The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1912-01-06

lSJepped INTO the game. Inc only Jnlne
he could not understand was how any
one could compete with his company
The timber he had secured over in
Arkansas was obtained at such a
ridiculously low figure that he could
not see how any company could meet
his price.
He was so engrossed with the mat
ter that he did not notice a young
man approaching from the opposite
direction until he had collided with
him. He was about to apologize foy
his seeming rudeness when the young
man called him " name. Then he
recognized him as one of the clerks IN
the office of the NJ. & ~ NJ. Co.
You don't know me, said the young
man, but I know you. am clerk
down in the Offices of the NJ & N. M
and have seen you there often. My
name is Simpson"
Now, if there was one thing which
John Hake could do quicker than an
other it was to think. And think he
did at that time. Almost before he
knew it Simpson was seated at a
table in the hotel cafe with Mr.. Hake
opposite, and the pair was indulging in
the same"
you down in Grimes Officer" he
asked.
Simpson laughed right out. He had
just tucked away his third greeting
in the social intercourse, and was as
willing to talk as he seemed determin-
ed to laugh That's pretty good" he
said as he laughed again. Grimes de-
partment. That's what Grimes calls
it. He's bigger than the road and
when he makes any reference to the
purchasing department he calls it his
But he's gone away for week and we
will have a little rest until he gets
back. He went to Nashville this
evening, and before he gets back he's
got to go over to Arkansas on some
KIND OF lumber deal.
Did Hake look wise? Not on your
natural. He tumbled to the fact that
whatever Simpson knew about the Of
flee he did not know the nature of the
business which Hake had on hand and
the latter did not break any records
letting him in on it, What he did do
was to get away from Simpson as
quickly as possible and after good
nights rest he secured supply of
leases from a legal blank store and
took the next train for Lockport.
"Quess might as well tie the lum-
Der Industry of that part of Arkansas
up into a hard knot il l can beat
Grimes down to where the mud is
deep" he said as he boarded the train.
Lockport, where he got off, was a
town of about 600 inhabitants when
they were all home, and it swelled TO
about 500 on Saturday when the farm
ers all drove in with their families.
At the tavern John Hake failed to
find anybody that looked like Grimes
Then he went over to the town livery
and learned that both teams were in
and had not been out during the day
Down on the banks of the river the
next morning there was considerable
excitement among the farmers, who, IL
in number, with their grown sons
gathered and asked each other what
was coming. The night before Hake
had quietly dispatched two men on
horseback to get to the farmers as
quickly as possible and notify them &c
meet on the property of one of the
number whose place was the most cen
trail.
Finally John Hake dove up. The
crowd clustered around him as nc
stepped from the buggy. They were
not kept long in waiting. Hake' as
already stated, was man of action.
Gentlemen" he said and he used
the same diplomacy he would have ex
ercised at a gathering of officials. 81
have travelled back among you because
| have found that my company VII
have to make a new arrangement tina
will be better for us all. The fact IS
we will have to locate our mills nearer
the river than we at first expected
you all own your land clear to the
water front, and collectively you owl
fully five miles each way from the
point about due north from here.
want to employ all of you who can BIT
spared from the farms during thu
lumber season which is about to open
and find that we will have use for 4
miles of the water front. These log
cannot be hauled a great distance ant
must be RATED My company does no
want anything that it does not pay for
and my object in coming back so sool
is to offer you fair price for the us,
of the water front, and secure lease
for it.. What do you think would d.
fair annual rental, payable in ad
vance every six months?"