Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-17

1 names or a number Of the qu1eter sa- looms where the boys "hung out' be- tween bursts of prosperity. In the first of these Thorpe was helped ma- terially in his vague and uncertain quest by encountering an old acquaint- ance, Jackson Hines. The old man peered at Thorpe.
 Don't you know mew inquired Thorpe. #
 ''Know you? You bet I do. How are you, Harry? Where have you been keepin' yourself? You look about as | fat as a stall fed knittin' needle" 'I've been land looking in the upper peninsula" explained Thorpe, Ion the | Ossawinamakee, up in the Marquette country"
 "Shor' commented Jackson in won der. ss..Way up there where the moon changesr'
 "It's fine country" went on Thorpe so every one could hear, with great cutting of white pine. It runs as high as twelve hundred thousand to the | forty sometimes" l ed Jackson.
 'tThey're as good as the stuff over on seventeen You remember that"
 "Clean as baby's leg," agreed Jack son.
 Have glass of beerY' asked Thorpe.
 '.Dry as a tobacco box" confessed Jackson. l So they all drank.
 On a sudden inspiration Thorpe re- solved to ask the old mans advice as 1 to crew and horses. It might not be good for much, but it would do no 1 harm. Jackson listened attentively to the l others brief recital.
 "Why don't you see Tim Shearer? He ain't doin' nothin' since the jam came down. was his comment.
 "Isn't he with the M. & D. peoplew asked Thorpe.
 Nope. Quit" Flows that?''
 "'Count of Morrison. He's been film his teeth for M. & D. right along. Somethin' behind it all, reckon | "Where'll find him?'' asked Thorpe. Jackson gave the name of small boarding house. Shortly after Thorpe left him to amuse the others with his l unique conversation and hunted up Shearer's stopping place. 1 The boarding house proved to be of the typical lumber jack class-a mar row stoop, hallway and stair in the | center and an office and bar on either 1 side. Shearer and half dozen other | men about his own age sat, their chairs on two legs and their "cork" boots on the rounds of the chairs, smoking placidly in the tepid evening 1 air. He approached and attempted an identifying scrutiny. The men, with the taciturnity of their class in the presence of stranger, said nothing. {
 "WeI1, bub," finally drawled voice from the corner, ''blowed that stake you made out of Radway yetw '"That you, ShearerY inquired Thorpe, advancing. You're the man | I'm looking for.''
 You've found me- replied the old man dryly.
 Thorpe was requested elaborately to shake hands, with the ow ners of six names. Then he had chance to inti- mate quietly to Shearer that he wanted l a word with him alone. The river man | rose silently and led the way up the straight, uncarpeted stairs, along mar 1 row, uncarpeted hall, to square, un carpeted bedroom. The walls and cell ings of this apartment were of un- 1 painted planed pine. It contained a 1 cheap bureau, one chair and bed and l washstand to match the bureau. Shear CT lit the lamp and sat on the bed.
 What is it?'' he asked. 1T have a little pine up in the north ern peninsula within walking distance of Marquette,' said Thorpe, 'and I want to get crew of about twenty 1 men. It occurred to me that you might. be willing to help me-"
 The river man drowned steadily at his interlocutor from under his bushy brows.
 "How much pine you got?'' he asked finally.
 About 3oo,ooo,ooo," replied Thorpe quietly.
 The old mans blue eyes fixed them selves with unwavering steadiness on Thorpe's face.
 You're jobbing some of it, eh?'' he submitted finally as the only probable conclusion. Do you think you know enough about it? Who does it belong to?"
 s'It belongs to a man named Carpen- ter and myself
 The river man pondered this slowly for an appreciable interval, and then shot out another question:
 How'd you get it?"
 Thorpe told him simply, emitting nothing except the name of the firm up river. When he had finished Shear CT evinced no astonishment nor ap- proval.
 "You done well" he commented final