slit
between the lids. "It's a deal, Mr. Baines," he said, presently.

"Cash," said Scattergood.

"You'll find a certified check in the mail the day after I get the
proper papers."

Which transaction gave Scattergood another profit on the whole affair of
nineteen thousand six hundred dollars--this time a capitalization of the
spite of man toward man. It will be seen that McKettrick owned 49 per
cent of the stock, Castle, 49 per cent, and Scattergood, 2 per cent. He
was now in a position to await developments.

They arrived as the railway was on the point of running its first train.
McKettrick brought them in person. He burst upon Scattergood as
Scattergood sat in front of his hardware store, and began to storm.

"What's this? What's this?" he roared. "What's that railroad doing up
the easterly side of our timber? It's waste money, lost money. It'll
have to be rebuilt. We've made all arrangements to cut off the westerly
side. Now we'll have to swamp roads and log by team till the road can be
moved."

"Um!..." said Scattergood, "so _that's_ it, eh? I was wonderin' how it
would come."

"It was an inexcusable blunder, and it'll cost you money. You know how
the railroad's contract with the company reads. Who gave you directions
to run up the easterly side?"

"My engineer got 'em in your office."

"Oh, your engineer. He made the mistake, eh? Then the mistake's yours,
all right, for every scrap of writing in our office has the word
'westerly' in it, plain and distinct. It means tearing up those rails,
grading a new line--and you'll pay for it. I sha'n't stand loss for your
mistake. It'll cost you a hundred thousand dollars for that blunder."

"Hain't you discoverin' it a mite late?"

"It was left wholly to you."

"Seems like I noticed it," said Scattergood. "So all that work's lost,
eh? Seems a pity, too."

"You don't seem to take it seriously."

"You bet I do, and I calculate to look into it _some_."

"It won't do any good. The mistake is plain."

"Shouldn't be s'prised. I git your idee, McKettrick. You've been
figgerin' from the start on smougin' me out of what I invested in that
road, eh?... By the way, your stock's in your name. I'll git the
certificates out of the safe."

McKettrick shoved the envelope in his pocket. "The Seaboard Box and
Paper Company will force you to remove your tracks from our land. I'll
sue you for damages for your blunder. The Seaboard will sue the new
railroad for damages fo