The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-02-04

time Linda petersiiam rang me up on
fne telopAuMe and demanded my pres
pucr mt lunyh
"Sut ( ain engaged" said | "h-!lat
rs it,"
Il will tes YOU when You come. I
want you
made another effort to explain my
position, but Linda had said her last
word and rung off smiled as call.
ed up the picture of a small Greek
head crowned with golden hair. pair
of dark blue eyes and mouth wear
ing rather imperious expression.
The end OF it was that went. for
have known Linda all her life. The
Petersham family consists Of Linda
and her father, and. though in bust
ness relations Mr.. Petersham is pow
err to be reckoned with. at home he eS
lists for the sole apparent purpose Of
carrying out his charming daughters
wishes. 1t is delightful house to go
to- for they are the happiest people |
know.
found myself the only guest. which
surprised me, for the Pctersham man
sion has a reputation for hospitality.
James. want you to do this for
me. want you to persuade pop not
to do something"
Il? persuade him? You don't
uced me for that-yuu. who can make
him do or not do anything. just as you
WISH
IL thought could. but find can't
How is that?'
well. he is set on going back to
Kalmacks."
"Kalmacks? ! know it is the place
julius Fischer built up in the noun
tains. He used to so shooting and
fishing there"
"That is it. It's ii place you'd love
lots of good rooms and standing way
back on mountain slope. with miles
of view and stream tunbling past
the very door, Father bought it last
year and with it all the sporting rights
julius Fischer claimed. The woods are
full Of moose, and there are beaver and
otter, and that's where the trouble
came In"
But Fischer had trouble from the
day he went up to shoot at kalmacks.
He had to run for it. so ! was told.
Didn't your father know that? Why
did Mr.. Petersham have anything to
do with the placer
"Oh, it was just one of pops no.
lions, l suppose" said Linda, with the
rather weary tolerance of the modern
daughter.
.They are a dangerous lot round
there"
He knew that They are sQuatters
-trappers who have squatted among
those woods and hills for generations
OF course they think the country be-
longs to them. Pop knew that, and in
his opinion the compensation Julius
Fischer offered and gave them was in
adequate"
1T would be-" commented.
could without effort imagine Julius
j t'ischer's views on compensation, FOL
| had met him in business.
We'll father went into the matter
and he found that the squatters mad a
good deal to be said for their side OF
the case, so that he did what he
thought was fair by them. He paid
them good high prices for their rights
or what they considered to be thetl
rights, for in law. of course, they pos
sessed none Every one seemed pleased
and satisfied. and we were looking for
ward to going there this spring for the
fishing when news came that one of IA
theirs game wardens had been shot at.
'Sbot at?'
Linda nodded the Greek head l ad
mired so much.
Yes. Last autumn father put on {
couple Of warlens to look after thu
game, and they have been there al
winter. From their reports they hav'
got ON quite we'll with the squatters
and now suddenly. for no reason tina
they can guess, one Of them, William
Worke by name has been fired upon il
his camp"
"lNilledy asked
mo, but badly wounded. He said h.
was sure the bullet could have beel
put into his heart just as easily, but
was sent through his knee by way of
notice to quit. he thinks"
Those folks up there must be hal
: savaees
They are, but that's not all. Thre
days ago Il letter came, meant for fs
Their. but addressed to me, Whoeve
/ wrote it must have seen father an
knew that he was not the kind OF ma
who could be readily frightened, $
, they thought they would get at hill
r through me. 1t was horrible letter
) The words were written upon a shet
= torn from an old account book. The
r ran as follows:
s You. Petersham. you mean skun
Don't you come in our wods unles "
willing to pay five thousand dollars Bril-
the goods and you'll be told Wher to put
r SO it will come into the hands OF ritel
Dollars amt nothin to you, but they ca
kean an aypo pIi,,o Inlet ont NOr hide.