The
Main
Chance
Meredith Nicholton
COPVSIOHT 1401
Tu Bosaa-Msssiij. Com pajtt
"
CII AFTER X. (Continued.)
Within a fw da 71 two mora check
from Porter to Pack ham passed through
the usal channel of tht bank. By the
simple feat at dividing the amount of
each check, by tha currant quotation on
Traction, Wheaton waa abla to follow
Portar'a purchase. Tb price had re
mained pretty steady. Then suddenly It
fell to thirty. He wondered what wa
happening- but the newspapers, which
were continuing their war on tha com
pany, readily attributed It to a lack of
confldenc in the franchise. Wheaton
mat the broker, apparently by chance,
but really by intention, In theclutt one
veiling, and remarked casually;
"Traction seems to he off a little?"
"Yea; there's something going on there
that I-can't make out. I Imagine that
tha fellow that were buying got tired of
Stimulating the market, and hava thrown
few bunches back to keep the outaidera
gueslng-."
"Right now might be a food tlma to get
In," suggested W lira ton.
"I should call it a good buy myself.
I fiiena that franchise Is all right, bet
ter pick tip a little," he said, tentatively.
"To ttll the truth," aalil Wheaton,
choosing tile words carefully, "tho out
ef town people I spoke to you about have
written me that they'd like a little more,
If it can be got at tha right ttgur. You
might pick up a hundred shsrea for me
at tha current price, if you can."
"How do you want to bold It T
"liar It made- t am,' he answered.
II had debated whether ha should do
this, and ha bad bva unahla to devl
any method of holding the slock without
letting hla own mime apHtar. Porter
would nut know,; Porter was concealing
hla own purchases. Wheaton could nof
ie Thai lr niitii-4iTiro1fferencey be "wast
surely entitled to Invest his money as be
liked, and ho rnleil tun sum necessary
In this cne by the sale of aura railroad
bonds which be had been holding, and
on which be could realise at once by send
ing tbem In the bank's correspondent at
Chicago. He might save sold tbem at
nuim, oner wmmy pruuauij nave mmv
tbem off his bauds; but tb president
knew that hla capital waa mall, and
might have asked how ba intended to ra
in vast th proceeds.
5 A few dsvs later Rurtoa sent far
Wheaton to come to hla otnee. One hun
dred abarea bad been secure from a
ranchman. Wheaton carried tb pur
chase axxjer in currency to Burtoo'e of
flc; he waa as shrewd as William Por
ter, and be did not tar to hava the
dark in th bank speculating about his
checks.
II locked hi cert Ideate, when Burton
got It for him, In hla private bo la the
vault, and waited tha rebound which a
firmly i peeled in the price of th stock.
His sole Idea was to mak a profit by the
purchase. II fait confident that Porter
had bought Traction stock with a nn
Jt purpose; b atlll bad a id who
war lb principal bolder of Traction
tock or bonds, and b was afraid to
mak Inquiry. A man who waa aa se
cretive as Porter probably bad confiden
tial source of Tnformatlon, and Tve
not safe to tap Portar'a wire. Hi con
science was easy a to th method by
which a had gained hia knowledge of
Portar'a purchase! ba Otrtalnly meant
no barm to Porter.
CnAFTICR XI.
Timothy Margrava waa, la common
phrase, a good railroad man, II bad
advanced by alow dears from th In-
cumbency of too lowly manual office
called Jobs, to' th perform! of thoa
nobler functions known a positions.
Margrave's elevation to th oaV of third
vie preehVnt and general manager waa
duo to b pull. He bad reeoive mat
tb railroad wit getting loa much out
af him and that he must do mor 10
preeaote bis own fortune. TH' directors
war good fellow, and twy
talnly treated him wall: hot It warned
within the pal of legitime t Mterpri
- for him t hreauru hU Ian east a trine
wltbont In any ls 41 minis Mag hla aeal
for theTranacoatlnostal, Th atreot rail
way business waa a good basins, and
Clarkaoa Tract) appealed a Margrave,
arareovar. on Ita political aid. If he re
organised rn company aad mad himaetf
tta president ko could greatly tartiry and
strengthea Ua oaU.-
Altaoat guy day. b wo tale, ta Baal
' ra bondhMra might poo of down and
Bit a receiver la charge f the opaay
argrav did not anderatnad receiver
bloat tnog wr an otcwa fat pillag.
