atters drift
away on the draft which has followed him in from the storm. 'T is a
ghostly way Fate has with things neglected.

"The car line could be made to pay," begins Regan craftily, "and I might
risk a few dollars to buy it in."

"Craney would sell if he was by," replies the boy.

"No matter; you can put through the deal as his manager, making all the
money for yourself. Perhaps fifty dollars," says Regan, careful not to
overbid and make Tim think the deal of too great importance.

There is a tone and movement to the air round Regan which electrifies
his companion, and at once they are conspiring together.

"You will abandon the run; suspend the service," says Regan,
deliberating; "and because your regular passengers might take hold and
operate it themselves you shall drive the horse away into the woods with
one trace broken and his side plastered over with clay as if he has been
in an accident--having first wrecked the car."

Tim nods, his own eyes glittering red, as Regan makes plain how it is to
be done. From the top of the high hill at the end of the line the car is
to be turned loose with brakes unset, so that it will leave the track
where it curves at the bottom.

"There it will take the plunge of thirty feet into the creek bed," he
says; "and when it lies in splinters at the bottom you will be handed
the money."

"And how will wrecking the car make the road belong to you?" asks Tim.

The man of power smiles at his shrewdness, and is frank with information
so that he will not be tempted to ask someone else. The Barlow Suburban
has an agreement with the state which is called a charter, he explains,
which will be forfeited if cars are not run for a certain number of
days. "So I can buy in the property from the state officials that I
know," he adds, "and operate it with new cars." He does not say with
steam cars, though by the foresight of old Craney the builder this is
permitted by the charter.

The conspiracy is now complete and as Regans puts on his raincoat Tim
makes bold to tell him: "Some day I will be boss like yourself, Mr.
Regan."

"So you may," nods the other with rare good humor, and departs for his
car.

And Dan can afford to be good-humored this night, having found a way of
escape from difficulties which have threatened to ruin his new career at
its very beginning. For a line of the P. D. building into this territory
has been held up by the Great Southwest, which warns openly that it w