Scattergood Baines

this because it rightly belongs in a class with the statement that the mountain was coming to

d had to go to the city he might as well get at it and have it over, exercising the care of an exceedingly prudent man in the circumstances, and fo

d, twenty-four miles distant. When he settled in his seat the stage sagged noticeably on that side, for Sca

your money in the right leg of

. I hope I don't have to git after it sudden. Dunno but

er set down your valise. There's a white shirt and a collar and two pair

ded so

he said, "it'll save you a dollar hotel

reed. "G'by, Mandy. I calculate you wo

dabbing at her eyes. "I'll be r

gly sentimental passage for them. Between Scattergood and his wife there was a deep, true, abiding affe

ut he was only at the beginning. As he bumped along he could see busy villages where only hamlets rested; he could see mills turning timber into finished products; he could see business and life and activity where there were only silence and rocks and trees. And where ran the rutted

a couple of thousand dollars a year. The valley was his avocation. It had netted him well over a hundred thousand dollars, most of which was growing on the mountain sides in straight, clear spruce, in birch, beech, and maple. It had netted him certain strategic holdings of land alon

Scattergood's shoes and the feet they inclosed, were sox. Before his union with Mandy he had been a stranger to such effeteness. Even now he was prone to discard them as soon as he was out of range of her vision. To-day he had not esca

lroad presidents were said by Mandy to go in for style. Scat

ever tired of studying it. As the law book to the lawyer so the valley was to Scattergood-something never to be laid aside

he could engage in conversation. He was asking them about their jobs, what they did, and why. He was asking question after question about railroads

he terminal offices of the G. and B. An h

a pleasant-faced boy, "where d'yo

Castle?" as

feller," sai

ing grapefruit and poac

rk none duri

hirty, and when he don't go off somewheres he's mostly her

'Most five hours a day he sticks to it. Bear up under it per

paid fifty thousand a ye

be a railroad president." He put his canvas telescope down, and placed a

spot to eye with appreciation the caller who waited for Mr. Castle. Scattergood was unaware of thei

ith a braided leather thong. When it told him nine thirty had arrived, he got up, his telescope in his hand, and ambled heavil

e." The room within did not contain the president. It was crossed by a

in?" asked

ely, and replied, shortly,

ergood, "I calc'lated he would be some took up. Tell hi

n appoi

your pants is goin' to have an appointment with my hand." He leaned over the railing as he sai

ngish man, constructed by na

astle?" asked

retary. What

iggered you must be president of the railroad or

ur business

ng ears to listen to

siness with Mr. Cas

so bulky, and twirled the secretary about with his ham of a hand. At the same time he leaned against the gate, which was not fastened to

astle's habitual posture when working. The temples and dome of the head seemed to bulge, as if there was too much inside for the strength of the restraining walls. The president lo

snapped.

build a railroad. Want to see you ab

. Busy. Get out

ome to see you about this here thing," he said, quietly. "Either you'll talk to me about it now, or I'll have

ith unnatural nervous energy-it was a brief scrutiny. "Clea

rom Coldriver to connect with the G. and B. narrow gauge. Carry freight and passengers. Wan

s, President Castle perceived, and who could

een talking about it.

te to buil

ane and

E

it, aren't they? In to se

rane and Keith. He had beaten them with his dam and boom company; he had beaten th

mechanically to loosen his shoe.

essary information,"

is to be my railroad, and I'm the feller that's goin'

r station. Tentatively agreed to lease and operate the road when built.... Good morning." "I calc

er the right of eminent d

om another one?" asked Sc

N

got me a charter to build this railr

hich stands. You can't build your road, whatever you've got. Frankly

al, Mr. P

olut

'd fix things so's runnin' it wouldn't do much goo

act

p to Coldriver don't go to the hotel. Come right

ing a railway map of the state with special reference to the G. & B. It showed them that the G. & B

forty mile of track consid'able more of a wor

dangerous pastime," said Johnnie

egislature,

pretty friendly to the r

dly to me, too,"

ass any legislation the

the most hurt-which, I calc'late, is in the pocketbook. Here's my notion: To make a pop'lar measure of it; somethin' that'll appeal to the folks. We

