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CHAPTER XVIII.
Edward Handford still aat in bit pri
vate office. -Spencor was gone—but in
bis place stood a big, burly, evil-looking
Callow.
Now, Handford did not feel, at that
moment, disposed to talk to a stranger or,
indeed, anyone else; so be requested his
new visitor to kindly call at another
time.
“Unless your business Is very urgent
with me, please see my secretary, or else
come up again. I am far from well, and
totally uufit to discuss any matter at
present." •
The stranger fixed bis gaze upon Hand
ford with an impudent leer, and the rail
road president imagined that he had
somewhere seen the man before. Ah!
Whnt abont his blackmailing visitor at
his rooms nearly a year since? Surely
this was the self-same man.
“Urgent?” asked the fellow, with
sneer, “well, that's for you to say.
will merely mention the fact that I want
you to give me a couple of thousand dol-
airs. Of course, you will naturally re
fuse unless you hear some fairly good
reason for my demand. The question is,
do you wish to know the reason?"
Handford was silent—enwrapped partly
In thoughts of the man who had just left
him. Then, realising that the fellow
awaited for a reply, he said:
“Are you aware that you ore talking the
most utter absurdities? Now, if you arc
In need of work or assistance, come up to
morrow. At present, ns I have already
■aid, I have a great deal to worry me,
and nm quite unwell. If you are here
merely to annoy me, I shall have to call
for some of my men to remove yon.”
Still the stranger woro that self-satis
fied, almost insolent, look—the demeanor
of a man who holds a winning hand anil
only awaits an opportunity to display it
to advantage. '
“Let me tell yon," said he, “that I know
considerable about your family affairs,
and about the affairs of Harry Spencer.
I am perfectly willing to tell you all 1
know. I am just ns witling to toll your—
no, bis wife all I know. But silence it
golden, to the extent of two thousand
dollnrs.”
Handford tried to appear calm and col
lected. He was naturally of a tranquil
disposition, able to meet all exigencici
‘with u clear brnin and a level head. But
he was now, in fact, deeply agitated. This
whole busiuess was a strange and un
looked-for upset'to his life plans.
“Tell me whnt you know, my man," said
Handford, “and, meanwhile, recorioct
that I fully remember your former visit
to me. Possibly you remember it, too?”
“Yes, I recollect," snid the man with
the least possible start. “But perhaps
you can call to mind, some three years
ago, playing the part of fireman on
locomotive? Perhaps you remember, too,
the brakemnn who held the engineer to
the lever with a six-shooter? Perhaps
you don’t remember the engineer? I am
the engineer, sir! You thought you held
the trump cards when you and thnt brake'
man did that smart pleco of business on
the run from Prairie City to Big Creek.
So you had—and you played them well to
the end of thnt game. You got me dis
charged and blacklisted, and it was not
your fault that I did not nerve time in the
penitentiary. I don't blame you very
much for what you did, though I am glad
that I can notv get even with you. You
were an aristocrat and played the part of
an autocrat. But that brakemnn—bah:
I swore to get even with him if it cost me
my tiff. 1 could have shot him or had
until after Spencer's deathnSven then
it was, perhaps, a moan thought to enter
tain, and,’if he had taken time to consider,
he might never have acted upon his deter
mination. Now, however, he was fully
Settled In the coarse which he proposed
to pnrsue.
If Barney Hughes had counted upon
finding in Handford a weak-minded, vns-
dilating man, who would buy his peace
and honor at his price, be had reckoned
very foolishly. The proposition of the ox-
engineer instantly showed Handford bon
to act.
“You will leave this office at once,” said
he, "or I shall have you arrested for at
tempting to extort money by threats. You
may go, and I do not care where, only do
not come to my house. My wife will know
all that I know as quickly as I caa go
homo and tell her. I should have inform
ed her wlthont your outrageous interfer
ence, sir; therefore, your threats aro ab
solutely worthless. Let me advise yon"
—and there was a dangerous expression in
Handford’s eye as he said this—“to med
dle no more with my personal affairs, as
I will brook nothing of the kind. Fur
thermore, let me suggest, if you have a
spark of manhood or human sympathy
remaining, that you leave that poor fellow
glone. You can see that his days are al
ready numbered. His life, It Is true, has
been a failure—and yet ho is a man, a
noble man, a better man than you,
Hughes. As for me, I can take care of
myself. Go!”
Like a whipped cur, Hughes sneaked
out. But, as he silently withdrew, he
now hated Handford as much as he did
Spencer.
