The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1910-03-31
Chapter.
81


meant great deal to him at that time
II can't understand why Floyd start
ed" said Orde. HE ought to know
better than to face sure prospects of a
fall blow. I'll tan his soul for that.
all right
I'm partly responsible" said New
mark.
You" cried Orde.
Eyes. You see that Smith & Nab
ley shipment was important enough to
strain point for-and it's only twen-
ty-four hours or so-and it certainly
didn't look as if it were going to blow.
Poor Floyd feels bad enough"
Orde began to appreciate his circum-
stances. The loss on the cargo of
'uppers' represented $4,000 in money.
As for the North Star and her con-
sorts. save for the insurance, they
were simply eliminated. The loss Of
100000 or so on them. however. did
not mean a diminution of the compa-
ny's present cash resources to that
amount and so did not immediately
affect Orde's calculations as to the
payment of the notes which were now
soon to come due.
Orde disappeared for week. his
organizing abilities claimed for the
distribution of the road crews. When
he returned to the office Newmark
showed him contracts for the construc-
ton of three new vessels.
II get them for $55.OOO.' said he.
with $4,000 of it on long time"
without consulting me-" cried
Orde.
Newmark explained that he had real
~ been taking advantage Of a lucky
opportunity.
"Otherwise.'' he finished. 1--WE
shouldn't have been able to get the
Job done for another year. If that big
Cronin contract goes through-well.
you know what that would mean in
the shipyards-nobod would get even
look in. And Mcleod is willing to
give us price to keep his men busy.
So, you see. had to close at once"
its good chance. all right" ad-
mitted Orde. but it never occurred to
me we'd build any more vessels until
we'd recovered little
Recovered" Newmark repeated
coldly. 81 don't see what recovered
has to do with it, If the mill burned
down we'd rebuild wouldn't we? And
as we're making $4,000 a year out of
our freighting it seems to me too good
business to let slip into other hands,. :"
81 suppose So" agreed Orde.
Therefore l had to act without
you," Newmark finished
"Of course" agreed Orde drearily.
"Joe," replied Orde, "I-I don't think
Newmark glanced up keenly.
"You don't look WELL" said he; kind
of pale around the gills; bilious"
Orde closed his desk and went out.
Newark turned back to his papers.
From an inner pocket he produced a
cigar. The corners of his mouth slow
ly curved in a grim smile.
Orde Immediately set into motion the
machinery of banking to borrow on the
California timber. Taylor took charge
of this. as the only man in Monrovia
who had Orde's confidence. At the
end of necessary delay Orde receiv-
ed notice that the west had been heard
from. He stepped across the hall to
the lawyers Office.
"Well, Frank said he, glad we
managed to push it through with so
little trouble"
Taylor arose. shut carefully the door
into his outer office, walked to the
window, looked contemplatively out
upon the hotel back yard and returned
to his desk.
But there is trouble" said he CURLY.
whats the matter?" asked Orde.
"The banks refuse the loan"
Orde stared at him in blank astonish-
ment.
what grounds can they possibly
have for that?'
"Its about the title"
"But l thought you went over the
title"
II did," stated Taylor emphatically
"and I'll stake my reputation as law.
yer that everything is straight and
clear from the land Office itself. I've
| wired for an explanation, and we
ought surely to know something def.