie <1iA anytbiug o!ae. May was atlil e. bis desk, and In answer to the btss' ijueation he abock uN head. "No; nobody that cooldn't wait." he nald, referring to the day'a eailera. "Mr. Hatch was up with a couple of men that i didn't know, but he only wanted to Inquire if you world be In Ihc office tliia evening after dinner. 1 laid him I’d find out when you came, and let him know by ’phone.” 1 thought, after all that had happened, Hatch certainly bad Ma nerve to want lo come and make a talk wllb the man his hired nswiasine were frying to murder. But if Mr. Nortvoas look (hat view of It, he didn't show II. On •the contrary, ’ e told Fred it would be all right tn te. ->hone Halch; that he wan coming •’own after dintier and the office would be open, aa

J slipped out and went to Iff. Van Brllt'L office nt the other end of the IimII. Bohby Kelao was there, holding the office down, and I asked him where I could find Tarbell. Luckily, he was. able to tell me that Tarbell was at that moment down in the station restaurant. eallng hla suppei so down I went and butted in wifh my story ef the Batch call, and how it was he repeated little later on. •Til he there.” said Tarbell: and frith that toad oT my mind. I mogged off up-town 'o the dub to get my own dinner. When I broke Into the grill-room at the railroad dub, I found that Mr. Norcroas had beaten me to it by a few minutes; that he bad already ordered . hie dinner at a table will: Major Kendrick. I suppose, by good rights. I ought to have gone off Into a < irner by myself, bnt I stw that the boss had lipped a chair at the tnd of the table where I usually sat. <o 1 Just went ahead and took It. Qomlng In late, that way. 1 didn't get the flrst of the talk, but i took It that the boas had been sjying yomeIhlng (about his rare good loci In haelog the major for a table-mat:* two days In suer ess! on. "The bonoh la mine, my deah boy/' Ihe genial old Kentuckian was telling luni as I aat down. “1 was by way of picking u? a bit «f Ir.furmstlon Isle this afte’noon that T thought 0'ight to bei passed on to you without any great delay." The bos* looked up quickly. “What U It. major r he Inquired. ".Ire yon going to tell me .hat something new has broken loateV “C wish t might be that ho'pff.Ily neAntte—T do to. Graham, tint 1 can’t U*a me’uhiy a hit of street talk. The? re fatllug It. oveh »• ihe Oommeiehil club, that Hatch and John Marshall— you know him—that Sedgwick stock .’it.-eh srtio has been so active in this ittiseca’ Storage & Wi.relioo‘ busliil**— have fi: ally come togetheh." "In a business way. yen mean?” Th~ major gave a right and left twist to hi* big muattchei and shrugged one shouider. •They are mue*. , robably calling It business.” he rejoined. The ha*.* nodded. "I know what has i<a|>pened. In spite of the fact that ebe local people know that their «c<> •utnic aalrat'on dt-pende upas e wije wimI even distribution of their C. S. & W. stock, there has been a good bit of buying and selling aid s«ap.itng aroaad. I remember you proj.h- ■ Sled that la a little wt.Ue we'd ha*e another fniar to the bands or a few won. You may recoilect that I didn't dispute your prediction 1 merely said that our ground leases- the .'act Oist at! of the ■' S- 4 W. plants and bulld-

