The states-graphic. (Brownsville, Tenn.) 1???-1984, 1916-12-22

full"
enough In you to be dangerous I'd fix
you SO you'd be in no condition 10
bushwhack anybody for the next six
months I'm In a bad mood tonight
Drop out of sight, eh? You'll play this
falr-fair at least as | see it by my
standards, and they are better stand.
ards than yours. You've come dictat.
ing to me, ordering me to slip knife
into their backs. Are you that kind Of
sneak? Did you think was? Now
listen again, and listen well, for
mean what say!
Il want that railroad If the man who
is building ii Is too weak to keep mo
from taking It away from him. But
II / don't get II on such a basis III
lsxno thlll kller.A A. ~ ~ an, "a Iced
of It who is big enough to take care q
my share Of IL Have you got thsti
Very well. And now go back to your
melodrama II you want to- Steal his
men II he will let you. Fight him
every inch of bis construction-that is
your job-and I'll still insist that It is
his fault If he Is tardy on the LIST of
May. But it's you and O'AIara from
now on, Archie. I'll be spectator
now. And, by CAD, don't you ever
come near me again with request
that I-don't yon ever let me hear you
threaten that YOU
Allison's face was suffused before he
finished, and Wickersham, astounded
past utterance, slid from his chair
away from that flourishing hand which
had become fist. 1t was no scene
to take place between a man and his
prospective son-in-law. Realizing that,
Allison tried to laugh deprecatingly at
his temper.
eco out and get him, Archie" he in
vited "I'll be watching, don't doubt
that. And | know how much You
want to win. It's bigger stake than
most folks realize!'
The same day that more than half Of
0'Mara's men went on strike and de-
serted to the reserve company's pay
roll the news reached Allison that a
tralnload of laborers had been shot
In TO take their places-those very
types of laborers which Steve him
self had warned Elliott would not last
an hour in the event Of trouble. For
week Allison wondered that there
was no clash between the displaced
men who believed that the river was
theirs alone and this new corps which
Garry Devereau was handling at the
lower end of construction, not by phys
ical prowess. as Fat Joe had ruled,
but just as surely and all because, as
Joe himself put 1t, he could damn q
man merely by bidding him good morn
ing.
"Honey crossed north today to have
a look at his winter cut. Joe would
observe to his chief at supper at
Thirty Mile, aud before the night was
many hours older Allison, too, in Man
haitian, would have learned by wire IN
less picturesque phraseology that
Archie Wiekersham was missing no
chances.
'They have now finished hauling
their logs to the river" Joe told Steve
one night after a prolonged scouting
trip. They are turning their atten-
ton to their float danls now"
And when that news was reiayed to
the big man who never ceased to
watch he understood why there had
been no violence when the rlvermen
went on strike.
II was the bitterest January that
the hill country had known IN twenty
years, but mile by mile that month the
twin line Of steel crept steadily into
the north under the urglngs Or .Garry's
smooth voice. The snowfalisfor Feb
ruary broke an records for half that
period. but Steve, with his handful ce
men at Thirty Mile, put hls piling
down. And then It rained-it rained