The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1916-06-30

Among the individual transforma-
tions wrought by the new conditions,
the young chief OF the reclamation
service afforded the most striking ex-
ample. From the morning when he had
summarily Cancelled the lease for the
Offices in the Niquoia building and had
returned his headquarters to the old
log buildings on the government reser-
vation and thence had issued his first
series OF orders for the resumption OF
full-force work on the dam and canals
those who had not known him best dis
covered that they had not known him
at all. Even TO Grislow and the men
OF his stan he was curt. crisply manda.
tory. almost brutal. For one and all
there was rarely anything beyond the
shotlike sentence: Drive IL, men;
drive it; that's what you're here for
drive it,"
The time he took to eat his hurried
meals at Bongras could be measured
in minutes. and what hours he gave
TO sleep no man knew. since he was
the last to leave the headquarters at
night and the first on the work in the
morning. Twice. after the renewed
activities on the great wall had be-
come well-ordered race against time,
and the concrete was pouring into the
high forms in steady streams from the
ranked batteries OF mixers. Mr.. Cort-
wright had sent for Brouillard, and on
each occasion the messenger had gone
back with the brief word. TOO busy
during working hours" And when a
third messenger came TO inquire what
Mr.. Brouillard's working hours were.
the equally blunt answer returned was
"All the time"
In the face OF such discouragements
Mr.. Cortwright was constrained TO
pocket his dignity as mayor, as the
potentate OF the exchanges. and as
the unQuestionable master OF the surly
young industry captain who refused
to come when he was called, and TO go
in person. Choosing the evening hour
when he had been assured that he was
likely to find Brouillard alone and at
work, he crossed the boundaries Of the
sacred reservation and made his way
to the door Of the log-built mapping
room.
IL came around to see what Is eating
you these days" was the pudgy
/ tyrant's greeting for the young man
sitting under the shaded desk lamp.
why don't.syou drop in once IN
while and give me the run OF thingsY
81 gave your clerk the reason" said
Brouillard laconically. I'm too busy
THE devil you are!" snapped the
great man, finding the only armchair
in the room and dropping heavily into
it, Since when?"
"Since the first time you sent for
me-and before"
Mr.. Cortwright recovered his work
ing geniality only with palpable ef-
fort.
See here, Brouillard, you know you
never make any money by being short
with me. Let's drop it and get down
to business. What wanted TO say is
that you are OVERRIDING It; you are put
ting on too much steam. You've
brought the boom, all right. but at
the pace you're setting It won't last
long enough. Are you catching on?'
I'm listening" was the noncommit-
tai reply.
well, enough's enough, and too
much OF a good thing scalds the hog
before you're ready TO dress ii and cut
it up. It's all right for you 10 run men
in here by the trainload and scatter
Hn1Ifnu n
more the merrier, and it's good for the
town-but you needn't sweat the last
shovelful OF hurry out OF them the way
you're doing. It won't do to get your
Job finished too soon"
Before congress convenes, you
mean?" suggested Brouillard.
That's Just what mean. String II
out. Make II last"
Brouillard sat back in his pivot chair
and began TO play with the paper
knife.
And IL don't choose TO string IL
out'-if even confess that am strain
ing every nerve to do this thing that
you don't want me 10 do-what then.
Mr. Cortwright?"
The quiet retort jolted the stocky
man in the armchair as II II had been
blow. But he recovered quickly.
I've been looking for that" he said
with a nervous twinkling OF the little
gray eyes. You've no business being
out OF business. Brouillard. IL you'd
quit pudding sand and cement and In.
tie rocks together and strike your gait
right in ten years you'd be the richest
man this side OF the mountains. Ill
be open-handed with you: This time
you've got US where we can't wiggle.
We've got 10 have more time. How
much is II going to cost u.s."
Brouillarl shook his head slowly.
"Odd as IL may seem 10 you. I'm out
OF your market this time, Mr. Cort.
wright-Quite out OF H."
"Oh. no. you're not. You've got
property 10 sell-a good bit OF II. We
can turn IL for you at a figure that
will"
NO; you are mistaken" was tho
quick reply. Il have no property in
Mirapolis. I am merely a squatter on
government land. like everyone else