Handford rang a hell for Mr. 8harp, a
detective detailed to do secret work for
the Great Occidental Company. His of
fice adjoined that of the president, and
he arrived la a moment or two.
Through the window Hughes could be
seen, slouching along the street below.
Mr. Handford pointed him out to the de
tective.
“That fellow, Sharp—you understand?
Lenvo one of your best men here and at
tend to this personally. Never mind the
cost; it will be at my private expense.
That Is all."
: “Yes, slr K ” said the officer, very quiet
ly, as Edward Handford left bis office to
go home.
miles from the »
center' of 'the town the trains stopped
at a pigmy telegraph' cabin, upon which
was painted; in primitive lettering the
word ROSEDALE. Dowa In the village
pyoper, Glllicuddy’s Still existed. GUII--
cuddy presided, as of jafo, over tho reg
ister and the cigar boxes, but the "verau*
dnh," tbo barrel verandah, had disap
peared, giving place to a modern porch
of mammoth dimensions, furnished with
huge red rocking chairs, Imported by Gil-
licuddy regardless of expense.
On a certain night in the late autumn
—so late in the night llmt all the chairs
on Gilllcuddy's new porch were deserted
—a handsome private car >vas switched on
a side track very near to the cabin com
monly known as tho Uusmlnl* iliqint. It
was not a moonlight night, but the Colo
rado atmosphere was so clear and trans
parent that the stars shone upon the
earth with remarkabjo brilliancy, aud
appeared to afford as much light as a
half moon in less favored climates.
Down In the little town nt the foot of the
big hills everything wns quiet and peace
ful, but up on tho mounlnln side, along
the railroad track, more Ilian one wakeful
man was on the alert.
The elegant prtvnto car belonged to
President Handford, of the Great Occi
dental Railroad. He and Ills wife, as
well «b their servants, Including the col-
>rcd .watchman, were all souudly sleep
ing. At a short distanco from the Car,
behind a boulder, sat a young man—the
CHAPTER XIX.
■ A myriad thoughts crowded themselves,
one after another, upon Handford’s
brain as he walked home. But they all
tcn.ded in one direction—what would bn
the result of all that had just.come to
light?
Edward Handford did not think for a
moment that Emily enred more for Spen
cer than for himself. On the other hand,
he felt morally certain that Emily and ho
were bound together by a far stronger
and more enduring affection than she
had ever entertained for her husband of
a day. So he was not fearful that she
would, even after Icnrning all tho redeem
ing features of Spencer's Inter life, cease
to love him. At the same time Handford
thought that he was well enough ac
quainted with Emily’s nntnre and charac
ter to know that she would never for a
single moment consent to remain with him
while her lnwful husband was living—or
at least until such time ns the law could
untie the old knot.
But these aud similar thoughts did not
deter Handford from his purposo. As
has been before remarked, he. was the
very soul of honor. It was not in his na
collar of his heavy ulster turned up to
protect his ears from the keen night air.
Some distance along the track a man
was approaching, nt a brisk pace. He
wus a big, muscular fellow, dressed in
rough clothing, and was carrying a small
package which he handled very carefully.
Not more than three hundred yards be
hind this mau there followed another.
Strangely enough, the second man wore
rubbers over his shoes, although there
had been no ruin for several days, and,
furthermore, whenever the first mau
paused, the second man halted also.
About one mile,from the spot where the
private car was switched, the figure of an
old man started up from a little pile of
ties—very much startling the leading
pedestrian, who had just reached the
same pile of ties.
“Barney,” 'said. the old man in a lqw
voice, although, as far ns he knew, there
was not n soul within a mile.
“Oh, it's you, it it?” muttered Hughes,
for the tramp was none other. “Well,
say, Do Watts, it's bad enough for you to
be fixing yourself np like an old scare
crow, without hiding away like that to
spring out on a fellow unawares. - I
thought you had some work of your own
to do to-night on the other side of the
village?”
. “So I had, but it’s too light. It’s never
dark in this Colorado country unless its
raining. Besides, I must steer clear ot
Rosedale. There's a fellow named Sharp,
pretty clever detective from Chicago,
in the neighborhood. He's the only mas
my disguises can't fool. Ho wants me
for an old crime. You'd better look out
yourself, Barney.”
“Oh, well," replied Barney, “if I can’i
make any money and you can't get what
you tfid away over yonder, I might ns well
get nabbed and live well until I'm hung.