I U - hi. lift. Ik., u
fat receivership had avr fallen ka hla
tot. - Rat aa waa aa rata Traction
blindly. H wanted to know who alas
waa ta masted, that a might avoid eoaa
plkattea. WllUasa IWfor woo lb only
ma In Oarkswa who coo a awing Trao-
lioa wlreent aassotanca; a me
afoal at Porter. Margrave waa a saaator
af tao art af fHthag larafoatUoa, aad aa
ww t get rafersnattoa shoo Pasta waa
ts corns It eat of Wheaton.
Ha always allad When toe "Jim," tn
remembrance of tha early days of Whea
ton'a residence la Clarkaoa whan Wbaa
toa had worked la hla offlc: Ha had
watched Whaa ton's rlsa with Inter!; ha
took to himself tb credit of being hla
diecoverer. When Whaa ton called en hi
dan (titer ha mad no comment; he know
nothing to Wheaton' discredit, and ha
would no more bar thought of criticising
Mahal than of ordering dju salts substi
tuted for coal la tha locomotives of hla
railroad. When be concluded that ba
needed Wheaton, ba began playing for
bin, Just aa if tha cashier bad been a
councilman or a member of tha legisla
ture or a large shipper or any other fair
prey. Ha. now resorted to that moat in
sidious and economical form of bribery
known a th annual peas.
Wheaton accepted the pass a a tribute
to hla growing prominence In th town.
H know that Porter refused railroad
passes on practical grounds, holding that
sucb favor war attended la th hop
of reciprocal compliments, and h be
lieved that a banker waa better off wita
out tbem. Wheaton, whoa vanity bad
been touched, could aee no harm In tbem.
He had lltritts for passe aa be knew
and cared little about traveling, but ba.
had always envied men who carried their
"annual" in little brass-bound books
made for th purpose. Ho b sure It waa
lata in tha year and passes wera usually
sent out In January, but thla mad th
compliment seem much more direct; the
Transcontinental had forgotten him, and
had thought It well to rectify th error
between seasons. II felt that be must
not make too much of th railroad's cour
tesy ; b did not know to which official
in particular ha wa indebted, but b
ran into Margrava one' evening at th
club and decided to thank bin.-- -
"How's traffic V" he asked, as Margrave
made room for htm on tb aette where
be was reading the evening paper.
"Fair. Anything new?"
..o; k's th soma routine' with m1
pretty much all tha time." '
"I guess that's right. I shouldn't think
there wax much fun In banking. Yon got
to keep the public too far awa. I like
to be up against people myself."
"But you railroad people are not con
sidered so very warm," said Wheaton.
"The follows who want favors seem rn
think so. By th way, I'm anch obliged
to suiuc on fie an miiiur 1u.11. 4t - it
up in my mall th other day. I don't
know won sent It to nw If It 'a you "
"lTmr Margrave affected to hava
been wander! 11 g In his thoughts, but thla
was what ha waa waiting for. "Ok, 1
gucsti that wlWIIou. I never fool
with th pas business' myself ; I'v got
tT0l T?.f
, , .K""" "V."
said Wheaton. as If b owed an apology
to the road for accepting iL
"Better com out with m la th car
some tltn and se th road," Margrave
mi Kgea ted, throwing kla newspaper oa tb
table.
"I'd Ilk that vary much," said Whea
ton u.
"Wbere' Thompson now? Old man's
pretty wall done up, ain't hel"
' II went bark to Art sons. He waa
her at work all euutner. He's afraid of
our winters."
"Well, 'that gives yon -ywrr- chance."
aald Margrave, affably. Then ain't
any youug man la town that got, hat
ter chanca than yon bar, Jim. 1 be
lieve there's going to b a good thing for
som on in Traction stock. Porter
ought to let you in on that." Margrave
didn't know that Porter waa la. but be
sipected to find out.
