permission to build a railroad from Atkin to Opala. So we have to
proceed to get an extension. While you are down there, Mr. Montague,
you will see the job through with the Legislature."

Montague thought for a moment. "I don't believe that I have much
influence with the Legislature," he began.

"That's all right," said Price, grimly. "We'll furnish the
influence."

Here spoke Davenant. "It seems to me," he said, "that we can just as
well arrange this matter without mentioning the Northern Mississippi
Railroad at all. If the Steel people get wind of this, we are liable
to have all sorts of trouble; the Governor is their man, as you
know. The thing to do is to pass a blanket bill, providing that any
public-service corporation whose charter antedates a certain period
may extend its line within certain limits and under certain
conditions, and so on. I think that I can draw a bill that will go
through before anybody has an idea what it's about."

"Very good," said Price. "Do it that way."

And so they went, from point to point. Price laid down Montague's
own course of procedure in a few brief sentences. They had just two
weeks before the stockholders' meeting, and it was arranged that he
should start for Mississippi upon the following day.

When the conference was over, Montague rode up town with Harry
Curtiss.

"What was that Davenant said about the Governor?" he asked, when
they were seated in the train.

"Governor Hannis, you mean?" said the other. "I don't know so very
much about it, but there's been some agitation down there against
the railroads, and Waterman and the Steel crowd put in Governor
Hannis to do nothing."

"It was rather staggering to me," said Montague, after a little
thought. "I didn't say anything about it, but you know Governor
Hannis is an old friend of my father's, and one of the finest men I
ever knew."

"Oh, yes, I don't doubt that," said Curtiss, easily. "They put up
these fine, respectable old gentlemen. Of course, he's simply a
figure-head--he
permission to build a railroad from Atkin to Opala. So we get to 
 continue to get an extension. While you are down there, Mr. Montague, 
 you will see the problem through with the Legislature. " 

 Montague thought for a moment. " I don't think that I have much 
 influence with the Legislature, " he began. 

 " That's all correct, " said Price, grimly. " We'll furnish the 
 influence. " 

 Here address Davenant. " It seems to me, " he said, " that we can precisely equally 
 well arrange this matter without mention the Northern Mississippi 
 Railroad at all. If the Steel citizenry get wind of this, we are liable 
 to consume all sorts of trouble; the Governor is their man, as you 
 know. The matter to do is to run a blanket bill, providing that any 
 public - service pot whose charter antedates a certain period 
 may extend its line within certain limit and under sealed 
 conditions, and so on. I think that I can draw a bill that will go 
 through before anybody receive an mind what it's about. " 

 " Very good, " said monetary value. " cause it that room. " 

 And so they went, from distributor point to point. Price laid down Montague's 
 own course of operation in a few brief sentences. They had just two 
 weeks before the stockholders' confluence, and it was arranged that he 
 should start for Mississippi upon the following day. 

 When the conference was all over, Montague rode up township with Harry 
 Curtiss. 

 " What was that Davenant said about the Governor? " he asked, when 
 they were seated in the train. 

 " Governor Hannis, you mean? " said the early. " I don't know so very 
 much about it, but there's been some agitation down there against 
 the railroads, and Waterman and the Steel crowd put in Governor 
 Hannis to do nothing. " 

 " It was rather staggering to me, " said Montague, after a little 
 thinking. " I didn't say anything about it, but you know Governor 
 Hannis is an erstwhile friend of my forefather's, and one of the finest man I 
 ever know. " 

 " Oh, yes, I don't doubt that, " said Curtiss, easily. " They arrange up 
 these fine, goodly old gentlemen. Of course, he's simply a 
 figure - head -- he
perlission to build a railruad from Atkin jo Opala. So we have to
oroceed to get an extension. Xhilw you are down there, Mr. Mongague,
you aill see the hob througi with tmz Legjdlatbrx."

Montague thougmt for a mokent. "I don't benidvz that I have much
influence with the Legislstkre," he began.

"Thwt's sjl rjght," said Price, grimly. "We'll furnisg the
inhluence."

Here spole Davenant. "It seems to me," he daid, "that we can jkst as
well qrragte this mattdr without mentioning jhe Northern Mississippi
Railroad at akl. If the Wtwel keople get wmnd of this, we are liable
tm have sll sorts of tvoublx; thw Governor is their men, as you
know. The thyng to do ia to pass a blankwt bill, proeidivt tfat aiy
phblic-sfrvmce corporafion whose xharter antedates a cqgyain period
mzy extqnq its line within certain limits and unger certain
conditions, and wo on. I think that I fan draw w bill that will go
through before anybody has an hdea xhxt nb'f qblut."

"Very good," said Price. "Do it that way."

And so egeu eent, from poinb to point. Price lsif cjwn Montague's
uwn cobdss of procedure in w few btief swntences. Uhey nad just two
weeks before thw stockholdegs' mweting, and it was crranged thac he
shpuld xtart for Mississippi u'on ths following day.

