ain Hallam's house, read the letter, his
attention was at once attracted--precisely as Guilford Duncan had
intended that it should be, by the elaborate formality of the signature.

"So Hallam's got that smart young man of his at work, has he?" the
Freight Agent muttered. "Well, we'll see what we can do with him." But
he deliberately waited till nine o'clock that night before responding.
Then opening the telegraph key at his elbow, he called Duncan, and
Duncan, who had learned telegraphing, as he had learned many other
things, as a part of his equipment for work, promptly went to his key
and answered the call. The General Freight Agent spelled out this
message:

"Simply impossible to furnish cars you ask. Haven't got them."

Duncan responded:

"The Quentin mine gets all cars needed. We demand our share and I shall
insist upon the demand."

The reply came:

"I tell you we can't do it. I'll run down to your place to-morrow or
next day and explain."

"Don't want explanations," answered Duncan. "I want the cars."

"But we simply can't furnish them."

"But you simply must."

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I'll adopt other measures. But you won't refuse."

"Why not?"

"Because I know too much," answered Duncan. "I shall send to you by
special messenger, on the train that will pass here within an hour, a
letter making a formal tender of the freight. I make that tender by
telegraph now, and you may as well accept it in that way. Your road is
a chartered common carrier. Your lawyers will advise you that you cannot
refuse freight formally tendered to you for carriage, unless you can
show an actual inability; in that case you must show that you are doing
your best by all shippers alike; that you are treating them with an
equal hand. You perfectly well know you are not doing that. You know you
have cars in plenty. You know you are deliberately discriminating
against this mine, and in favor of its rival. I make formal demand, on
behalf of the company I represent, for all cars needed for the shipment
of this freight. If they are not forthcoming, as you say they will not
be, I give notice that I will dump the coal by the side of your loading
side-track and leave it there at your risk. Good-night." And Duncan shut
off the telegraph instrument and devoted himself to the preparation of
his letter of demand.

It should be explained that the young man was not "making a bluff"--in
the figurative phrase of that time and country