The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1904-03-17
CHAPTER XIV.

to piece It together again as they could.
The rear" had not yet arrived. As a
consequence Thorpe found the city
comparatively quiet.
Although his ideas were not as yet
formulated. he hoped to be able to pick
up a crew of first class men from those
who had come down with the advance,
or Jam" of the springs drive. They
should have finished their orgies by
now and, empty Of pocket, should be
found hanging about the boarding
houses and the quieter saloons. Thorpe
intended to offer good wages for good
men. He would not need more than
twenty ut first, for during the ap-
preaching winter he intended to log on
+ a very small scale indeed. The time
for expansion would come later.
With this object in view he set out
from his hotel about half past on the
day of his arrival TO cruise about in
the lumber jack district. The hotel
'lork had obligingiy given him the
names of n number of the quieter sa-
looms where the boys chung OUT be-
tween bursts of prosperity. In the
first of these Thorpe was helped ma
terially in his vague and uncertain
quest by cncountering an old acquaint-
ance. Jackson Hines.
The old man pcercd at Thorpe.
Don't you know me?" inquired
Thorpe.
Know you? You bet I do. How
are you. Harry? Where have you been
! kccpin' yourself? You look about as
fat as stall fed knttin needle"
"'vc been land looking in the upper
peninsula" explained Thorpe, ION the
: Ossawinamakec. up in the Marquette
country"
"Sho" commented Jackson in won.
der. way up there where the moon
changes"
It's fine country" went on Thorpe
so every one could hear, with a great
cutting of whi' pine. 1t runs as high
as twelve h, red thousand to the
forty sometimes"
Trees clean an free Of limbs" ask
ed Jackson.
They're as good as the stuff over on
seventeen You remember that"
"Clean as baby's leg" agreed Jack
son.
Have glass of beer?" asked
Thorpe.
DRY as tobacco box" confessed
Jackson.
So they all drank.
On a sudden inspiration Thorpe re-
solved TO ask the old mans advice as
to crew and horses. 1t might not be
good for much, but it would do no
harm.
Jackson listened attentively to the
others brief recital.
"Why don't you see Tim Shearcr?
He amt don' nothin' since the jam
came down." was his comment.
Isn't he with the NJ. Il ID. people?'
asked Thorpe.
Nope. Quit"
"How's thatf'
"'Count Of Morrison. He's been film
his teeth for NJ. 4 ID. right along.
Somethin' behind it all, I reckon"
'Where'll find him." asked Thorpe.
Jackson gave the name of a small
boarding house. Shortly after Thorpe
left him to amuse the others with his
unique conversation and hunted up
Shearer's stopping place.
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
side. Shearer and a 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
air. He approached and attempted an
Identifying scrutiny. The men, with
the taciturnity of their class in the
presence Of stranger, said nothing.
well, bub," finally drawled a voice
from the corner, "DlOwed that stake
you made out of Radway YETI"
''That you. Shearer" inquired
Thorpe, advancing. You're the man
I'm looking for"
you've found me-" replied the old
man dryly.
Thorpe was requested deliberately to
''shake hands" with the owners of six
names. Then he had chance to init
word with him alone. The river man
rose silently and led the way up the
straight. uDcarpeted stairs along a mar
row. uncarpeted hall to square. I'M
carpeted bedroom. The walls and cell.
ings of this apartment were OF I'M
painted planed pine, 1t contained
cheap bureau one chair and bed and
washstand to match the bureau. Shear.
er lit the lamp and sat on the bed
what is it," he asked.
~ have little pine up in the north
ern peninsula within walking distance
OF Marquette" said Thorpe. "and
want to get a crew OF about twenty
men. 1t occurred to me that you might
be willing to help me-"
The river man frowned steadily at his
interlOcutOr from under bis busby
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 1t. eh?" he
submitted finally as the only probable
conclusion. "D0 you think you know
enough about It? Who does 1t belong
t0?
ut belongs to man named Carpen-
ter and myself"