called, in Greenstream, the Portugee; every crop he
planted grew as if by magic. Old Matthew Zane
would endeavor to borrow from Gordon the
money with which to repurchase the option he had
granted.

He worked steadily, while the rectangles of sunlight
cast through the windows on the floor shortened
and shifted their place. He worked until the figures
swam before his eyes, when he laid aside the pen,
and picked up the _Bugle_, glancing carelessly over the
first page.

His attention immediately concentrated on the
headlines of the left-hand column, his gaze had
caught the words, "Tennessee and Northern."

"Goddy!" he exclaimed aloud; "they've got it in
the _Bugle_, the railroad coming and all."

He was glad that the information had been
printed, it would materially assist in the announcement
and carrying out of his plan. He folded the
paper more compactly, leaned back in his chair to
read... Why!... Why, damn it!, they had it
all wrong; they were entirely mistaken; they had
printed a deliberate -- a deliberate--

He stopped reading to marshal his surprised and
scattered faculties. Then, with a rigid countenance,
he pursued the article to the end. When he had
finished his gaze remained subconsciously fastened
upon the paper, upon the advertisement of a man

[[337]]

p336 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p337w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p338

v?