gtve •

ych*oti that point, tub. You took Mih-teh Bipley's opinion. Mtybe the cou'ts will hold with you. but, candidly. Graham, I doubt 11—doubt It right muen.” The boas didn't seem to be much scared up over the doubt. He Just kmtled and said we'd he llkdy to tlnd out wha? woa In the wind, and that before very long. Then he spoke of Hatch's afternoon call at cur offices and mentioned the fact itmt the R' Tower president would probably ry again, later In the evening. The major let the business matter drop, and he was working his way patiently through the salad course when he locked up to iay: 'TYas there anything In >-oh trip to Strnthrona to warrant Sheila'- little telegraphic dnngeh signal. Crabara?" "Nothing worth mentioning.” said the boss, without turning a lialr, do log It, as I made sore, because he JMn’t went Sira. Shelia lo be mixed up if the plotting business, even br Imidlcatiiu. The m ijor didn't press the Inquiry any fartier. and when be spoke ngaln It was of uti entirely different matler. “Away a oag In the beginning, somebody—1 think :t was John Chadwick— spoke of yon Ks a man with a aawt of raw-iiead-snd-hloody-bones tempeh. Graham: what hive yon done with that tempeh in 'hese beah lalteh days!" The boss' amila was a good-natured grin. •Temper Is not always a matter of tempera meat, major. Somcdmes It 1* only a means (o an end. Much of my experience lia* been *«i the constnictlon camps, where I have bad to deal with men to the raw. Just the same, there have beer moment. - : within ’he pn« sir months when I have been sorely tempted to burn ;l.' wire, with a few choice words of the abort and ugly variety and .throw up nr Job.” “Which, as you mar say. brings us around to President Hunton.” put In the old lawyer shrewdly. "He is still opposing youh policies?” “Cp to s few .reek* ago he was stlli hounding me to do something tb* t would boost the stock, regardless of whet the something should he. or of ito effect upon the permanent value of the propertv.” “Did T undehsfsnd you to say that these—ah—surjesilon* from Duntou had stopped r the major Inquired. Temporarily, at least. I haven't heard anything from New York—not lately.” Then Dunton's nephew iiasu't made himself known to yonT' "Colllngwood? Hardly. Tn not In Mr. Howie Oolllngwood's set—which Is one of the thins* 1 have to be thankful for. But tbla Is news: I didn’t know he was out here.” The news-giver bent his heat*, gravely In confirmation of the fart. •Tie’s heah. I'm sorry to say. Graham. He has bren beah quite some little time, vibratin' round with the Grigsby* and the Gannons and a lot mo' of the new-rich people up at the capital.” It was ths boas' turn to go silent, •ad I could guess pretty sell what he was thinking. The presence of President Duntou's nc;.bew In the West might mean much or nothing. But I could Imagine the boss w s thinking that his own single experience with Colling wood was enough to make him wish that toe nephew of Big Money would stay where ne belonged—anons the hlgh-rodeni and spenders of his own set in the effete East. "I can't quite get the proper slant on men of the Colliugwood type.” he remarked, after ihe pause. “The only •line T ever saw him was on Ihe night before Ihe directors' meeting last spring. He was here with his uncle's petty Iu the special train, and that Bight at the Bullard he had beer drinking too much and made a hrayl. : as* of hlmse’f. i had to knock him ailly Iw-fo*® i could get him up to his ronm.” Ten did that. Graham?—for a sirangeh?" I "I did It for the comfort of all conI craned. As 1 say. he was making an j ass of himself.” There was another break and then ! ihe major looked up with a little I frown. j 'That was befo' you had met Shells?” he asked, thoughtful!), j "Why. r.o; not exactly. It was the I name nigh'.—the night we an dropped j off the 'Flyer' and got left behind »t i Sand Creek. You may remember that we came iu later on Mr. Caadwlck's

the house, afte'wtrd. If rou hart J that is strictly their own business, and lime, ami left me I'n. a false prop' et. not mine or the railroad company's.’

sub; I hope you may. The boas promised plenty Aeerfnlly a* to the calling part, us you'd know he world s'nce he hadn't Mto Mrs. Shells for I don't knew hew long; and a few minutes later we were on our wa; walking briskly, to keep the "red May engagemer'. with the chief

of the graflef*.