"MrL'umr baa a way af keeping
thing to himself," aald Wheaton, cau
tiously: yet he wad tattered-by Mar
grave' frlrndllawaa, and aniioua to make
a favorable Impression. Vanity la not.
a le'asuelly aaaumed. a mer lmcideot
of character: kill disease.
"I suppoee," aakl Margrava, "that a
man could buy a barrel of tb stuff Jnat
now at a low ngure."
"What'a your guess aa to th tar thla
Traction business will takeT' asked
Wheaton. He" had aot:"etpeCt(! an op
portunity to talk to any one of Mar-
grav' standing oa this subject, gad ke
thought be Would gat soma Information
while the opportunity offered.
"Don't ask awl- If I kjtcw I'd Ilk to
get Into th gam. But, look ar" b
moved bin fat body a little Mint to
Whatn "the way to go late that thing
la to go Into It big I I've had my y on
it for a good while, bat I ain't going
to teach It anla I can awing It all.
Now, yoa know Porter, and I know him.
and roa can net your hist dollar he II
never bejible ta handle It. H nla't bnilt
for ill" Hla voic sank to a whisper.
"Bat If 1 deride 1 go in, lva gal to get
rid of Porter, M and Porter can't trav
el la the satat hamea. Yoa know that.
Now, I doa't know bow mock, he's got,
aad ae'a an wssrioos yoa can't tell
what ae'a ap to. ton know bow ke la :
ya can't go ta a fellow like that and do
baalnesa with him. and n woot, may,
anyhow, unless you play hi way."
"Well, I don't know anything abont
hla affairs, of eonree," said Wheaton, yet
feeling that Margrave's confidence must
bo reciprocated. "Just between ear
salrfa, be did bay a IMtl some tltn age,
bat no great amonat. It woald tako a
goad deal af money ta caatrwl that eaaa
paay." -Toara dead right. It wonW: and Par
tar aaaat any buaiaeaa feollag with IL
Toa'v got ta ayndicat a thing Ilk that.
H' probaaly got a tip froaa sons af
hm Baatera frteada a In what they're
going ta do, aad bee baying ua, waea a
can. at get aoxt. Rat say, aa hasa't any
Tract loa boada, baa br
Wboatoa had already aald mora than
be had tateaded, aad rsaiatsd new that
ka had been drawa lata thla conversation;
bat Margrava waa beadiag toward him
with a great air at eanaiariadlag Ino-
Porter had never has
grav waa and gives hla hla start
fl Aat M.I.V an- at sMSt I
know of at" Hla mind waa oa thoa
check ta Packman, which cwarly rep re
cent ad parebaeee of stock. Of course.
Porter might have bonds, too, but having
gone thus far a did not to dm,t u
Margrava boar Iktl a rsa7
Portar'a doing.
"That's all between oathat little mat
tar," said Margrave.
fcemwij, Mr. Margrave. .
CHAPTER XII.
Porter went Into Fenton's prrratn, of
Sea and shot and locked the door after
him. He always did tb!, and Fenton,
who humored Ua best client' whim par
force, pushed back the law book which be
waa reading aad straightened the pena on
his blotter.
I didn't expect yoo beck e eoon," be
aald. Porta, looked tired and thvra war
dark ring under his aye.
"Short ken oon curried," aa raanufe
ad, polling a packet from bis overcoat.
There waa eon thing boyish In Por
tar'a mysterious methods, which' alwayo
amused Fenton whan they did not alarm
and exasperate him. Porter eat down at
a long table aad th lawyer drew op n
chair op posits him.
"Which wav have tou been thl tlmt"
"Dow In th country," returned1
Porter, Indefinitely.
Fenton langbed and watched hla atlrat
polling tha rubber bands from hla pack
age. "What hava yoa there oabi r
wfeeatr
"What I bav bere' said Porter,
'traigbtenlng oot therlsp paper be Jiad
taken from hla bundle, "la a lew aaarea
of Clarkaon Traction stock."
Oh t" Fenton picked up a m! tw
played with It until Porter had nnlahed
counting and am oot hi hi tha atock certifi
cates. "Phot yoo are." said the banker, pass
ing the paper over to I'enton. "Bee if
tbey'r all right."
