THE STEADFAST HEART
…It was an unusual display of trust. To Dave Wilkins it was the proudest day of his life.
Already rumors of Judge Crane’s subterranean activities were afloat in Rainbow. The post office knew he was up to something, but could not discover what; knew he was taking options on property up the river, buying outright farms whose owners were suspicious of options. It required a great deal of money…. There were those who claimed the Judge represented an incoming railway and was securing rights of way; others took the stand that His Honor was in possession of some sort of information which would boom land values, and was preparing for the event; others, more astute, held that he had discovered coal, or iron or gold…. Very few, indeed, guessed petroleum.
The Judge was close-mouthed, mysterious. He realized he excited curiosity, and, even though his aim was secrecy, he made such a parade of it as a man of his character would make, delighting in the sensation he caused. He dearly loved to be in the public eye and on the public tongue.
The second week after Mr. Woodhouse’s departure, the Judge walked into the bank and passed directly into Angus Burke’s room without the formality of knocking. He uttered no word of greeting or courtesy, but drew from his
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