Johnnie, dub

use of the state, so to speak, without payin' a fair rent for it. You draw up a bill pervidin' that the railroad has got to pay a fee of, say a doll

at his client, "that there'll be the devil to pay. You'll

'em d

assed. It's darn-fool legislation, Mr. Baines-but some darn-foo

as a sort of afterthought, "I want to git through a leetle bill for my stage line. Here's about it. Won't take more'n fif

there young Jim Hands drove up with his girl, alighted, and went into the ice-cream parlor for refreshment. S

andle. This he placed in the socket on the dashboard. Then he resumed his chair. Presently Jim emerged with his girl and helped h

gad," said

t did it come f

ich as your'n needed a good whip to set it o

ched the back of his suntanned

whip," he said. "How muc

usual. It'll be two dollars to you, seem

ly. It was by methods such as this that he did, in his hardware store, double the business such a store in such a locality normally accounted for. Scattergood's most outstanding quality was th

count was large. The letter said he had pressing need for half a dozen railroad rails of certain size

eamster, drove by, and

I got a mite of work to be done, and seein' things wasn't brisk wi

," sa

t beside Tim, and was driven to the spot he had s

eet graded along here," h

d, you hain't thinkin' of b

and I figgered I'd like to see how they'd look all laid down on the

work on his railroad. Actual, patent for the world to see. The railroad was begun. Not Crane & Keith, not President Castle, not a court in the

ent domain?" Scattergo

roads to take land necessary to its

ody's

es

Keith, f'

es

or jest land for railroad yards,

ecessary to

says if it's

cou

you git

called condemnat

Johnnie, sta

, and for wha

. and B. All their mill yards, you know. Don't want the m

without the log yard and the

heap sorry for Crane and Keith. Them fel

ot a railroad

o-morrow I'll be layi

adjoining Crane and Keit

s Crane and Keith owns anything in this neighb

to run t

rouble for me. Seems like I ought to sort of return the favor. 'Tain't jest spite, Johnnie. Spite's a luxury I can't afford i

undertook. It was not his business to see, but to carry out promptly and efficiently Scattergood's directions

arried President Castle of th

as that to

d that things was arranged on purpose. Proves to my satisfaction that Crane and Keith went out of the

rails of the Coldriver Railroad, and then made the day's drive to the state capital with drafts of

r disposition these days, e

eristic of himself, which made the old-timers scratch their heads and admit that a new man had arisen who must be reckoned with. Not yet did Scattergood hold the state in the hollow of his hand, naming governors, senators, directing legislation, as he did when his years were heavier on his shoulders.

introduced, Amri,

e her, Sc

nd looked out of the window. Then he walked to the door

d with dynamite," he s

for it. Shouldn't be s'prised if the feller who introduced it and made a fight fo

s their passes, and I guess there's some tha

for some of the boys to fat up their savings' account-pervidin' there's a good chance

d Amri, with w

in t

in las

and, hain't in p

ere he kin git the

im to step up here

ng, and solemn of face, stepped into the roo

attergood!

r a pop'lar measure. I've up and inve

r. "Afternoon," he said,

e fightin' for the railroads-reapin' whatever b

d, and returned. "What

s too easy," said Scattergood, sobe

dn't," s

licked? Suppose this come to a fight, and it looked like they was goin' to git the worst o

his thin li

ith the railroads, can't you? Well, you don't stand to lose nothin', do you? All we got to do is ke

ergood," said he, "this here's an idee. Never recollect not

fe.... Jest pleasu

s a

outs

guard, Sca

go out sen

door that Lafe c

f names. "And say, Amri, here's a leetle bill you might jest slip along quick. Don't amount to nothi

mless little measure having to do with sta

ice, and his demeanor was that of a

going to let him alone, but you got us into this-and now you've got to get us out again. Know what he's done? Nothing much but start condemnation proceedings against us to take

," snappe

ld his railroad. Act

ad, and you men will. As soon as I found out he had that charter, and saw the possi

nd I tri

thought he was. I'm not making any such mista

fter you, too. You wa

. and B., don't you think? And I doubt

figures are mighty wide apart sometim

ond, I can see you now. What is it?... All right. Come

ared pr

re up yonder tamed," he said, a

ha

sident Scattergood's novel taxation, measure. "What

cinctly. "Your friend Scattergood has brought the fight right on to our fr

that nobody can tell. And if it stuck-" He sucked in his breath. "It wo

it and don't let any grass grow. Kill it in committee. T

... For reasons of necessity we will discontinue all train service at the flag station at the mouth of Coldriver Valley. That'll leave h

to sidetrack that legislation if

I guess we

ed unusual interest in it. In short, it became the one big measure of the legislative session. Everything else was secondary to it. When a railroad measure is hotly discussed in every loafing place in a state there is a measure that legislators handle with gloves. It is loaded. When the home folks