Faatoa compared the names on the
face of the certificate with tb assign
ment on the back. srhUf Porter watched
him and played with a rubber band.
"The assignments ere all straight,
aid Fenton, Anally.
He eat waiting and hla silence Irritat
ed Porter, who reached serosa and took
up tb certificates again.
"I want M talk to you a Uttla abont
Traction. v
"All right, air," said Fenton, mpeoV
fully.
"I'v gone la for that pretty deep thla
fall. I started In on thie down ICaet
laat anmmer. Those bnnda all went East,
bat a lot of the stock was kicked around
out here, If I get enough and reorganise
the company I ran handle the new s-
muUm Jaw. ft m oV mil rti,l, Twt S hHSl
nasa, . Jiow, I've been gathering In th
stock around here on th oniet. Peck
bam'a bora baying some for me, and be'
assigned it In blank. Tbera'a no aae
in getting new shares Issued until W'r
read to act, for Barnes and thoa fal
lows are not above doing something nasty
If they think they're going to low their
Job."
"The original stock lau waa Dt Ihoo
sand aha res," said rVmon. "How muck
liar your"- . , '
"Well, sir," snit IVrtcr, "I've got about
half and I'm lookiug for few 'shares
more right no."
. f win giiM wp bat voter again and
beat ha knuckle with iL Porter bad ex
peered Fen 100 ta mctarn him sharply, but
the lawyer was omiaoualy oniot.
"I'm free to eoafeae," aaid Fenton,
"rbat I'm sorry you've gone Into this.
Thla isn't the kind of thing that jWr la
the habit of going lata. I am not much
taken with the Men of mixing up la a
corporation thaWaa aa disreputable a
record as the Traction Company. It's
beea mismanaged aad robbed until tbare's
not much left fur aa boaeot man to tab
bold of, ihev issu no tatement; ao on
of any resimnsiblUtr has beea coanectel
with it for a long time. Th outside
stockholder arc scattered alk over tke
country, and amat of tbem bav quit
trying to enforc their rights. If they mu
b said to have any right. Ton remem
ber that th bwt tlma they want Into
court the,v er knocked oat and I'm
ire to aay that I don't want ta hava ta
go into any litigation ngainat tb eom-
pany."
"Yea. but tba bunch! la an straight.
ain't Itr
"Probably It la nil right" admitted tb
lawyer reluctantly, o.t that iaa't tba
whole etnry by any manner of meaaa If
It' known that yon're picking up th
stork, every frikkw that has amy will oak
you good and hard before be part with
It, Now, there an the bondaold
"Weil, what can tb aoadaoldara dof
demanded porter.
"Oh. get a receiver ami hart a M f
fan. Yon may expect that at aay Haw,
too. Those Eastern fellows at alow
sometimes, bnt they gvusrally know what
they re shout."
"Yea, but If they twit Baatara W-
"Ob. bondhoWert righ tra as goid
on nlac as aaotaer. Too Mir an
usually brought In the nana at tba
to in their behalf."
"Now. do yoa know what I'm tola to
aor demanded Porvar. I'ai rng ta
rnra up at the aoxt aaaaal meeting and
ewea this thing ant. Yoa doa't think It's
aar good: I'v oat faltb tao company
aad la the town: I koHrv It's going aa
a aood thina. Thla si til ga hoe that's
kwaa raanlag It ba got to go. IN emg
up anme stock he mat 1
Ikaaaht w.e Ust. At th BUsI
oly eight knadred ewt af lv th
share war voted."
(To ba oaathsaod.)
hty.
why tWt
Aw. 1 keapa It ty aa I 1
ajlashabnh.'awr -
Rsaf.ss Plaak Frasaa.
