Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-01-31

"Perhaps I know more about that
than you do"
Emerson strode toward the desk
menacingly. crying in a quivering
voice:
"I warn you to keep your hands OF
them. Don't try any Of your financial
trickery with me. or M
Wayne Wayland leaped from his
chair. his face purple and his eyes
flashing savagely.
Leave this yachtr he thundered.
II won't allow you to insult me.
won't stand your threats. I've got
you where l want you. and when the
time comes you'll know 1t. Now. get
outw He stretched forth great
square hand and closed 1t SO fiercely
that the fingers, cracked. "Pll crush
you-like that"
Boyd turned and strode from the
cabin.
Half blinded with anger. he stun
bled down the ladder to his launch.
Back to the plantw he ordered. then
gazed with lowering brows and defiant
eyes at the Grande Dame as she rest.
| ed swanlike and serene ut her moor
ings. His anger against Mildred's IA
ther destroyed for the time all thought
Of his disappointment at her own lack
of understanding and her cool accept
ance OF his failure. He saw only that
his affairs had reached final climax
where he must bow to the inevitable
Or-Big Georges parting words came
| to him-Svrike one last blow In re-
prisal.
1t was the hour Of his darkest de.
| spair-tL. real crisis in his life. There
are times when 1t rests with fate to
make strong man stronger or turn
| him altogether to evil. Such man
| will not accept misfortune tamely. He
| Is the reverse Of those who are good
| through weakness. 1t is his nature to
| sin strongly.
But the unexpected happened. and
Boyd's black mood vanished In amaze
ment at the sight which met his eyes.
Moored to the fish dock was lighter
awash with n cargo that made him
stare and doubt his vision. He had
seen his scanty crew Of gill meters re-
turn empty handed with the rising
sun. exhausted. disheartened. depleted
| In numbers, yet there before him were
| thousands Of salmon. They were
strewn In Il great mass upon the dock
| and inside the shed. while from the
scow beneath they came In showers as
| the handlers tossed them upward from
| their "pues." Through the wide doors
ne saw the backs Of the butchers busi-
| " at work over their tables and heard
| the uproar Of his cannery running full
| for the first time.
Before the launch had touched he
had euped to the ladder and swung
himself upon the dock. He stumbled
into the arms OF Big George.
"Where-did those-fsh come fromY'
he cried breathlessly.
From the trap" George smiled as
he had not smiled In many weeks.
'vrhey've struck I'm like / knew they
would, and they're running now by the
| thousands. I've fshcd these waters
| for years. but | never seen the likes Of
II. They'll tear that trap to pieces
They're smothering In the pot. tons
and tons Of 'em. with millions more
milling below the leads because they
can't get I'm. It's a sight you'll not see
once In n lifetime"
THAT means that we can run the
plant-that we'll get all we can use!"
Say. we've got fish enough to run
two canneries. They've struck their
gait. tell you. and they'll never stop
now, night or day. till they're through
We don't need no gill METERS. What
we need Is butchers and sinners and
handlers There never was a trap site
| In the north till this one. told Willis
Marsh that years ago" He flung out
long. hairy arm. barred half to the
shoulder, and waved II eIultantly
I'VE built this plant to cook 4ooo
salmon a day. but I'll bring you 3.OOO
every hour. and you've got to cook
'em. Do you hear?"
"And they couldn't cork US after all!
Emerson leaned unsteadily against a
pile. for his head was whirling
mo! Well show that gang what
cannery can do. Marsh's traps will rot
where they stand" Big George shook
his tight clinched fist again. We've
won, my boy! We've won!'
Then don't let us stand here talk
ingw cried Emerson sharply. Hurry!
Hurryw He turned and sped up the
dock.
He had come into his own at last.
and he vowed with tight shut teeth
that no wheel should stop. no belt
should slacken no man should leave
his duty. till the run had passed. At
the entrance to the throbbing. clang-
Ing building he paused an instant and
with a smile looked toward the yacht
floating lazily In the distance. Then.
with knees saggins beneath him from
WEAKNESS. he entered.