B. and expert handler of legislatures, was forced to write Presi

Siggins is doing his best, but so far he has been able to account for only forty-five per cent of the votes. The stran

ok part in his after life did he spend a dollar to buy a vote or to influence legislation. Perhaps it was scruple on hi

's first use of the weapon of public opinion. In this battle he learned its potentialities. Men who knew him well and were close to him in political matters declare he became the most skillful creator of a fictitious public opinion that ever lived in the state. It was in kee

rgood Baines in this matter," Ham

sly to his hardware business. Representatives did not call

man of Castle's experience this was more than strange; it was uncanny. He began to con

that legislature. Yet he was able, at the end of another two weeks, to guarantee six votes less than a majority. The opposition had captured one more vote than he, and needed but five to

ussing the situation with Hammond, wired Scattergood, asking for an appoi

andy, "that President Castl

capital, but word of his presence flashed from tongue to tongue with miraculous speed. Word of it came to Presi

, and the president ascended with thoughts in hi

le, without preface

I calc'late," said

bill. The railroads can't perm

' your time on me for

infernal little railroad w

n it to s

-if we give you your railroad

to see my

ou're nothing ahead. It won't give you yo

te you'r

man. You want som

in kind of a wife. Hain't never met Mandy, have you? Wa-al, her and

at do yo

, with its bulging cheeks, as expressionle

of a thing you kin do for me. But I'll try ... I'll spend the afternoon thinkin' over all the things you might be

first time in a dozen years, "we'll smash you f

ergood, placidly; "it might distu

e. There could be no more outside interference; no more money influence. It was all over. Now the matter was in the hands of those uneasy men, who, even now, might hold steadfast to their principles or to the money that had bought them or to the power that had compelled them-or who m

they voted yea or nay-and President Castle watched and kept mental count. Scattergood was not present. The thing was even, dangerously even. For every yea

led the clerk's

ay

bbi

ay

ak

ay

ope

ay

lge

ay

ro

ay

scredited political leader.... Lafe Siggins could not restrain a chuckle, for Scattergood had played into his hands. Scattergood had allowed himself to be eliminated from calculation in the state, leaving Siggins as sole, undisputed, victorious boss. It had

, there was a demonstration of disapproval from the ga

him," sa

as a clos

he representatives, now huddle

so infernally cocky. He told me I might see him at six o'clock and he'd tell me wha

to dinner. The three went to the hotel, where, sit

were going to tell me what I could

omethin' l

und him a hard man to crow over. He ad

getting them. I told you we'd lick you-and we have. I told you we'd sm

ins! Lookin' mighty jubilant about somethin'. Glad to see it.... And Mr. Hammond seems p

Crane and Keith, let them know," said Castle. "I guess the G. a

ll, you hain't done it yet.... Guess I need a favor perty bad at this minute, eh? Wa-al, 'tain't a big one. J

at wherever any stage line or other transportation company of whatsoever nature intersected the line of a railroad or terminated on such line, the railroad should be compelled to establish a r

, and more than all, that Scattergood had requested of them! A few words making possible S

to this for me. If I'd thought Hammond was int'rested I might have called it to his attention. But I figge

ss for words. Siggins was gazing at Scattergood wit

in' 'em the prosperity-with the railroads payin' for it. The last was to settle things between Lafe and me. I sort of wanted Lafe and the boys in politics to understand which was which.... And they'll understand.... Now, Mr. President, the thing I wanted to git was in two parts. First one was to git your attention on this here bill so's you wouldn't notice my little stage-line thing. The other was pretty nigh as valuable. I got it. It's a li

ld the position that was his. He knew when a figh

his bill pervides-in case of emergencies. And second, I want your folks should handle the bonds of my railroad-construction bonds. G

ities for the future. However, he knew Scatte

"By the way," he asked, "what was the idea of the

got a might timid, and yestiddy they up and sold out that mill to a friend of mine-actin' for me-for fifty-five thousand dollars. Fig

t will be better for us to work together than at odds. Suppose we bury the hatchet

ne that hankers for strife ... not even with Lafe, here, if

ders from you

his first mill, and became undisputed political dictator of his state. Characteristically, there was charged to ex