The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-09
CONTINUED from Last Sundays Morn
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CHAPTER Xxx,


thrust attained him in one of his few
unprotected points. At first the spring
of his life seemed broken. He did not
care for money; and at present disap-
pointment had numbed his interest in
the game. 1t seemed hardly worth the
candle.
Then in a few days he began to look
about him mentally. = Unconsciously
the combative instinct aroused. In
lack of other object on which to expend
itself, Thorpe's fighting spirit turned
with energy to the subject of the law
suit.
After his sister left the Renwicks,
Thorpe himself went to Detroit, where
he interviewed at once Northup, the
brilliant young lawyer whom the firm
had engaged to defend its case.
I'm afraid we have no show" he re-
piled TO Thorpe's question. You see,
you fellows were on the wrong side of
the fence in trying to enforce the law
yourselves. OF course you may well
say that justice was all on your side.
That does not count. The only re-
course recognized for injustice lies in
the law courts. I'm afraid you are
due to lose your case"
We'll" said Thorpe. they can't
prove much damage"
II don't expect that they will be able
to procure a very heavy judgment"
replied Northup. THE facts l shah be
able to adduce will cut rown damages.
But the costs will be very heavy"
Yes" agreed Thorpe.
And" then pursued Northup with
a dry smile. they practically own
Sherman. You may be in for contempt
of court-at their instigation. AS 1 un-
derstand it, they are trying rather to
injure you than to get anything out of
ii themselves"
That's it," nodded Thorpe.
I'm other words, it's a case for COM
promise"
Just what l wanted to get at" said
Thorpe with satisfaction. Now an
swer me a question. Suppose a man
Injuries government or state land by
trespass. The land is afterwards
bought by another party. Has the lat
ter any claim for damage against the
trespasser? Understand me, the pur-
chaser bought after the trespass was
committed .
Certainly" answered Northup with
out hesitation. Provided suit is
brought within six years Of the time
the trespass was committed"
Good! Now see here. These NJ. &
D. people stole about section of gov
eminent pine up on that river. and 7
don't believe they've ever bought in
the land it stood on. In fact, l don't
believe they suspect that any one
knows they've been stealing. How
would II do. If were to buy that sec
tion at the land office, and threaten to
sue them for the value of the pine that
originally stood on it?"
The lawyers eyes glimmered behind
the lenses of his pince-nez.
1T would do very well indeed" he
replied, but you'd have to prove they
did the cutting, and you'll have to nav
experts to estimate the probable
amount of the timber. How much. on
broad guess, would you estimate the
timber to come tor
There ought to be about eight or
ten million" guessed Thorpe after an
lnstant's silence. worth in the stump
anywhere from sixteen to twenty
thousand dollars. 1t would cost me
only eight hundred to buy it"
DO SO, by all means. Get your docu-
ments and evidence all in shape, and
let me have them. I'll see that the suit
is discontinued then"
The next day Thorpe took the train
north. By the time he had bought the
sixteen forties constituting the section
searched out a dozen witnesses to the
theft, and spent a week with the Mar
quette. expert in looking over the
ground, he had fallen into the swing of
work again. His experience still
ached: but DULY.
Only now he possessed no interests
outside of those in the new country
no directions save the half-protecting,
good natured comradeship with Wal
lace, the mutual self-restraint respect
that subsisted between Tim Shearer
and himself, and the dumb, unreason-
ing dog-liking he shared with Injun
Charley. His eye became clearer and
steadfer; his methods more simple and
direct. The taciturnity of his mood
redoubled to thickness, lie was less
charitable to failure on the part of
subordinates. And the new firm on the
Ossawinamakee prospered
CHAPTER XXI.
Five years passed.
In that time Thorpe had succeeded
in cutting a hundred million feet of
pine. The money received for this had
all been turned back into the com
pany's funds. From a single camp of
twenty-five men the concern had in
creased to six large, well-equipped
communities of eighty to a hundred
horses, and hauling as far as eight or
nine miles.
Near the port stood a mammoth
sawmill capable of taking care of
twenty-five million feet a year, about
which lumber town had sprung up.
Besides its original holding, the com
pany had acquired about a hundred
and nifty million more, back near the
headwaters of the Ossawinamakee.
During the four years in which the
Morrison & Daily Company shared the
stream with Thorpe the two firms liv-
ed in complete amity and understand
ing. Northrop had played his cards
skillfully. The older capitalists had
Withdrawn suit. Afterwards they kept
scrupulously within their rights, and
saw to it that no more careless open
tngs were left for Thorpe's shrewdness.
And as the younger man, on his side.
never attempted to overstep his own
rights, the interest of the rival firms
rarely clashed. AS to the few disputes
that did arise, Thorpe found Mr. DAILY
Eingularly anxious to please. In the
desire was no friendliness, however
Thorpe was watchful for treachery,
and could hardly believe the affair I'm
ished when at the end of the fourth
year the NJ. & d. transferred its oper-
atoms to another stream a few miles
east
They're altogether too COMPOUNDED
anxious to help us on that freight,
Wallace" said Thorpe, wrinkling his
brow, uneasily. Il don't like il. II
isn't natural"
In three states. Thorpe had set out