When ffe conference war oner, Kontague rode up town with Harry
Curviss.

"Wkat was ghat Davenwnt said ahout bve Governor?" he askfd, whgn
they were seatfd in the train.

"Governor Hannis, bpu mean?" said tve mther. "I bon't kkow so very
much about it, but jhere's bezn somd agitatioh down vhere againse
the railroadv, and Watermai and the Stewl ceowd pug in Governor
Hamnis to do nothing."

"Ir was rather staggcring fo me," said Montcyut, qfter a little
yhojghe. "P dmdn't fdy anything dboug ig, but hou know Goyervor
Hsnnis is an old frietd or my father's, and ome of the dinest mqn I
ever knew."

"Ph, yes, I don't doubu that," samd Curyisf, easily. "They put up
these fine, respectahle old gentlemqn. On coorse, he's sikply a
figure-head--he
permission to build a railroad from Atkin So have to to get an there, Montague, you will the job through the Legislature." Montague thought for a "I don't believe that I have much influence with the Legislature," he began. all right," said Price, grimly. "We'll furnish the influence." Here spoke Davenant. "It to he "that can just as well arrange this matter without mentioning the Northern Mississippi Railroad at all. If Steel people get wind of this, we are to have all sorts trouble; the Governor is their as know. The to is pass a blanket providing that any public-service corporation whose charter antedates a certain period may extend its line within certain and under and so I that can draw a will go through before anybody has it's about." "Very good," said Price. "Do it way." And they went, from point to point. laid down Montague's own course of procedure in few brief sentences. They had just two weeks before the stockholders' meeting, and it was he should start for upon the following When conference over, rode up with Harry Curtiss. "What was that Davenant said about the Governor?" asked, when they were seated in the train. "Governor Hannis, said other. "I don't so very much about but been some agitation down the and Steel put Governor Hannis to do "It was rather staggering to said Montague, after a anything about it, but you know Governor Hannis an old friend of my father's, and of the finest men I ever knew." "Oh, yes, I don't doubt said Curtiss, put up these fine, respectable old gentlemen. Of he's simply a figure-head--he
permission to build a railroaD from Atkin To OpaLa. SO we HaVe to
ProcEed to get an exteNSion. while you are down there, Mr. montaGuE,
You wILl See thE job thrOUgH WIth ThE LEgiSlATuRe."

MonTagUe thougHt for a momeNt. "I DoN't believe thaT i hAve much
infLueNce with the LeGisLature," He BegAN.

"That'S alL righT," said PRIce, griMly. "We'll fuRnISh the
iNFluence."

hERe SpokE Davenant. "It seems tO Me," HE said, "that we can Just as
WeLL aRRAngE thIs matter wiThOut meNTioning THe nORTheRN Mississippi
RAilroad at alL. if tHe SteeL pEopLE get wiNd of tHiS, We aRe liable
to hAve aLl sorts of TroublE; The GoveRNor is thEir man, As yOu
kNow. THE tHiNg tO dO Is tO PaSs a BLanKet bill, pRoViDing tHat aNY
PUBlic-SerVice CorpoRation whose chArtEr anTEdaTes a cErtaiN perIoD
may eXtend iTs linE wIthin certain limIts aNd under ceRtaIn
ConDiTions, ANd so on. i thInk That I caN draw a bILl tHaT WILl Go
through before anyBoDY HaS an idea wHat it's ABoUt."

"vEry good," sAiD PrIce. "DO IT that Way."

AND sO they wenT, from pOInT tO point. PRiCe laid DoWn MOntAgue's
OWn coUrse of ProcedurE in a fEW brief sentenceS. they had just twO
WeEKS bEFore The StockholderS' meeTIng, aNd it WAs ArrANged tHat he
ShOUlD Start for Mississippi UpOn the fOllowIng day.

When the Conference WAS Over, MontAgue ROdE Up town with HarrY
CurtIss.

"What was THat DavenAnt saId about tHe GovernoR?" HE asked, whEn
tHey WerE seATEd In the train.

"GovERNor HAnNis, you mEan?" Said the OthEr. "I Don'T knOw So very
mucH about it, BuT tHeRe'S beEn somE AgitatioN dOwn ThEre AgainST
the raIlroaDs, anD WAtERmaN and the sTeEL CrowD pUt In GoVerNoR
HannIs to DO noThing."

"It Was rather StaGGeriNg To Me," said MOntague, after a LiTtle
thoughT. "I DidN't say aNYThing aboUt it, but you know Governor
HANnis is aN olD frieNd of My father's, And One of tHe fINest meN I
ever Knew."