I spent my last dollar for this piece ot
mischief, De Watte, and I’m going te
have my money’s worth out of it. If 1
got away all right I'll meet you in th«
morning.”
Hughes then proceeded on his way
toward the car, while De Watts careful
ly placed his white wig in his pocket,
straightened out his bent shoulders and
took from behind the stock of ties a stout
pair of boots, which he bad bidden tbers
during the evening.
As ho sat there changing his shoes, De
tective Sharp, in his rubbers, tripped
softly past on the track,'' The officer had
wondered much who Barney's interro
gator might be, but bed held back, fearful
lest an inopportune Interference might
cost hkn his man.. So, for the time being,
Du Watts escaped.
As Hughes approached Mr. Uandford'i
private car, he left tho track and pursued
Ills way, very slowly, carefully and soft
ly, through tho shrubbery and grass at
tho side of the railroad. Arrived oppo
site the car, he hid himself among some
stunted trees, exactly opposite where the
young man iu the ulster sat behind the
boulder, -j
Detective Sharp also crept up cautious
ly and ensconced himself where he could
watch Barney Hughes, at a distance,
perhaps, of a hundred feet up the truck
—of course in the direction' from which
he had come.
Tho occupants of tho car wero nil'
sleeping soundly.
(To be continued.)
| GEORGIA. {
Brief Summary of Doings
Throughout the State.
Deep Water Plan Approved.
Captain Cassius E. Gillette, U. S. A,
the engineering officer who is In
charge of the Savannah 'atdtlon, has
been informed that tho chief of engi
neer* at Washington has approved hi*
plan for the deepening of <the Savan
nah harbor to 28 feet. Specifications
will be sent on at once by CaptalnGil-
lette. After, their-approval bids'wilt
be advertised tor In the regular way,
and It la expected that within ninety
days the actual worlr will be under
way*
• • •
Farmers’ National Congress,
At Macon ,on October 7 to 9 next,
will be held the greatest meeting of
fanners evqr known In the south.
Fully two thousand delegates from ex-
ery section of the United States will
be In attendance at the twenty-second
annual session of he Farmers’ Nation
al Congress.
A partial program has been arrang
ed and includes lecturers of note from
every section of America.
Special low rates have been granted
by the railroads and side trips at small
cost have been arranged.
Storm Does Great Damage.
A severe electrical storm with high
wind passed over the southern section
ot Georgia Sunday night At Still-
more the round house of the Air Line
railroad was blown down and wrecked.
At Waynesboro a dwelling was blown
down and one man was killed. At
Bartow the Baptist church and the
academy building were struck by light
ning and narrowly escaped destruc
tion. At Swalnsboro a building was
struck by lightning and burned.
In all the sections the opening cot
ton was whipped from the bolls and
ruined. The loss from this source was
considerable.
him shot easily enough. I could have . turo to withhold knowledge from his wifo
hurt him in a hundred ways. ‘But, no,' which he felt he ought to share with her,
says I. ‘That brakemnn didn't always and he was not likely to be false to her,
Tailroad. He's got a little history, nod if to himself and to his houor in so iinpor-
I stick to him long enough I shall dis- tnnt a matter ns that which now occupied
cover thut same little history, and so bo his mind. Besides, if iio failed to tell
ahto to take a sweeter and more lasting her, there was Baruey Hughes, who
Macon to Have Street Fair.
Extensive preparations are under
headway for the street fair that will
be held In Macon next October, dur
ing the week of the farmeni’ national
.‘ongress. The fair will be given for
the benefit ot the Georgia Industrial
Home, and will be the best of any that
have been given In the city during the
past several years. There will be a
number of free attractions, as well a*
paid attractions.
During the fair a grand bazaar will
be operated for the benefit of the
Elks. This promises to be a most at
tractive and successful feature.
• • '•
Governor Favors Reform School.
Two state Institutions very much de
sired by Governor Candler and prob
ably to be recommended by him to the
coming general assembly are a sthtc
reform school and a state Inebriate
asylum.
At the present time, persons who
would be fit Inmates of such Institu
tions are either crowded Into Institu
tions where they do not belong, or
else left improperly cared for.
Governor Candler has spoken of the
necessity and expediency of such In
stitutions. The reform school, he de
clared, should be for youthful crimi
nals under 15 years of age, and would
be a means of rescuing many a boy
from further crime. The Inebriate
asylum would flll'a long felt want, and
would relieve places like the Mllledge-
vllle asylum from the care of persons
who aro suffering from the effects of
drunkenness.
nah, and a number of citizen* from
point* along the line.