CHAPTER XIV

The Dead-Line We foua.1 Urn three disappointed afternoon raller* already ou band when reached the headquarters. The j said. “O-xJ evening, gentlemen." as pleasant as a banket of chip*, and Invited the waiting bunch into the private office, snapping on the .Ugh.* as he opened the door. No Introductions were needed. One of the pelr Hatch had brought with him was a lawyi r named Marrow, whose home own was Setjffwlck: r. sharp nosed, ferret-eyed man who figured as one of the many "local cjuusels” for Bed Tower. The Other, i**dmou. was a political plaoe-hun.'u.- who bad once bee:- sheriff ot Arrowhead county. 'You're kept us cooling our beets In your wall lug-room for Just about the last time, Mr. N'orciostf” we* the spiteful way In which Hatch opened fire. “We've come to talk straight business with you this trip, and It will be more tr your Interest limn ours you”I send y«ur clerk away." While they had been dragging up theft- chairs and sitting down. I had heard Fred May lock up hi* typewriter and go, and > ad been listeolug anxiously for fco^a. noise that would tell me Tarbell ws* on deck. X thought I heard the door of the carter office open again Just as Hstdi spoke and It comforted me a whole lot. The boss didn’t pay any attention to Hatch's rugges'lop about sending me away; acted as If l.e hadn't beard It. Opening hla desk he took a box of cigars from a drawer and pa<-sed It. With thP roncisalon Jo th« •mall Iijipltalltlcs the boss swung hla chair to face the »rK “My time is yours, gentlemen." he <ald; aud Hatch jumped 1» like c man fairly spoiling for a fight Tor sir months, Norcroas, you’ve been mowing a pretty aid. swath out here In the tall hills. You’ve bee® posing as a little tin god be tare the I>eople of this stat'., and aP the while you've been knlung and slugging and black-jack 1 ng private capital and private business wherever and whenever they have happened to get in your Way. New, at the end of the lane, by Jupiter we’ve got you dead to rights— you and your d—d railroad I” > * “Cut out as many of the permmall ties as you can, and come to the point," suggested the bos* quietly. “You think I haven’t any point to come to?” barked the grafter. ' rising anger. Til show you! Ifoii thought you were the only original trjst-bus'er wheti you starteA your

“Walt!" Hatch snarled. “It's going to be Sfctb yours and she railroad company's Business, before you ore through with It. Marrow here, represent Marshall, ami I represent Heockel and myself. What are Jrtrj going to d<> about those ground leases?” "Nothin; nt all. ex ept to Insert ujkm the condition under which they vere granted by the raUrond company. "Meaning that you are going to try to hold us to the lived percentage charge for handling, packing, loading,

and transferring?"

"Mernlug just that. If you raise the proportional market-price charge on le producers aud merchants, the

axes will tennle*te.”

“I thought that was about where you'd land. Now listen: we're It— Marshall aud Henekel and I--end what we say. goes as It lies. Wt are going to use the preseci. O. S. A W. plants and equipment, charging our own storage an'* bandUn* percentages, based on anything we see fit. If you pull that grom>d-icot>e •"•vines* on ns and try to drive us oat, well fight von nil the way u iO the Supreme court. If you beat us there, well merely the other side ot your tracks to our old Bed Tower houses and yards and go on doing business

at the old stand."

' The boss sat baric In his chair, and I could tel! by the set of his jaw that be was refusing to be panl>strickeo. Ton are -taking altogether too much for granted, arenft you?" he put in mildly. “You are assuming that the courts wUl eventually nullify the terms of the ground-leases, or, if they do not, that the railroad company will do nothing to save Its j nitrons from fatting into this new graft trap." Hatch snapped hi* Anger*. “Now you are coming io the milk In the cocooat!" be rapped mil. ‘That Is exactly what we’re assuming. Ytm are going to lei go. once for all. Nor cross. You are rot going to fight us In the courts, and neither are you going to harass us oci of existence with short rare, over-charges, xud Hm thousand and one petty persecution* that you railroad buccaneers mebe use of to line your own pockets!" “But If wc relu*e to lie down nnd let you walk over us and our patrons— what then?” the bo»s Inquired.That brought the explosion. HetchT eyes blazed sod he smacked fist Into

palm.

