The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-07-14
CHAPTER XIX.

lTATlITH Thorpe there could be no
III halfway measure. He saw that
V the rupture with his sister was
~ fnal and the thrust attacked
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 disappointment
had numbed his interest in the game.
It seemed hardly worth the candle.
Then in a few days he began to look
about him mentally. Unconsciously the
combative instinct was 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 Northrop, 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 we'll
say that justice was all on your side.
That does not count. The only recourse
recognized for injustice lies in the law
courts. I'm afraid you are due to lose
your case.''
"Well," said Thorpe, "they can't
prove much damage
II don't expect that they will be able
to procure very heavy Judgment" re-
piled Northrop. 1.-THE facts I shall be
able to adduce will cut down damages.
But the costs will be very heavy
YES" agreed Thorpe.
And then pursued Northrop, with
a dry smile, ''they practically own
Sherman. You may be in for contempt
of court-at their instigation. AS I I'M
derstand it, they are trying rather to
1njure you than to get anything out of
1t Themselves
THAT'S it" nodded Thorpe.
I'm other words. it's a case for COM
PROMISE
Just what I wanted to get at" said
Thorpe, with satisfaction. "Now an
sWer me question. Suppose man
injuries government or state land by
trespass. The land is afterward bought
by another party. Has the latter any
claim for damage against the trespass-
er? Understand me, the purchaser
bought after the trespass was commit
ted
"Certainly," answered Northrop with
out hesitation, 'provided suit is brought
within six years Of the time the tres
pass was committed''
"Good! Now, see here. These Nj. &
D. people stole about a section of GOV
eminent pine up on that river, and I
don't believe they've ever bought in
the land it stood On In fact. I don't
believe they suspect that any one
knows they've been stealing. How
would it Go if I were to buy that Sec
ton 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
ut would do very we'll indeed he
replied, "but you'd have to prove they
did the cutting, and you'll have to pay
experts to estimate the probable
amount of the timber How much, on
broad guess, would you estimate the
timber to come to?'
''There ought to be eight or ten mil
lions," guessed Thorpe after an in
stant's silence, worth in the stump
anywhere from sixteen to twenty thou
cnr1 1011o,.c
eight hundred to buy it,
do so by all means Get your doc
uments and evidence all in shape and
let me have them. I'll see that the suit
is discontinued them
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 affections 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 Iniun
Charley. His eye became clearer and
steadier, his methods more simple and
direct. The taciturnity of his mood re-
doubled in thickness. He was less
charitable to failure on the part of sub
ordinates. And the new firm on the
Ossawinamakee prospered.
CHAPTER Xxx.
I'M I'VE years passed. In that time
T 7oSGeeG is esf ID 1a in cutting ting
~ money received for this had all
been turned back into the company's
FUNDS. From single camp of twenty
no