surprising fore-knowledge of the County, who had
been met by Pompey Hollidew. He replied to Simmons,
"Exactly... timber sidings at the principal
depots."

They were, evidently, discussing a projected road.
Gordon subconsciously exclaimed, half-aloud,
"Railroad!" A swift illumination bathed in complete
comprehension the whole affair -- the connection,
of Simmons, old Pompey's options and the
stranger. This railroad, the coming of which
would increase enormously the timber values of
Greenstream County, had been the covert reason
for Simmons' desire to purchase the options held by
the Hollidew estate; it had been, during Pompey
Hollidew's life, the reason for the acquisition of
such extended timber interests. Hollidew, Simmons
and Company had joined in a conspiracy to purchase
them throughout the county at a nominal sum and
reap the benefits of the large enhancement. The
death of the former had interrupted that satisfactory
scheme; now Valentine Simmons had conceived the
plan of gathering all the profit to himself. And,
Gordon admitted, he had nearly succeeded...
nearly. A slow smile crossed Gordon Makimmon's
features as he realized what a pleasant conversation
he would have with Simmons at the latter's expense.
He had never conceived the possibility of getting
the astute storekeeper into such a satisfactory, retali-

[[213]]

p212 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p213w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p214

v?