Then well knife you. and well do It to a velvet finish! Alter so 'oof a time, we've got you where yon can" side-step. Norcross.” The boss refused to be panicstricken; or. anyhow, he looked that

way.

“We have heard that kind of talk many times in the past." he said. The way to make It effectWk it to produce

the roods.” ,

Tbirt's Just whst *re'r. here to do!" snapped the Bed Towe. president vlcd aierty. “You. and the Big Fellows in New York, want s lot of the state railroad laws rt;j»“»led or amended. If yon can , get that string uniied. you can't gamble any more with yow stock. Well and good. You came hsre six months ago and act out to manufacture public sentiment Li favor of the railroad. You ran ap your •pnbl Ic-be-pleMed' flag and heat the tom-tem and blew the bewgag until you got a lot of dolts and chuckleheads and easy marks to believe that you real:, meant it.”

“Well, go oo "

“With all thw humbug aud hullaballoo y ou still couldn't be quite certain that you had made your point; that your cm sou re* would curry through the Inrotring icgislainre. After the primaries you counted noses among the candidates and found it was going to be a tight squeak-a t)—d tight squeak. Then you did what you rnliroed pecple always do; you slipped out quietly and bought a few men—jnst lo be on the safe aide." So It wa* sprung «r last. Hatch was accaatag u» of the one thing that wc hadn’t done; that the boas knew

we hadn't done.

Tm afraid you - ’! hare to try ageln. Mr. Hatch.' be said with a sour tittle smile. Then he added: “Anybody can make charge*. YOU know." Hat*'*' Jumped to his feet and be was almost 1 naming at the moodi. "Right I here is where we're got | you!“ he shouted. “You were too can-

■Mof yunr o^n |

an affidavit to the fs.ct that railroad money wrs offered Mm. They don't any whether or not they accepted It. mind yon. aud tha. doesn't cut any figure. They here sworn' that the money was tendered. Thai lets them out and Icta yon In. You doo’t bedero it? I’ll show you." and Hatch whipped n list of names from his pocket and slapped It upon the hoes' desk. “Go those roeu and nak them; tf you want lo rttrry tt that far. They'll tell

I could «ee that the boss barely glanced at the Usr. The glib story of the briberr was like the olte of a '-Upping crane-hitch—slow to fake hold. So far aa we were concerned, of course, the charge f-il flat; and upon any other hyiwtbesta it was blankly .^credible, unbelievable, ab-

“Tbe affidavits themselves would be | uch more convincing," I beard the I boss arty, "though ever Caen I should wish to have reasonable proof that they were genuine." Hatch was sluing down again and his grin showed his teeth unpleas-

antly.

"Do you think for a minute that I’d bring the papers here and trnst tbem In your bands?" he rapped out insult-

you don't—If y<m butt ln vr, “ ' groand-iess.'*. or In any other way the story wilt go » uc»spup«* and every wcker on ihe hoc ot P. 8. L. will know bow you v* -••*» pulling the wool over his ey.s^ wHN . all rids guff about 'Jus.lcf first/ •oo the public be ; leased.' You're OO fool. Nofcross You know they wont 'ty It to Dun ton .nd the New Ye: sera. You’ve taker, pain* to aoverdae it f»f ; and wide that you are romlng tU* railroad or. your own rwpons.blHty, j and the people are go tg lo take yoa

*; your word."

IXdmon. and the lawyer—wbn : had -.'t spoken a single w ord In sit t talk—were edging toward the do< The boss didn't r.ake any answer t»" Hatch's wind-up except to say, “I* that all?" . J The other two were out now, Bflfi Hatch turned to stick his ugly jaw «*J at the boss, and to aay. just as If I bodn'r been there to look on and t

