The
Colonel was on the verge of calling his niece up to demand an
explanation, but on second thought decided to wait a few days and see
what his gum-shoe men might have to report further.
(2) The N. C. O. was still a mystery, but a mystery in which Bryce
Cardigan was interested. Moreover, he was anxious to aid the N. C. O.
in every way possible. However, the Colonel could understand this.
Cardigan would aid anything that might possibly tend to lift the
Cardigan lumber interests out from under the iron heel of Colonel
Pennington and he was just young enough and unsophisticated enough to
be fooled by that Trinidad Redwood Timber gang.
(3) The N. C. O. was going to make a mighty bluff, even to the extent
of applying for a franchise to run over the city streets of Sequoia.
Hence Ogilvy's visit to Mayor Poundstone--doubtless on the advice of
Bryce Cardigan. Hence, also, his visit to young Henry Poundstone,
whom he had doubtless engaged as his legal representative in order to
ingratiate himself with the young man's father. Coarse work!
(4) Ogilvy had carried a small leather bag to and from Henry
Poundstone's office. That bag was readily explained. It had contained
a bribe in gold coin and young Henry had been selected as the go-
between. That meant that Mayor Poundstone had agreed to deliver the
franchise--for a consideration; and like the smooth scoundrel he was,
he wanted his bit in gold coin, which could not be marked without the
marks being discovered! Ogilvy had called first on the Mayor to
arrange the details; then he had called on the Mayor's son to
complete the transaction.
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