The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1916-10-19

all the difficulties. which he chooses to
view as gloriously romantic tits with
Destiny, depends one half upon luck
and the other half on being on the
ground personally when the-affair-
starts" He half faced toward Allison.
Il am O'Mara." he finished very brief
ly; your man. O'Mara-if you happen
to be the East Coast Development and
Timber company"
There was at most no more than the
barest suggestion of it in Steve's crisp
question, but Caleb sensed immediate
ly that Allison's placid appropriation
Of the blue flannel shirted one as his
own particular property was not a mu-
tually accepted status. Dexter, how
ever, failed or chose to read nothing
in the drawing question
I'm it." he agreed jovially-''that is,
l and two or three others. including
Mr.. Elliott our esteemed president
I've heard much Of you. Mr.. O'Mara.
I've looked forward to this meeting"
he added as he shook hands. Now
want to tell you that / am proud to
know you. And so you didn't get my
message, after all?'
81 had TO come down river yester-
day." Steve explained Your telegram
| found me here, and waited over I'M
| til this morning. as you suggested
"Surely-surely. l see-I see" AL
lison emphasized his comprehension.
Not that it was anything of vital i'm
| portance. l just wanted a short con-
ference with you. that was all"
would you-would you mind finding
Miss Sarah. Steve?" Caleb asked.
'Will you tell her, please. that we are
to be subjected to another-neighborly
imposition?"
Allison shook his head and led the
way to a chair. 81 didn't know that
you were acquainted with him. Cal.
Have you known him longf'
"Um-m-m-yesr" Caleb weighed his
reply. "Quite some time. | think ]
might say"
He shook with scarcely suppressed
laughter. but Allison ignored his sense
less mirth.
I'D like to claim that boy as my
own discovery" he avowed. but l
can't. not without fear of successful
contradiction on Elliott's part And I'm
point of service it isn't fair to call him
a boy. either though l suppose both
Of us are old enough to be his father.
He's Elliott's find Elliott suggested
him as the one man for this Job when
I consolidated with the Ainnesley
crowd and they took up the contract
b. tJ,a har from ThiP.
ty Mile and the valleys above. Elliott
knew of him. but I've been looking up
his record pretty closely since be took
hold in earnest.
Hes in his twenties. as near as j
can make out. but he's come through
on one Of tyo jobs that might we'll
make an old campaigner envious. He
took a fortune in hard woods out OF
San Domingo for Berlin concern; he
was the only man on the st. Sebastian
river job who said the construction
was too light. He said 1t wouldn't
stand when the ice began to move in
the spring. and it didn't. oh, he knows
his business. But 1t wasn't his sue
cesses which caught Elliott's eye. Its
the way he has failed a couple of times.
fighting right back to the last ditch.
and fighting and fighting. when all the
rest had quit. that made me anxious
to get look at him. Perhaps there
are older men who can outtigure him
on loads and stresses. but as field
general he stands alone. He can han
die men. And when ii comes to meet
ing conditions just as they arise FL
lott says he's wonder. He can out
guess dear old Mother Nature herself.
That's why the East Coast company
brought him up here to build its bit
of road" he went on slowly. They've
got to move that Reserve company tim
Der. They have a contract thatil break
'em-break us-if we fall down. And
do you know. Cal. IL can't help but
believe that the thing is beyond the
pale of possibility. believed 1t six
months ago. when Elliott and Ainnes-
ley and the rest of them were so keen
for it, and believe it still. even though
have seen Elliotts engineer and
know what he has already accomplish
ed. That track'll never go through on
schedule-and that's why I'm up here
for the winter. It's going to be hot
little race against time. with some mil
lions for purse. It'll break the East
Coast company if he fails. and'-his
voice became oddly intense-"and !
tell you again that it-cant-be-
doner'
Allison lay back in his chair and
breathed deeply, slowly. and Miss Sa-
rah appeared that moment in the door
way, pinker of cheek and more tremu-
lous of lip than her brother had ever
seen her before She dropped Allison
an old fashioned courtesy. which was
an exceedingly frivolous performance
for Sarah.
Breakfast is served, Cal" she fairly
chortled, land there are two very hun.
Rrv children inside"
CHAPTER VII.
Harrigan, That's Mel
@1EvER before had the air or
N that long, paneled room beer
iaE;6l so surcharged with half sup
f32 pressed hilarity. At first her