"Very g». Marshall and his jv syndican- may have acquired a *, control ir. C. F. A W. and they be willing now to patAi up aa alii with Hatch. But tn that’ cane the

i I lie major made no reply to this, aod pretty noon the boss was ou his ! fret and enuring himself once more j on the after-dinner smoking stunt, nay lug that he wa* obliged to go back to : •!;? office. The major got up aud shook i hands wllh him a» If he were bld- • ding him jood-hy for a long Journey. “Yon are e«lng down to keep that ap- ! [...IntBK.nt with Mlsteb Kufu Hatch?” | hr said. “You take au old man's ndj vie* iimhaiu. my boy. and kee, youh j hsnd—flgun. lively speaking, of cou'se I —no youh gnn. It runs In my m'od. | sorchow. that you are going to be { hit—and fall right bard. No. don't j a«k mt why. Gall it a r dten suspt

yerds aud ran us out of loisHMWL But j ,1,,, flai...~po yen »«rt omolde for yot I’m here to t»lt you that yout fine- j briber. Be was a scrungvn and I e haired llllle deal to rot. us irt^a* re die j t j t() nsvc help In finding the right about es soon as it v.as born.'' | mrli (0 pnj Drdmon. b* re. was Tut “How so?" Inquired the hoes. ' of a tob- thaok* to you and

meddling—end the steering at”: fern! good pay. Do you want any

more?"

The boss shook his heed.

“It Is s matter of complete Indlffra-i-nce to me. I don’t know In the least what yen are talking about, and you’ll

Tt wasn't a month before your little local stockholders began to get *»• | get her emi awap stock and soil R- In | a very short time the control of the | whole string of local pisnt* trns In j the hands of u hundred men. To-day

j It's in the hands of tvse than twenty. , with .-ohn MarMtaJi at the bt .d of pardon me. 1 hope. « I «sy that tt | them. C!tSsa>*’ Storage k Warehouse ; doesn't meetly Interest ne ' 1* now n consol!dated property, enl “By beavene—I'll meke It Interest ! John Murshall. Hen eke! am* I control you: The cjsj-mmrk Candida te* were h majority of Its stock How does j found snd bought and paid for—and 1 tha: strike you?” mrybe they'll A*ay bough-', and maybe “It strike* me that tV- people most I they ,van't. Bnt that i*»T the point, j deeply tnte.ested h»,c teen •xceedli-g ' For a IK tie mure money—mj' money. { It < voiish ;o sril U air bL-Oirl^it, Hut : th!» Um«—each «< tne*« men has made

ir.giy. ’'Not murit! But ws've got them all right, aa yooll find oat If you balk and force os to use them.” At this point I could see that sonic thing In the persistent assurance 'of the man was getting under the boss' akin end giving h!m u cold chill. What If It were not the colossal bluff It had looked like In the beginning? What If . . . Like a blase of lightning out of a dear aky a possible explanation hit me under the fifth rib, and I guess It hit the boas at about the same Instant. What If President Dualoo and the New York stock-jobbers, believing as they did that nothing bnt legislative favot wouftl give tbem their trading capital -n the depressed stock, bt! cot In and dose this thing without consulting us? The boss stirred uneasily In his chair and picked up the psper-knl: t little nnconscious trick of his when he wanted time to gather himself. “Perhaps you would he willing to giro me the name of this briber. Mr. Hatch?" he said, after a little pause. "As If you didn't know it r was wolfing retort. There were two of them; one who was hired to do the talking! while the real wire-puller rlood aside and held the coin bag. Well skip tbe hired man" Then he turned to tbe ex-sheriff: “Write out Ihe name of the hag-htlder for him, Dedmou.” he commanded, tearing a leaf from hla pocket noie-book and thrusting it with a stubby pencil. Into Dedmcs's bands. The tarn from Arrowhead county bent over fats koee and wrote a name on the slip of paper. Isytng the slip on the drawn-out sf*de o* the l-ras' desk when he had flnlsned tbe s' pencillug 11 ■*■ effect of the tht.g was all that sny plotter could bare desired. 1 saw the bovt' face go gray, saw him stare at the slip and heard him say. half to himself. "Howard Golling-

wood I”

