uld force that bankruptcy would, by
that act, be the apparent means of losing a vast amount of money to
the poor investors of the town, and Bobby left that ungrateful task to
the _Chronicle_. He even went so far as to defend the Consolidated in
a mild sort of manner, a proceeding which fanned the _Chronicle_ into
fresh fury.

For three months desperate attempts were made by the Consolidated to
make the new bonds attractive to the public, but less than one hundred
thousand dollars was subscribed. Bobby was tabulating the known
results of this subscription with much satisfaction one morning when
Ferris walked into his office.

"I hope you didn't come into town to dig up another scandal, old man,"
said Bobby, greeting his contractor-friend with keen pleasure.

"No," said Ferris; "came in to give you a bit of news. The Great
Eastern and Western Railroad wants to locate its shop here, and is
building by private bid. I have secured the contract, subject to
certain alterations of price for distance of hauling and difficulty of
excavation; but the thing is liable to fall through for lack of a
location. They can't get the piece of property they are after, and
there is only one other one large enough and near enough to the city.
The chief engineer and I are going out to look at it again to-day.
Come with us. If we decide that the property will do, and if we can
secure it, you may have an exclusive news-item that would be very
pretty, I should judge." And Ferris smiled at some secret joke.

"I'll go with pleasure," said Bobby, "and not by any means just for
the news. When do you want to go?"

"Oh, right away, I guess. I'll telephone to Shepherd and have him
order a rig."

"What's the use?" demanded Bobby, much interested. "My car's right
within call. I'll have it brought up."

Shepherd, the chief engineer of the G. E. and W., when they picked him
up at the hotel, proved to be an entire human being with red whiskers
and not a care in the world. Bobby was enjoying a lot of preliminary
persiflage when Shepherd incidentally mentioned their destination.

"It is known as Westmarsh," he observed. "I suppose you know where it
is."

Bobby, who had already started the machine and had placed his hand on
the steering wheel, gave a jerk so violent that he almost sent the
machine diagonally across the street, and Ferris laughed aloud. His
little joke was no longer a secret.

"Westmarsh!" Bobby repeated. "Why, I own that undrainable