Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1902-12-24
"That gives the first crop. For the SEQ

would If it was given chance, and that's
all correct.
'Perhaps this Is rough on the Jug
ginses, but as they crowd the British IS
lands in droves, and are always on the
lookout for some one to shear them, 1
don't sec why an Everglades company
shouldn't have their fleeces as well as any
body else. They're mostly MASTERS and
wouldn't do any good anywhere, and it's
patriotic deed to cart them over our
boundary ditch away from local mischief
Besides, even If the worst comes to the
worst and the orange industry OF Florida
still refuses to make Roadway, the would
be growers needn't starve. Nor need they
even do what they'll probably hate more,
and that's work. There's always sweet
potatoes and mullet and tobacco to be got,
and, If that diet doesn't cloy, man can
have 1t there for mighty little exertion.
Come, now. That's the pemmican OF
the plan. What do you think of it?"
Much capital would be needed"
Cambel shrugged his shoulders. Some,
naturally, or l shouldn't have come to you.
II I'd seem any way to pouching all tho
plumber single handed, you may bet your
little life, Mr.. Theodore Shelf, shouldn't
have invited you into partnership"
]
''Not necessarily. Float the company
and then turn it over to another company
for cash down.
Moreover, when the--er-the young
men you spoke about found that the or
ange groves did not produce at once in
paying quantities, they would write home,
and their parents would denounce me In
the papers as "A swindler.
mo, not you, the other company-thC
one you sold it TO. But then apologists
would arise to show that the Jugginses-
don't shy at the word, sir-were lazy and
ignorant, and also that they absorbed the
corn whisky of the country in excessive
quantities. And then that company could
smile smugly and pose as misunderstood
benefact0r 30 its profits wouldn't bc
smirched in the least. Grasp thaty'
Yes, yes, dare say you have workc,
it all out to yourself and thought out tie
details so many times that the whole
scheme seems entirely plausible. Bur,
looking at ii from the view of a business
man, l cannot say that it appears to be al
enterprise | should care to embark in.
You see, it is SO very much beyond the
scope of my general operations that Ter
-hesitate-er-you understand hest.
tate''-
Yes" said Patrick Cambel quietly,
"you hesitate because you've got some
thing ten times more profitable up your
sleeve"
Shelf started and shivered slightly.
You may as well be candid and open
with me-" Cambel continued and tell .
me what you are driving at. II it suits .
me, III say so, and if it doesn't I'll let
you know with surprising promptness.
And, again, If we don L trade, you may re-
iy on me not to gossip about what you
suggest, I'm not the stone throwing va
riety of animal. You see, l live in sort
OF semigreenhouse myself"
There was a minutes pause, during
which Theodore Shelf shifted about as
though his chair was uneven rock beneath
him. Then he jerked out his tale sentence
by sentence, squint ng sideways at his
companion between each period.
You know, I'm shipowner in a large
way of business:"
Gamble nodded.
'Ships are occasionally lost at sea
steamers, even new steamers straight off
the builders slip and we'll found in every
particular
so I've read in the newspapers.
And every shipowner insures his yes
sells to the full of their value. -
Except when he has foreboding that
they will come to grief on voyage Then,
go rumor says, he usually has the fore
thought to overinsure."
Mr.. Theodore Shelf passed handker-
chief over his forehead and started what
was apparently new topic: There Is
silver crisis on just now in the United
States, and by this mornings paper the
dollar is down at go cents. American gold |
Is not to be had. English gold is always |
worth its face value. What more natural |
financial operation could there be than to |
ship out sovereigns and profit by the dis
THE new and valuable steamer which, |;
though overinsured. is likely to be report
I'd lost Is evidently to have consignment /
0f specie on board. Five hundred thou. |
sand pounds | fancy you mentioned as the
figure in the billiard room this morning.
Well, if one is going in for robbery--or
piracy, l suppose it would turn out to be
n this instance-there's nothing like a
arge coup. It's your niggler who usually |
ails and gets laid by the heels. Drive on,
md be little more explicit"
Couldn't the steamer be lost somehow
n the gulf of Mexico and a boat contain
ng the boxes of specie find its way through /
his channel of yours into the interior of
IloridsE'
How lostf'
Mr.. Shelf mopped his forehead again.
Don't steamers" he asked, don't they
ometimcs have sad accidents which,
which cause them TO blow up!''
such things have been known. But
is rather rough on the crew, don't you |
hink?"
oh, poor fellows, yes But sailors
fe is always hazardous. Indeed, what can |
G expect with wages at their present -
uinous rate? Shipowners must live"
"Oh, you beauty" said Patrick Cambel.
Il must ask you to refrain from these
sir. But, tell me, before l so Al
ny further in this confidence, am l to X,
Junt upon your assistanceY" til
That depends upon many things. To L,
agin with, thcre'll have TO be modifica- a 1
ons before dabble I'm not obtrusively fe
lueamish about human life--my own or ca
ner peoples. On occasion l bagged my cti
an because he had twice shot at me- ri.
I'LL piracy complicated with what prac- vi
cally amounts to murder, is an art which "a "a
haven tratlcked in as yet, and, curious m,
relate, l don't intend to begin. Your ev
hemo is delicious in its cold bloodedncss. no
1t it would look better if it were toned re,
'wn tritie, By the way, better help m(
'urSelf To "A drink. Your nerves are in -
nh 1E4gnv ~, Il