Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-10-29

"w ~
Watched Her Turn and Ride Down
One of the Mysterious Paths.
the first glance. They both bespoke a
nature self-satisied to the point of
pride, a crafty shrewdness that had
been eminently successful and an ada.
mantine hardness of purpose.
"Ah, Mr.. Sandry," he said, taking
his feet from the table with insult
ing slowness, I'm Hampden-of the
Yella Pines-and l come over on a
little matter o. business"
Sandry bowed.
"Glad to know you, Mr.. Hampden,"
he said civilly, though the memory of
the damaged rollway came suddenly
up before him, blasting his appraise-
ment of the man.
And l might as we'll get it over
with, for it's bound to be against the
grain a Bit"
AS he spoke, a smile that was meant
to be i%nsolently apologize but sue
ceeded only in being clumsy, creased
his weathered face. drawing his small,
sharp eyes into narrow Sits.
"Yes?" said Sandry coldly.
TITS about that track o. stumpage
you're slashin' your log-trail acrost."
"Yes?" said Sandry again. What
about the tract? 1t isn't specially
good and we're leaving it. Intend to
cross it and cut into the East Belt"
There was a slight tone of satisfac-
ton in his voice, for the East Belt
stumpage was a little the best thing
in all this magnificent timber country,
and the eyes of the Yellow Pines
people had been ON it enviously for
years. according to John Daily.
Jus so. JUS So" said Hampden.
"only I'm afraid we'll have to stop
your operations, MI. Sandry. The fact
Is, we've just bought this tract, an
as it comprises two hundred and fifty
acres, ar is in the form Of a narrow
strip runnin' north an south. it will
effectually keep o out o. the East
Belt-unless, o. course, you should buy
1t of u.s."
For a moment Sandry regarded the
speaker in mild establishment.
"You must be mistaken, Mr.. Hamp-
den," he said; 'all the stumpage for
five miles north and east is our prop
erty, with options on every privately
owned section for another seven miles
In both directions. And this tract o
speak of lies within a mile and a half
of camp. You are suffering under a
hallucination."
Sandry smiled coldly.
"If you will take the trouble to look
up the records in the state land office
at Salem" returned Hampden smooth.
ly, you'll find that I'm in my right
mind, all right. This here track has
been duly filed on under the home
stead law by one T. J. O'Connel, and
sold by him last week to the Yella
Pines Lumber company. Now, my
young Fastener, you can't III yer log
trail acrost our land"
Hampden rose, his little eyes shin
ing with savage triumph.
Sandry ose also.
bOAO la AOoO1O W o.
to Salem nor pay the least attention
to your threats" he said, and his man
ner was coolly u~nconcerned, and l
should advise that you get this COM
pany out of your head as quickly as
possible. And now good day"
He turned, as if the interview were
at an end, and seated himself at the
desk from which Hampden had just
risen.
by gosh. you'd better!" said the
other with a snap of his heavy jaws as
he strobe past Daily and out of the
open door.
AN, by God, we Wilt"
This last came In the deep boom
of the foreman, who was watching
the departing lumberman with the bit
ter enmity of years of fighting.
Nov, what do you think of that?"
asked Sandry in profound disgust.
Just what I've thought Of him for
years-damned spectacular bluff"
(To Re Continund