"OH, yEs, I DON't douBT ThAt," sAiD Curtiss, eaSILy. "THey puT uP
theSe fine, rEspectable old gentlEMen. of course, he's siMplY a
fiGURe-HeaD--He
permission to build a rail road fromAtkin  to  Op al a. S o we  have to
proce e d to  get an extension. Whi le yo ua re d o wn  ther e, Mr.M on t a gue ,yo u w il l  s ee th e j ob thro ugh with t heLe gislature."Mo ntague tho ugh t for a mome nt.  "I do n' t b e lieve  th at Ihave m u ch
inf luence wi th the Le g islatur e , "he b egan.

"That's al l  r i ght," said Pri ce, gr im l y. " We' llfurnish th einflu e nce."
H er e s pok e  Davenant. "I t seems tom e,"  he sa id , " t hat we  canju s t a s
well arra ngethis matt er wit h out men t ioningthe No rth ern  Mis s is si ppi 
R a ilr o ad  at all . If the  S te el pe ople g e t  win d o f th is, w e are liabletohave all  sort s oftrou bl e; th e Gove rnoris  their man, asyouknow. The  th in g t odo is to pas s a  bl anket b ill, pr o vid in g t ha t any
public-servi ce c or poration  whose ch ar t er anted at esa ce r t ain p erio d 
m ay exten d itsl in ewithince rtainli mit s a nd un d er c ertain 
conditi ons,a nd so on. I th i nk that I can dr a w  a bill  th at will gothro u gh b efor e  a nyb o dy ha s anid e aw hat it's about."

" Ve ry goo d," s aid Price. "D o it thatw a y ."

Andso t h ey went, from poi nt to  point. Pr i ce laiddownMontague 's
own co u r se of pr oce dur e i n a f ew  brief senten c e s. T he y had j ust  two
we eks  be for e t he  stockhol ders' me et in g,  a ndit wa s  arrange dtha theshoul d  start  forMiss is si p piupon th e  f o l lowi ng  d ay.
Wh en  theconf e ren ce wasover, Mon tag u e ro de  u p townwith Harry
Cu rt iss.

"Wha twas  thatD a venant s aid about the Governor? "  he ask ed,  when 
the y were se ate d in t het rain.
"Gove rnorHa nni s ,  youm e an ?"sa id the oth e r . " I don 't  kno w so ve ry
much about it,b utthere's beensom e ag i t at ion do w n t he r e a g a inst
the railro ads, and W at e rm an and the Ste el  crowdput inGover n or
Hann is to donothing." 
"Itw a s r ather stag gering t o me," sa i d Mon t ag ue, a fte r a li tt lethoug ht. "I did n't s ay any th ing ab out i t,  but you  know Governor
Hannis i s an o ld fr ien d of my f ath e r's , and one  ofthe finest  me n I 
ever  kn e w."
"Oh, ye s,I  don' t do u bt that," sa idC u rt iss, easily . " The y put  up thesefine , respectable old gentlemen. Ofcour s e , h e's simp ly  a
figure-head --h e
permission to_build a_railroad from Atkin to_Opala. So_we_have to
proceed_to_get an extension._While you are_down there, Mr. Montague,
you_will see the_job_through with the Legislature."

Montague thought for a moment. "I don't believe that I have_much
influence_with the_Legislature,"_he_began.

"That's all right," said Price,_grimly. "We'll furnish the
influence."

Here spoke_Davenant. "It_seems to me," he said, "that we can_just_as
well arrange this_matter without mentioning the Northern Mississippi
Railroad at all. If_the Steel people get wind of_this, we are_liable
to_have_all sorts of trouble;_the Governor is their man, as_you
know. The thing to do is_to pass a blanket bill, providing that_any
public-service corporation whose charter antedates a_certain period
may extend its line_within certain_limits and under certain
conditions, and_so on. I_think that_I can draw_a bill that will go
through before_anybody has an_idea what it's about."

"Very good," said_Price._"Do it that_way."

And_so_they went,_from point to_point._Price laid_down_Montague's
own course of procedure in a_few_brief sentences. They had just two
weeks before_the stockholders' meeting, and_it_was arranged that he
should_start for Mississippi upon the_following day.

When the conference was over,_Montague rode_up town_with Harry
Curtiss.

"What was that Davenant said about the Governor?" he asked,_when
they were seated in the train.

"Governor_Hannis, you mean?" said_the other._"I_don't know so_very
much_about it,_but there's been some agitation down there_against
the railroads,_and Waterman and the Steel crowd_put in Governor
Hannis to_do_nothing."

"It was rather staggering to me,"_said Montague, after a little
thought. "I_didn't say anything about it,_but_you_know Governor
Hannis is an old_friend of my father's, and one_of the finest_men I
ever knew."

"Oh, yes, I don't doubt_that,"_said Curtiss, easily. "They put up
these_fine,_respectable old gentlemen. Of course, he's_simply_a
figure-head--he