The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1904-06-02
ton; that he had sacrificed her inclina.

ton; that he had sacrificed her inclina-
tons to his own.
After finishing the letter Thorpe lit
his pipe and strolled out into the dark
ness. Opposite the little Office he
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 listless at his side, pipe half
falling from the fingers of one hand.
All the facetious lines had turned to
pathos.
whats the matter with the boss.
anyway" asked Thorpe in low voice
Of Jackson Hines when the seven up
game was finished.
''Hain'r We heard?" inquired the old
man in surprise.
"Why, no. What?''
Busted" said the old men senten-
hously
"How? What do you mean?''
"What I say. He's busted. That
freshet caught him too quick. They's
more than million and a half logs
left in the woods that can't be got out
this year, and as his contract calls for
a finished job he don't get nothin' for
what he's DONE"
That's queer rig" commented
Thorpe. Hes done 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. I
don't know how the old man come to
make such a contrac'. but he did. Re-
suit is he's out his expenses and time.'
The exceptionally early break up of
the spring, combined with the fact
that owing to the series of incidents
and accidents already sketched the ac-
tual cutting and skidding had fallen so
tar behind, caught Railway unawares
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 100000
already banked he was forced to drop
everything else and attend strictly to
the drive. This left still, as has been
stated, million and a half on skid
ways, which Railway knew be 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 we'll abandon the enter
prise entirely for all he would ever get
out Of it, he finished the tdrive'' 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 Transfers and the
cook drove down the five teams. I'm
der the influence Of the solitude and a
certain sympathy which Thorpe mani
Tested Railway talked-a very little.
Il got behind; that's all there is to
it." he said. Il bit.off more than
could chew"
Thorpe noticed 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 l left Christmas?'
he asked.
Eyes"
"TEe 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.
Eyes, they did" answered Thorpe.
The older man sighed Il thought
| so,' he went on. 'Well, l didn't go to
| spend Christmas. went Eas:ause Jim.
my brought me telegram that Ida
was sick with diphtheria. l sat up
nights with her for eleven days.
mo bad after effects, l hope?" in
quired Thorpe.
"She died." said Railway simply.