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Jt y’ 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. ' *