The party was accompanied by As
sistant General Passen^br Agent
Wadsworth, of the Seaboard, and at
Macon they wer* taken in charge by
C P. Lewis, general agent of the Ma
con, Dublin and Savannah.
An elegant complimentary dinner,
also a carriage drive over the city, was
tendered the party. A reception was
given them at-the Elk*' club roofs.
The train Inaugurates a’ regular
schedule between Macon- and Savan
nah over the Macon, Dublin and Sa
vannah road to Vldalla. and from VI-
dalla to Savannah yla:the Seaboard.
This route 1* nineteen miles shorter
than any other line, and dill no doubt
be very popular. The new train will
carry buffet and observation cars.
The schedule Is: Leave Macon at 2:SO
p. m., arrive Savannah 8:30 p. m.;
leave Savannah 7 a. m., arrive Macon
1:30 p. m. This ts-aln will connect at
Macon with the Southern for Atlanta.
The new train will use the Southern's
terminals at Macon. The Southern
train which leaves Atlanta at 12:05
p. m. will connect at Macon with th*
Macon, Dublin and Savannah.
• • «
No Hope For Lower Tax Rate.
The state tax rate for tho year will
•probably be $5.44, which is the, limit
allowed by the legislative acts. This
Is the opinion just given by Governor
Candler.
This la made necessary by the fact
that In view ot the tax returns which
are now nearly complete do not show
any extraordinary Increase, and as a
matter ot fact, the Increase for the
year will probably be found to be a lit
tle lees than normal.
Nevertheless, it Is a hardly well rec
ognized fact that the present tax rate
1b nearly $1.10 less than It was at the
beginning of Governor Candler’s In
cumbency, when he rate was $6.21, as
against $5.44 last year and the same
probable rate for this year. In spite
of this large decrease, however, more
money has been given the state uni
versity from the state in the past four
years than for fifty years previously;
more help has been given the state
asylum, the state schools for the deaf
and blind, and the pension outlay has
been Increased from $580,000 to $805,-
000.
The board of tax commissioners will
shortly be called to consider the tax
returns and to fix the state rate tor
the year. There are now but, a very
few more counties to be heard from,
among them Fulton county.
might do so at any time. Certainly
Hundford would never suffer humiliation
at the hands of that fellow, if (her* were
means to prevent it.
When Handford find left home that
morning Emily wns not lecllng well. As
he now entered the liouso the housekeeper
met him. ,
“Mrs. Handford is quite 111, sir,-and we
have sent for the doctor." '
Emily was indeed sick, and it was put
of the question to acquaint her with Spen
cer's story st the preseut time, it would
keep until tbe morrow. But the morrow
came only to find Emily worse, and for
-weeks afterwards she lay prostrated with
a violent fever,.so that s month passed
and still she knew nothing of what Hand
ford wished to tell her. When Emily
at last became convalescent, Handford
took her to Colorado, proposing, as soon
as she should become stronger, to unbur
den his mind Jo her. So far, however,
Handford had neither seou nor heard any
thing more of either Hughes or Spencer.
Since tbe reader wns first introduced to
the mining village of Rosedale. there bad
come many changes, chiefly for the bet
ter, to that portion of tbe Andy Jackson
Guloh. Instead of the old coach road the
revenge than common murder.’ So I shad
owed Mr. Richards until I found out that
ho was Mr. Spencer, and tho latest scene
In my play was your humble servnut with
his car to tbe keyhole of your -private
office, listening while our dear friend re
lated bis touching story. As I snid before,
I oin't feeling so sore at whnt you did—
I expected tbs much from the general man
ager; but when a fellow goes braking
to play spy and sneak, I've got to show
him, sooner or later, thnt be can't have
all the fun when Baruey Hughes la
around! Still, as yon never did me any
good. I’m going to kill two birds with one
atone. Only, us money has bean, scarce
with me for some time, I am willing to
pot my revenge in my pocket along with
some ready mouoy. Therefore, I offer
you the option of paying we the sum I
named, mot cash, or of having me Inform
'Mm." Handford that she is still Mrs.
Spcpcer.” ..
During all the time thot-the rascal bad
been talking, a thousand thonghu and
counter thoughts had flashed through
Handford’s brain.
There was not a crooked tendency in
Edward Handford’s head; yet nfter his in
terview with Spencer, when the latter
had. so explicitly stated his wishes in the
■Miter,; he had thbMlfilciM that it t _ ,
-would be belter to say norhlug to EnTilT height ;u places, the trail along the wouu- devoured by some enemy,
The Ways of the Opossum.
