"
"I have read your articles of incorporation, Mr. Ogilvy," Mayor
Poundstone boomed paternally. "You will recall that they were
published in the Sequoia SENTINEL. It strikes me---"
"Then you know exactly what we purpose doing, and any further
explanation would be superfluous," Buck interrupted amiably, glad to
dispose of the matter so promptly. Again he favoured the Mayor with
his bright smile, and the latter, now fully convinced that here was a
young man of vast emprise whom it behooved him to receive in a whole-
hearted and public-spirited manner, nodded vigorous approval.
"Well, that being the case, Mr. Ogilvy," he continued, "what can we
Sequoians do to make you happy?"
"Why, to begin with, Mr. Poundstone, you might accept my solemn
assurances that despite the skepticism which, for some unknown
reason, appears to shroud our enterprise in the minds of some people,
we have incorporated a railroad company for the purpose of building a
railroad. We purpose commencing grading operations in the very near
future, and the only thing that can possibly interfere with the
project will be the declination of the city council to grant us a
franchise to run our line through the city to tidewater."
He handed his cigar-case to Mayor Poundstone and continued lightly:
"And I am glad to have your assurance that the city council will not
drop a cold chisel in the cogs of the wheels of progress.
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