Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1907-12-19

to carry the furnace on to what YOU
believe would be expense making? If
l lent you $4,000, would it be suf-
%ficient?"
Longmore was on his feet, his eyes
Wide and looking grotesque in their
rims of iron black.
You dom mean this, MI. Braytou,'
he gasped. 81 have no means, no Sc
cur1ty, not even my college expenses
paid yet. Then there's
i've seen your work." coolly, land
am ready to lend you the money until
u LIST of January. Unless you bring
the output to a profit by that time,
however, I will try to sell. Do you
want it?"
though
There's the train whistle" inter
rupted Brayton, rising from his chair
n starting toward the door. you
may draw on me for the money as you
need it up to $4,000, no more. And
er," as the train curved in sight
around a hill and slowed toward the
platform, remember our compact.
There's to be no correspondence what
ever between you and Helen until you
are fully able to support a Wife,"
Longmore watched him board the
train with conflicting emotions, then
went back to the office.
First he wrote to Mr.. Brayton,
Offering him one-half of the profits aft
er he had brought the furnace to a
paying basis, in the meantime incur
ring all expenses of running work and
improvements himself. That done, he
called the men and made them ac-
quainted with the change.
MIR. Brayton had arranged for you
to leave Saturday night" he said, "and
to stop work altogether. However, l
am going to run the furnace myself
awhile experimentally, but will close
the foundry. [ shall require only fifty
men, and they must be willing to work
hard and accept long hours. We will
begin at daylight instead of at Z, as we
have been doing, and will have one
hour for the o meal and rest and
then work until dark, but l will pay
you So instead of the 50 you have
been receiving. 1t will be hard work,
Of course, but | will ask no one to
work any harder than 1 do myself.
and 1 will add that l do not want any
except trustworthy men who will do
as we'll by me when l am absent as
when l am with them. Those who
feel they can meet these conditions
and are willing to work for me may
step forward"
Several of the more energetic men
were talking among themselves.
Longmore's eyes swept over them and
over the rest of the group, singing
out a face here and there that he
thought looked promising. Presently
he went among them, with a few ear
nest, persuasive words here and there,
and in the end he hired fifty men who
promised to work as he desired.
Monday morning he and two of the
men descended into the furnace to
make some changes. When they came
out Longmore went to the mine to see
how the work Of getting out ore was
progressing.
AS he approached the mouth of the
mine he listened for the sounds Of
work, but could only hear the regular
strokes of a single pick. Then as he
turned a spur he saw the reason.
Three of the men were lying on the
ground in front Of the opening, appar-
emily asleep; two were tossing pebbles
at each other, and the rest were lying
about in various attitudes of ease.
"Got the furnace job done?" asked
a stalwart young fellow as he rose.
yawning.
Eyes. Why are you not at work."
"Got tired an thought we'd rest a
spell. Sides, one of the men lowed
there want much show for our get
tin paid an that We had only what
ye'd earned as boss. l s'pose it's all
right, though" lazily, 'an' if We say
it's We'll start in ag'in after we lie n
SPELL"
EYES," quietly, ."the money part is all
right. Who is that working in the
mine?"
BILLY Brooks" contemptuously.
"That man III wear out an drop down
dead fore he knows, an nobody IL be
to blame 'cept himself an mebbe the
man who drives him on to such work.
The fellows a crank an don't know
any more'n to do jest what he's told,
an'"-
But Longmore had passed on.
Ten minutes later he came back.
The men were stretching themselves
preparatory to resuming work.
"Now you cal come to the Office and
get your pay" he said briskly. "There
will be less than half a day coming to
you, for Brooks says you rested two
. hours or more this forenoon and that
you have been here about two hours
now. 1 shall pay you for just the time
you work"
ooh, we don't want any pay yet if
it's all right" answered the young
man sullenly. But it's been three
quarters of a day. Folks have to rest,
IN If Billy Brooks don't look out