Just why the great zoologists of the
present day should Imve clioseu to con
sider the opossum nn nnlinnl of n
lower order than the stupid nnd help
less sloth, nnd tin- third order from the
lowest of nil, is not so easy to under
stand ns It ought to lie. As a matter of
fact, nature has done u great deal fot
the oppossum—fur more thnn for the
great majority of quadrupeds. Note
wlmt tbe creature Is. nnd enn do. nnd
luntch It If you ran. It eats Hlmost
everything that enn be chewed—wild
fruit, berries, green <-om. Insect larvae,
eggs, young birds and quadrupeds,
soft-shelled nuts, and certain roots. It
is a good climber, and 1ms n very use
ful prehensile tail. It forages on tbe
ground quite as successfully ns any
squirrel. It usually burrows under the
roots of large trees, where It Is inqios-
elide for tbe hunter to dig It out; but
sometimes It makes the - mistake of
choosing * hollow log. When attack
ed, It often feigns death to throw Its
assailants off their guard. Like the
bear and woodchuck, it stores up a
plentiful supply of fat for winter use,
when food Is scarce; and, above all,
the female has a nice, warm pouch In
which to carry and protect her helpless
young, instead of leaving them In tbe
iron track followed, nt a rather dizzy ‘o'eatch their death of cold, or bo
Arbitrators Could not Agree.
After being In session more than a
week and examining carefully a mass
of figures, tbe hoard of arbitration ap
pointed to settle the difference be
tween Comptroller General Wrl3ht
and th© Southern railway with refer
ence to tax returns, failed to reach on
agreement and bus adjourned until
Friday, when tbe matter will again be
taken up.
As far as can be learned, the arbi
trators were about as tar from an
agreement when they adjourned at
when the first meeting was held.
The difference between the comp
troller’s estimate and tho returns of
the Southern amounts to about $3,800,
000, and with such a radical dlfferenco
l: Is a difficult matter to arrive at a
compromise which would be agreed to
by Ur* comptroller and the road.
The failure ol the arbitrators to ar
rive at some conclusion will have th*
effect of greatly deUying the fixing
of the tax rate.
* • •
New Road; New Service.
The first through paszenger train
from Savannah to Macon via the Ma
con, Dublin and Savannah railroad
reached Macon Sunday at 1:30 p. m.
On board were a number of newspa
per men and other citizens of Savaa-'
If you hav* something to sell, lot
tho people know it. An advertisement -
In this paper will do the work.,
RESIGNATION OPENS WAY.
Georgia Governor ‘Renders Opinion
Regarding Important State Law.
When asked If he had ever formed
and expressed any opinion on the
question ot the eligibility of council-
men and aldermen to tbe office of
mayor of Atlanta, Ga., Governor Cand
ler said:
‘‘Yes, I suppose almost everybody In
Atlanta has done so within the last
week or two, but I do not think my
opinion has ever been published.
Some days ago a reporter for one
of the evening papers, The Journal, I
think It was, brought me tbe code,
and turning to section 739, asked mo
to read It and give him my construc
tion of It. Up to this time I bad never
read It. But, at his request, I read It
carefully and gave him substantially
this opinion, to which l still adhere:
“ ‘This law was not Intended to dis
qualify an alderman or councilman to
hold tho dfflee ot mayor or any other
municipal office, but to prevent him
from bolding two offices at the same
time, “except in towns of less than
two thousand Inhabitants.” . By re.
signing the office of councilman or al
derman they can thereby quality
themselves to hold tho office of may
or.”
CONSPIRACY IS CHARGED.
Telephone Company Says Strikers are
“Rui ning” Them Out of Huslncss
In Its petition for a blanket Injunc
tion against tbo striking linemen,
which was only made public Monday,
the Cumberland Telephone company
at New Orleans, charges that a con
spiracy has been formed against them
to prevent them from operating their
service In the city.
In addition to alleging that tbe un
ion men are picketing tbo railroad de
pots, persuading new men from taking
service with the company and stoning
those who are already at work, it
charges that the strikers aro crosalng
the telephone wires throughout the
city with the high tension wires of'
other companies and thus burning up
the lines of the company jmd putting
t-hem out of business. ,
The company claims that all Its
plans for extension ot its lines In New
Orleans promise to be brought to a
standstill by the action of the strik
ers. ' *