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308 holding your breath, wondering what action the Great Southern Railway will take to depress your stock?"

"No; we're not anxious on that score."

"You still have faith that the railway company will not strike?"

"The railway company has struck."

"How?"

"One week ago to-day it sent down from London a couple of trains carrying materials and three hundred men. Within six hours Oaklands Junction Station was razed to the ground and everything piled upon the trains. The switches were taken up, signals taken down, even the platform was removed, and before night, when the trains steamed away, there was left nothing to show that a station had ever existed there."

Stranleigh sprang to his feet and paced excitedly up and down the room, a most unusual action on his part, who was generally so self-contained.

"Beautiful! Beautiful!" he cried. "Well, if that isn't the best thing I've ever heard! Lovely! Of course, there's no law compelling them to keep up a station of which they have no need. So now your little railway line ends in the air, miles away from any junction."

"Yes."

"What's happened to the stock?"

"It fell from twenty-six to five, with no takers even at that figure."