Los Angeles herald., 1910-11-20


date the firm became possessed of this tract. They
hardly knew what to do with it,
The timber was situated some fifty miles from the
railroad in country that threw all sorts OF dlihcutles
across the logger path and had to be hauled from
nine to fifteen miles to the river. Both Morrison and
Dalv groaned in spirit. Supplies would have to be
toted in to last the entire winter, for when the snow
came communication over fifty miles of forest road
would he as good as cut off. Whom could they trust
among the lesser foremen of their woods force 7
Whom could they spare among the greaterF
At this iuncture they called to them Tim Shearer,
their walking boss and the greatest riverman in the
state.
''You i, have to Job her, said Tim, promptly
''Who would be hired at any price to go up in that
country on a tenmile haul?" demanded DAILY, skep-
tically.
"jest one man, replied Tim, ''an' know where
to find him.
He returned with an individual at the sight of whom
tbe mariners glanced toward each other in doubt and
dsmay But there seemed no help for 1t. A contract
was drawn up in which the firm agreed to pay SIX
dollars thousand, merchantable scale for all saw
logs banked at rollway to be situated given num-
Der of miles from the forks of Cass branch, While on
his side James Bourke, better known as the Rough
Red agreed to put in at least three and onehaf mil
lion feet After the latter had scrawled his signature
he lurched from the Office, softly rubbing his hairy
freckled hand where the pen had touched 1t.
''That means a of wild lrshmen, SAID NOR
rison.
"And that means they II just slaughter the pine, ]"
added DAILY 'They IL high and crooked, they IL
chuck the tops-who going to send to scale for
'em?'
Morrison sighed 81 hate to do it; there IS only
Fitz make it go.'
So then they called to them another of their best
men, named Fitzpatrick, and sent him away alone to
protect the firm interests in the depths of the wilder
The Rough Red was big broad-faced man, with
eyes far apart and bushy red beard. He wore a
dingy mackinaw coat, dngy black-andwhite checked
flannel shirt dngy blue trousers, tucked INTO hlgh
socks and lumberman' s rubbers. The only spot OF
color in his costume the flaming red sash OF the
Uoyaqeur which he passed twice around his waist
When work his little wide eyes fickered with bale
full wicked light, his huge voice beloved through the
woods in torrent of imprecatons and commands his
splendid muscles sweed visibly even under his loose
blanket coat as he wrenched suddenly and savagey at
some man s stubborn canthook stock. A hint OF re-
luctance or opposition brought his fist to the mark
with irresistible impact. Then he would pluck his
victim from the snow, and kick him to work with
savage Jest that raised laugh from everybody-ex-
tepting the object of it,
At night he stormed back through the forest at the
head of his band, shrieking wild blasphemy at the
silent night irreverent, domineerng, bold, with GER
tain tang of Irish good nature that made him the be-
loved of Irishmen. And at the trails end the un-
kempt ribad crew swarmed their dark and dirty camp
as band of pirates galleon.
In the work little SYSTEM but much efficacy.
The men gambled drank, fought without word of
protest from their leader With an ordinary crew
such performances would have meant slight accom-
pshment, but these wild Irishmen, with their blood
shot eyes, their ready jests, their equally ready fists,
plunged into the business of banking logs with all the
abandon of carouse-and the work was done
Law in that wilderness not, saving that which
the Rough Red chose to administer. Except in one
instance penalty more than beating there was
none, for the could not equal their leader IN
breaking the greater and lesser laws of morality The
one instance was that of young Barney Mallan, who,
while drunk, mshanded horse so severely as to