l has got the capital
practically subscribed in New York. The people here are hot for the new
road. It'll be sure to carry at the special election, next month. He has
the governor and legislature in his vest pocket, so they'll put through
the charter next winter."

"I don't see that anything can be done," said Ed's lawyer, old Judge
Barclay, who was at the consultation. "It means a big rake-off for
Dunkirk. Politics is on a money basis nowadays. That's natural enough,
since there is money to be made out of it. I don't see how those in
politics that don't graft, as they call it, are any better than those
that do. Would they get office if they didn't help on the jobs of the
grafters? I suppose we might buy Dunkirk off."

"What do you think, Harvey?" asked Ed, looking anxiously at me. "We've
got to fight the devil with fire, you know."

I shook my head. "Buying him off isn't fighting,--it's surrender. We
must fight him,--with fire."

I let them talk themselves out, and then said, "Well, I'll take it to
bed with me. Perhaps something will occur to me that can be worked up
into a scheme."

In fact, I had already thought of a scheme, but before suggesting it I
wished to be sure it was as good as it seemed. Also, there was a
fundamental moral obstacle,--the road would be a public benefit; it
ought to be built. That moral problem caused most of my wakefulness that
night, simple though the solution was when it finally came. The first
thing Ed said to me, as we faced each other alone at breakfast, showed
me how well spent those hours were.

"About this business of the new road," said he. "If I were the only
party at interest, I'd let Dunkirk go ahead, for it's undoubtedly a good
thing from the public standpoint. But I've got to consider the interests
of all those I'm trustee for,--the other share-holders in the Ramsay
Company and in our other concerns here."

"Yes," replied I, "but why do you say Dunkirk intends to build the road?
Why do you take that for granted?"

"He's all ready to do it, and it'd be a money-maker from the start."

"But," I went on, "you must assume that he has no intention of building,
that he is only making an elaborate bluff. How do you know but that he
wants to get this right of way and charter so that he can blackmail you
and your concerns, not merely once, but year after year? You'd gladly
pay him several hundred thousand a year not to use his charter and right
of way, wouldn't you?"

"I nev