Tha sort of frame her pictured la
called th plank aygtam and la a hip
roof braced from tha alll and piataa
without Dost. Tha sketch explain It
self, but to make certain, that no mla-
tau win occur a gay u m
is o-lven. No. 1 In tha main aid poet
buodt of two piece of 1 In. x In.;
No. 1. Durllne Doat built of two piece
2 In. z 8 In.; No. B, purllna roof aup
port, ona plec 1 In. x t In. 19 In.;
No. 4. main tie, ona pioce, t In. x t
In.; No. 6, aubupport, ona plec. I
In. x A In.; No. 6, aUy, two ptocaa, t
a M 4 In.; No. 7, Ua. S In. x I
t in. x 8 in.: No. 8. atrut 8 in. x
8 in.: No. 8. alll or main crosg tit.
two pieces, t t. x 8 in. ; No. 10 line
showing pitch of roof; no. il, main
PUNK SYSTEM rUHL
plats, two places top place, ona plec
8 In. x 10 in., and side plec, 8 in. x
8 In.; No. 18, purlin plats, two pieces.
8 In. x 8 in.; No, 18, collar tie, -8 in.
x 10 liL, or 28 In. " '
Dry Vatatoos for TmmM.
Consul Frank 8. Hannah sends a re
port to th Department of Commerce
and Labor relative to somo recent ax-
perlmenia in the drying; of potatoe
undar tha auspices of -tha German Im
perial Interior Department, which
may offer -a- new flam for termer.
Th potatoes are reduced by this proc
ess to about one-quarter of their orig
inal weight, and can b kapt In a
good condition In thin compreoeed
form for an indefinite length of tlma.
The military authorities hava made
thorough experiments with this prod
uct and have become convinced that
Its nutritious vain is fully equal to
that of corn, and that the dried pota
toes ean take tha plana of one-third
of the former ration of oata. Tha fact
that the potatoes ar reduced to one
fourth af their original weight bring
about a corrpondlng reduction la the
price of freight, ao that it will pay to
grow mora potatoes than ha former
ly bees the case. Michigan Fanner.
Th Plata rarsB.
Speaking of farmer' Institute, en
man says: I wouia 11 10 snow
what Is la the ralad of the working
farmer in fait boota. who sit la tha
back seat" He add: "A few people
who are good talkers pralae the work,
but what about th silent oaeo who
listen and aay nothing
Th Rural New Yorker, comment
ing on theee Utaata, aay a: "The
itltate apaalsarB n not do . aay
wiser thing than to learn bow to en
courage and keep Just this class of
farmers. Th retired farmers and aue-
cesaful men who mak up a good
soar of th audience ar well able to
take ear of thasaawlvea. It Is pleas
ant to entertain them, and their
praise gives a nun a thrill of satla
fectte. It Is a truer sarvtc to the
State, however, ta gain the confidence
of th plain farmer and help him."
- Taw Weow. ta Saaaa.
Working horse from grass ba
never beea our way, although a groat
many do It and keep their foams In
very good fix. Whoa there la only
light work fr a few days, oar horse
have tb ran of good pastor when
not la tba haraeea. but moat at th
time they are la the barn, where they
got grain and bright hay throe time
a day. It seams to as they are better
able to stand hot weather when oa
a hay raUoa, with grain, than whaa
they got grain and green grans for
their naghaeas. It probably doe aa
mor barm to a bore to sweat than
It does a fMrtna. It I anally certain
that whaa a bora Is awaating freeij
be m taking aw hart, bwt a "grass
sweat" eaa b avoided by feeding hay
IsafsdvTwatith Century Parwesr
la order to eotorsnla what el eaa en ta
of plant food are AatVaaat la a 00U,
It. ts ac ary a emrafully Study tha
arwwlaa crow, bfaay far user swam to
bo of tha aaialaai that a ahleal
aaairsu at tha sad wil
asaawat of -amat td contained tharn-
Th chemist can only dotarmlne
proximately the amount of nitrogen,
phosphoric acid and potash tn a aoll,
without pacifically showing what pro
portion of those element can be taken
up by the growing plant A large par
oentag of than element 1 not avals
able Rt plant food. Henot the neces
sity for tbem In an available form
Ws must turn, then, to th crop, and
by watching It closely during it
growth and by a careful examination
when matured, so whether th soli la
deficient la plant food and what ele
ments ar lacklng.
