The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-10-12

his pipe and strolled out into the dark
ness Opposite the little office he
I stopped amazed.
Through the narrow window he could
see Railway seated in front of the
| stove. He had sunk down into his
chair until he rested on almost the
small of his back, his legs were stuck
/ straight out in front of him, his chin
rested on his breast. and his two arms
hung hstless at his side, a pipe half
falling from the fingers of one hand.
All the facetious lines had turned to
pathos.
What's the matter with the boss,
anyway" asked Thorpe in a low voice
q of Jackson Hines, when the seven-up
game was finished.
"Hain't ye heard?' inquired the old
man in surprise.
why. no. What?"
Busted" said the old man. senten-
tiously.
How? What do you mean"
What / say. He's busted. That
freshet caught him too quick. They's
more than a million and a half logs
left in the woods that can't be got
out this year, and as his contract calls
for finished job. he don't get nothin'
for what he's done"
That's a queer rig" commented
Thorpe. Hes done a lot of valuable
work here-the timber's cut and skid
ded. anyway; and he's delivered, A good
deal of it to the main drive. The NJ.
& D. outfit get all the advantage Of
that"
They do, my SON When old Days
hand gets near anything. it cramps.
don't know how the old man come to
make such a contract. but he did. Re-
suit is, he's out his expenses and time
The exceptionally early breakup of
this spring, combined with the fact
that, owing to the series of Incidents
and accidents already sketched, the
, actual cutting and skidding had fallen
so far behind, caught Railway una
wares. He saw the rollways breaking
out while his teams were still hauling
in the woods. In order to deliver to
the mouth of the Cass Branch the three
million already banked, he was forced
to drop everything else and attend
strictly to the drive. This left still,
as has been stated, a million and a
half on sideways, which Railway knew
he would be unable to get out that
year.
In spite of the jobber's certainty that
his claim was thus annulled, and that
he might as well abandon the enter
prise entirely for all he would ever get
/ out of it, he finished the drive" con-
scientiously and saved to the company
| the logs already banked Then he had
interviewed DAILY. The latter refused
to pay him one cent
! The next day Railway and Thorpe
walked the ten miles of the river trail
| together, while the teamsters and the
cook drove down the five teams IN
! der the influence of the solitude and a
certain sympathy which Thorpe mani
tested Railway talked-a very little
erCf NIaA
1t" he said. II bit off more than l
could chew"
Thorpe noticed a break in the mans
voice, and glancing suddenly toward
him was astounded to catch his eyes
trimming with tears. Railway per-
ceived the surprise.
You know when I left Christmas ?"
| he asked.
Yes"
THE boys thought it was a mighty
poor rig, my leaving that way"
He paused again, in evident expecta-
ton of reply. Again Thorpe was ST.
lent.
Didn't they?" Railway insisted.
Yes, they did," answered Thorpe
The older man sighed. Il thought
So" he went on. well, l didn't go to
spend Christmas. 1 went because Jim
my brought me a telegram that Ida
was sick with diphtheria. l sat up
nights with her for 'leven days"
No bad after-effects, l hope?" in
| quired Thorpe.
She died." said Railway, simply.
CHAPTER TX.
Railway" said he suddenly, II need
money and l need it bad. / think you
ought to get something out of this Job
Of the NJ. & D.-not much, but some
thing. VIII you give me a share OF
what l can collect from them?"
/! Sure" agreeS the jobber. readily
with laugh. Sure! But you won't
get anything. I'll give you 10 per cent
/ quick!"
Good enough" cried Thorpe Now
when we get to town l want your pow
er of attorney and a few figures, after
which l will not bother you again"
The next day the young man called
for the second time at the little red
painted office under the shadow of the
mill. and for the second time stood be-
fore the bulky power of the junior
member of the firm.
We'll, young man, what can I do for
you?" asked the latter
Il have been informed" said Thorpe
without preliminary that you intend
to pay John Railway nothing for the