Hatch followed ap his advantage promptly. He was afoot, and struggling Into his overcoat when he raid. “You’ve what you were after. Norcrosa. and It has gui your goat. We've kne • n all along that you were only bluffing ant sparring to gain time We've nailed you to the '•*<*»*. You let this dral w '.h Vareball and Mr. people riant as It's made, or we ll show you up for whet you are. 1-hat's tue plain English of it/' "You mean that you w .! go •© tb? newspapers with this?" aald tbe bos,, snd tt wav no wonder that his voire was a bit husky. j “Just that. We'll give yoa plemy i of time to tb Ink it over. Tbe Jolit I ueal with C. 8. ‘ W goes into effect j tomorrow, and ItV up to you to sit [ tight la the bo* - and let us alcae. ?:

“No. by Jupiter—It ion'! a!! ! In past sir months you've made Henekel and me lose a cold haltlion, Norcrora. For a le* then that, many a man in tt of woods has been sent back the baggage-car. wearing a o'.ercoet. You clltab down, and do while you ran »Uy alive!" For » <ne time ,fter the three went a wsf th< boss sat stating at tU. of ns per on the desk slid*- At he got up, sort of Or dUk •} 1 thought, and said to me: "Jiiotitle, j oj go down and see it you can find a taxi, and we'll drive oat Major Kendrick's. I promised I'd go out to the house, you

her."

When our taxt stopped at the joris gate, somebody was coming Jnst as were getting ready to go Tbe man bad the visor of his hi* golf cap pulled down well eyes. But I knew him Just the It was Ctlllngwood! This looked like more trouble, was Ihe president's nephew here? I wondered about also. If the boss had recognised lingwood. If he had. be made sign, and a moment later I had pt the bell-push and Malsie Ann opening the door for u*. "Both of you? oh, how nice! said, with a smile for the boss and queer little grimace for me. In. This i* our evening for c-1 Cousin Basil is out. but he'll he pretty soon, snd he left word for to wail If you got here before be That message was for the 1 lagged behind In the dimly hall while she was showing him the back parlor. I had dropped on the hall settee, in tbe end of next to the eoat-rack. and when Sheila came down-stair* and through the hall, site didn't see A second later 1 heard the boss up and say. “At last! If you had been g.me • year rat than a fortnight," and then Mi Ann came dodging out and herself down on the settee beside . You needn't tell me that we had right to sit there listening It well enough. On the other hand. I was Just shirky enough to shift responsibility to Malsie Ann. didn't make any move lo duck, I didn't. "You came out to see Cousin BnMH^ Mrs. Sheila was saying to the And then: “He had a telephone from Ihe Bullard, and he asked me tell you to wait.” After that. I goM| she eat down to help him wait, fid pretty soon we heard .her say: ”00041 Bash has told me a little about tW new trouble: have you been havini another bad quarter of an bout?" "Tbe worst of tbe lot," the boss sM4 gravely, and from that be went -fit to tell her about tin: Hatch visit aM what had come of It; how the grafl er* had a new claw hold on him. now made possible by sn uawamailed pierti of meddling on the pert of the New York people in the pollticsl game. It was while b.- was talking about this that Malsie Ann grabbed me k| the wrist and dragged me liodilf Hn the darkened from parlor, the do ^ which was Just on the other *U the coat rack. I thought abe come to tier right sense*, at U*t was making the shift t., off 73 eavesdropping That being the caw 1 I riraplj 'lorribvd whei I found that she was merely fixing u so thM we could both see end hear. The slid ing doors between the two patm fti'-ke.l open moat an Inch.

before I realized what she wi ] Ing she hat! pulled nw down c j floor beside her right In front r

crack.

its*

scream and tbey'll come In here

l«th she hissed in ry

and because 1 didn't know to do with such a klddtsh ’'ttuTi gant. I sat atlil. It was daria: know; but what was I to do?

finished trilin

%

When the l

about the Hatch t

Mid: “You mean that Mr. and his associate* sen; »onisb<

here to infleefice the

did j