Francis Lynde

“ He won't know any better than to tell the truth—first, last, and all the time. Moreover, if—as I suspect—he's down here on his own hook, he'll make capital out of that."
"What if he does?"
"Why, he'll win 'em right from the start—if I know anything about human nature."
Manville was as optimistic as he was unscrupulous, and laughed at the idea of being worsted by a boy.
"You're rattled this morning, Norty," he said complacently. "If you're going to lose any sleep about it, we'll have to get rid of Tom Jarnagan's proxy." ”

“ Chapter III. IN WHICH TOM TAKES A BAITED HOOK. Norton, Manville's companion, was the agent for the Interstate Trunk Line, a connecting-link between the Wisconsin & Iowa and the Western railways, and so should have been strictly neutral as between the Transcontinental and Jarnagan's line. But the "pointer" concerning the Utah colony had reached him through Manville; and it is a rule in railway soliciting that a man must be loyal to his informant. Hence Norton was, for the time being, Manville's ally. ”

“ Tom accepted the offer thankfully; but when they were clear of the house, Simpson shook his head.
"I dunno 's I'd resk too much on that," he said. "Manville's been out to see Olestrom two or three times, and I'm afraid they're up to something together."
"Maybe I'd better go around and see the people myself," Tom suggested.
"Maybe you had; leastways, 't won't do no harm if you come out to-morrow in the afternoon to see if he's been round. B'lieve I'd do that, if I was you. Going straight back to town now?" They had pulled up at the Simpson gate. ”

“ You'd laugh to see how many of his correspondents make i's and e's of the a's."
"I do know him—I'm the local agent at Richville. I was just saying to Eleanor as we drove up that I was sorry he couldn't be here to secure the Utah colony."
"He couldn't come, but his 'proxy' is here," said Kate, smiling. "My brother Tom is in Richville, and he is trying to do what he can in father's absence."
Mr. Haworth and his sister exchanged glances of intelligence. "I think we met him as we were coming out," he said. "He was in a buggy, driving to town." ”

“ It seems that Jarnagan had to go to California at the last minute, and so couldn't come down to look after it himself."
"But you have to be neutral, haven't you?"
"Oh, yes; that's the supposition; but I always make it a point to help my friends when I can. Jarnagan is a man I can respect, and that's more than I can say of Manville."
The horse turned of its own accord up to the gate of The Maples, and Mr. Henry Haworth, the local agent whom Tom was on his way to seek, sprang from the buggy and helped his sister to alight. Kate was at the open parlor window when they came up, and Mrs. ”

“ I think you can if you manage it right. Of course the people wouldn't pay money to you, but how would it do to ask them to go to the meeting prepared to make a deposit of ten dollars a ticket after they have chosen their route? ”