Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-05-18
Brouillard shook himself as enc who

y
one Of us, to certain extent; and If
you were not you would still be inter.
ested. A smash just now would ham
per the reclamation service like the
mischief; the entire works shut down;
no cement, no lumber, no power;
everything tied up in the courts until
the last creditor quits taking appeals.
Oh, no, Brouillard; you don't want to
see the end Of the world come before
it's due"
1t was the consulting engineer of
the power company rather than the
reclamation service chief who rose
| and went to the window to look down
upon the morning briskness Of Chi
gringo avenue. And it was the man
who saw enc hundred thousand dol
lars. the price of freedom, slipping
away from him who turned after
minute or two of the absent street gaz-
ing and said: What do you want me
to do, Mr. Cartwright? l did put my
shoulder to the wheel when Ford was
here l told him if l were in his place
I'd take the long chance and build the
extension"
did you-and before you had a
stake in the game? That was a white
mans boost right! Think you could
manage to get Ford on the wire and
encourage him a little more?"
TT isn't Ford; it Is the New York
bankers. You can read that between
the lines in your man Ackerman's tele.
gram"
The stock gentleman in the pivot
chair thrust out his jaw and tilted his
freshly-lighted cigar to the aggressive
angle.
Say, BrouIllard, we've got to throw
fresh piece of bait into the cage,
something that will make the railroad
crowd sit up and take notice. By
George, if those gold hunters up On
Jacks mountain would only stumble
across something big enough to adver.
tise-"
Brouillard started as if the wishful
magic had been a blow. Like hot
wave from a furnace mouth it swept
over him-the sudden realization that
the means, the one al[powerful, earth.
moving lever the promoter was so
anxiously seeking, lay in his hands.
'The Buckskin people, yes" he said,
making talk as the rifleman digs pit
to hold his own on the firing line. "If
they should happen to uncover gold
reef just now it would simplify mat
tiers immensely for Mirapolis, wouldn't
it? The railroad would come on, then,
without a shadow of doubt. All the
bankers in New York couldn't hold 1t
no nlr"
Now came Mr. Cortwright's turn to
get up and walk to one Of the win
dows.
Come here" he called CURLY, with
a quick finger crook for the engineer,
and when Brouillard joined him:
Can you size up that little caucus
over yonder?"
The caucus" was knot Of excited
men blocking the sidewalk in front Of
Gamers real estate office On the OPP
posite side of the street The purpose
of the excited ones was not difficult to
divine. They were all trying to crowd
into the Kansas City mans place of
business at once.
1T looks like a run on a bank said
Brouillard.
ut is" was the crisp reply. Garner
has beaten everybody else to the home
plate, but he couldn't keep his mouth
shut. He's been talking, and every
man in that mob IS potential panic
breeder. That thing has got to be
nipped in the bud, right now!"
"Yes," Brouillard agreed. He was
still wrestling with his own besetment
the prompting which involved de-
liberate plunge where up to the pres
ent crisis he had been merely wading
in the shadows. A little thing stung
him alive to the imperative call Of the
moment-the sight of Amy Massingale
walking down the street with Tig
Smith, the Triangle Circle foreman. 1t
was of the death of her hopes that he
was thinking when he said coolly:
"You have sized it up precisely, Mr..
Cartwright; that is panic in the max
ing, and the bubble won't stand for
very much pricking. Give me a free
hand with your check book for a few
minutes and I'll try to stop it."
It spoke volumes for the millionaire
promoters quick discernment and de-
cision that he asked no questions. do
it." he snapped. "Ill cover you for
whatever it takes. Don't wait; that
crowd is getting bigger every minute"
Brouillard ran downstairs and across
the street. It was no part Of his inten-
ton to stop and speak to Amy Mas
singale and the ranchman, but he did
1t, and even walked a little way with
them before he turned back to elbow
his way through the sidewalk throng |
and into Gamers dingy little office.
"You are selling Mirapolis holdings |
short today, Garner?" he asked when |
he had pushed through the crowd to !
the spectators desk. And when Gar !
ner laughed and said there were no
takers he placed his order promptly |
"You may bid in for me, at yesterdays |
prices, anything within the city limits |
not options, you understand, but the |
real thing. Bring your papers over to
my office after banking hours and |