Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-07-21

Il certainly was until you told me
there were no cannery sites left"
There Is one. When l came here
year ago the whole river was open,
SO on an outside chance I located 4
site, the best one available. When Will
lis Marsh learned of it, he took up all
the remaining places, and, although at
the time had no idea what was go
ing to do with my property, l have
hung on to it."
rs that where we are going?'
"Yes. You seemed eager yesterday
to get in on new chance, so am talk
ing you out to look over the ground"
Whats the use? can't buy your
site"
Nobody asked you to-" she smiled.
II wouldn't sell it to you If you had
the money; but If you will build can
merry on it, I'll turn in the ground for
an interest"
Emerson meditated a moment, then
replied: II can't say yes or no. It's
pretty big proposition-two hundred
thousand dollars, you said?"
Eyes. It's big opportunity. You can
clean up hundred per cent in year.
Do you think you could raise the
money to build plant?"
II might. l have some wealthy
friends" he said cautiously. But I
am not sure"
"At least you can try? That's all
anybody can do"
But l don't know anything about
the business. couldn't make it sue
ceed."
1--WE thought of all that, and there's
wav RI rnalSo S,,ccncc rortain 7 ha.
lieve you have executive ability and
can handle men,"
"Oh, yes; I've done that sort of
thing" His broad shoulders went up
as he drew a long breath. Whats
your plan?"
There's a man down the coast,
George Bait, who knows more about
the business than any four people In
Kalvik. He's been fisherman all his
life. He discovered the Kalvik river,
built the first cannery here, and was
it's foreman until he quarreled with
Marsh, who proceeded to discipline
him. Bait isn't the kind Of man to
be disciplined; so, not having enough
money to build cannery, he took his
scanty capital and started saltery on
his own account. That suited Marsh
exactly; he broke George in year,
absolutely ruined him, utterly wiped
him out, just as he intends to wipe out
insignificant me! Thinking to bide his
time and recoup his fallen fortunes,
George came back into camp; but he
owns valuable trap site which Marsh
and his colleagues want; and before
they would give him work, they tried
to make him assign it to them and
contract never to go in business on his
own account. Naturally George refused
so they disciplined him some more.
He's been starving now for two years.
Marsh and his companions rule this
region just as the Hudson Bay com.
pany used to govern it's concessions:
by controlling the natives and pre-
venting independent white men from
gaining foothold.
NO man dares to furnish food to
George Bait; no man dares to give him
a bed, no cannery will let him work.
He has to take dory to Dutch Har-
Dor to get food. He doesn't dare leave
the country and abandon the meager
thousands he has invested in buildings
so he has stayed on, living off the
country like a Siwash. He's simple,
big-hearted sort Of fellow, but his life
is centered in this business; it's all he
knows. He considers himself the ia
ther Of this section; and when he sees
others rounding up the task that he
began, it breaks his poor heart Why,
comes across the marshes and sinks
about the Klavik thickets like a
wrath. watching from afar just in or
l. - III
and forsaken, barking to the clank Of
the machinery, every bolt of which he
placed; watching his enemies enrich
themselves from that cleaning silver
army, which he considers his very
own. He is Stunned like leper. No
man is allowed to speak to him or
render him any sort of fellowship, and
It. has made the man half mad; it has
turned him into a vengeful, hate-filled
fanatic, living only for retaliation.
Some time I believe he will kill
Marsh"
"Hm-m! One seems to be forever
crossing the trail Of this Marsh" said
Boyd. who had listened intently
eyes. His aim is to gain contrOi If
this whole region, and if you decide to
go into the enterprise you must expect
to find him the most unscrupulous and
vindictive enemy ever man had; make
no mistake about that. It's only fair to
warn you that this will be no child's
play; but, on the other hand, the man
who beats Marsh will have done some
thing" She paused as if weighing her
next words, then said deliberately:
"And I believe you are the one to do
it."
But Emerson was not concerned
about his destiny just then. nor for
the dangerous enmity of Marsh. He
was following another train of thought.
CHAPTER Iv-Continued.)
"And so Bait knows this business
from the inside out?" he said.
Thoroughly; every dip, angle and
spur of it, so to speak. He's practical,
and he's homes, in addition to-
which his trap site is the key to the
whole situation. You see, the salmon
run in regular definite courses, year
after year, just as If they were follow.
ing beaten track. At certain places