' car ad soettsiat afowa. "
When sitting th hens In order to
keep the lice from bothering them, a
good plan is to fill tb nest boxes
with wood sharlnga, preferably those
that hare som odor about them. Ce
dar shavings ar excellent and so are
cedar twigs, and the hens will appre
ciate the nest of such materials. Lie
are a great drawback to a hen when
she Is on the nest, and many times
they compel tba sitter to leave her
neat when she does not desire, and It
there Is anything the poultrymaa can
do to keep th sitting ban comfortable
he will be amply repaid for It In th
end. The shaving ar inexpensive
and are easily destroyed. They do
not pack hard in th boxes and ar
quit comfortable for the hen. Try
some of them when sitting a hen and
see how useful they really are. Rural
World. '
Ltva teat aad PrwaaoHty.
Live stock is the chief element of
agricultural prosperity. It is th foun
dation upon which both the present
and future profits are established. W
boast of our treat wheat and corn
crops, and we bav a reason for so
doing, but If w depend npon tbem
alone w rob ourselves and our chil
dren by selling off th fertility of -th
toll with each year's crop. For many
tears the soil will continue to yield
their crops, but they will get poorer
and finally fall unless they are fed.
How much better to make your farm
richer instead of poorer; to get the
baneflta of the Increased crop during
your own lifetime and then leave a
rich and valuable farm to your chit
drea after you have done with H.
Live stock will do it a nothing ls
eaji. Kansas Parmer.
..A Csrw Itrar
Cliy 'blight can be controlled by
praying with ammonlear carbonst of
lVFftJVr. JLV HUH IUM, U.Myvv w -
ounces copper carbonate In pint' of
ammonia, and add 26 gallons of water.
To make copper carbonate, dlsaolv 8
pounds copper sulphate (blue vltrol)
In 8 gallons of water, alas 8 pounds
carbonate of soda In 8 gallon of
water. Mix the two oolutlona slowly,
stirring well. Let the mixture stand
until next day to aettle, after which
pour oft the liquid. Pour on 10 gal
lons of water, let stand until next
day. and repeat th operation, after
which strata and dry the blue powder.
which la tha oopper carbonate.
Tta riava af BWttao.
It has beea a generally accepted
theory among teachers and writers oa
dairy subject that the production ef
good butter nacesslUt the develop
ment of a certain amount of acid la
th cream, for two reason to de
velop a desirable flavor and to Im
prove th keeping quality. Recent In
vestigations by the United State De
partment of AgTicnlture Indicate, how ,
ever, that butter mad from neatest-
lead swet cream baa hatter keeping
quail tie and remains free from 00-
lectlonable flavors for a longer time
than butter made from sour cream.
Dew ramtii Wrwtt.
Dry farm fruit promises to yield aa.
abundant crop this year in Colorado,
according to B. R- Parsons, of Parker.
OHo oa of tb moat successful dry
farmers tn that Stats. Mr. Parsons
created much Intareat tn tha subject
of fruit growing on non-trri gated land
when he dear ii bed- hi orchard la aa
aadrosa at us uiro ary 1 arming mum
grass at Cheyenne, and has promised
to and' an exhibit of his dry farm
horticultural products to the Inter
national sxposltUn of dry farm prod
acts when tha dry farming congress
holds It fourth evasion at BUllnga,
Mont, October M, 17 aad 88 next.
Marvo flaease at IHswoee
Bees return to their blvee la a af
reet lino when they have beea carried
away and liberated, ap to two mile.
This has beea supposed to ba dua
either to the era af sight or of smell,
but th experiment ef Oastoa Bonnier
have proven that neither sight nor
saaell eaa ssrr tha parpooe and thai
bee hava a special "aenae of direc
tion." Thla saaaa la not ta the aataav
Vtoi a Osw wae fa
Good hay eaa only be mad by wt
ttag the grass aa eeoa a tt heads ewt,
aad clover aa aoea aa the aeaaw are
ta rail btoonm. It la a mbMaka to walk
until th haada turn hrwwa. There as
nothlag ia th theory that swaahia
aloa BaeJtes hay. Air hi a mean a
feotar ao swash tee. Cartas ssaiaiy km
the wtarewa aad hay eeeka la nf
praetMed hy asaay of er beat hay ap
aa inaicUaa. that m
with himi aad tl waa really Ma