The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1916-06-16

dead cigar from one corner of his
hard-bitted mouth to the other. You're
Brillard, the government man, take
it,"
"Brouillard, IL you please" was the
crisp correction. And then with q
careful effacement of the final saving
trace of hospitality in tone or manner:
What can we do for you, Mr.. Hos
ford?"
"A good many things, first and last.
I'm two or three days ahead of my
outfit, and you can put me up some.
where until | get camp of my own.
You've got some sort of an engineers
mess, l take it?"
1--WE have" said Brouillard briefly.
You'll make yourself at home with
us, of course" he added, and he tried
to say it without making it sound too
much like challenge.
"All right; so much for that part of
it," said the self-invited guest. NOW
for the business end of the deal-why
don't you sit DOWN."
Brouillard planted himself behind
his desk and began to fill his black
ened office pipe. coldly refusing Hos
ford's tender of a cigar.
You were speaking of the business
matter" he suggested bluntly.
Eyes. I'd like to go over your plans
for the power dam in the upper can
yon. If they look good to me I'll adopt
them"
Il am very far from wishing to
quarrel with anybody" said Brouillard,
but his tone belied the words. "At
the same time, if you think we are
going to do your engineering work,
or any part of it, for you, you are
pretty severely mistaken. Our own
job is fully big enough to keep us
busy"
You're off," said the big man coolly.
Somebody has bungled in giving you
the dope. You want to keep your job,
don't you?"
THAT is neither here nor there.
What we are discussing at present is
the departments attitude toward your
enterprise. / shall be exceeding my
instructions If l make that attitude
friendly to the detriment of my own
work"
The new resident manager sat back
in his chair and chewed his cigar re-
fiectively, staring up at the log BEAM
ing of the Office ceiling.
you're just like all the other gov
eminent men I've ever had to do bust
ness with, Brouillard; pig-headed, OBJ
stinate, blind as bats to their own in
terests. / didn't especially want to
begin by knocking you into line, but
1 guess it'll have to be done. l guess
the best way to get you is to send a
little wire to Washington. How does
that strike you?"
II haven't the slightest interest in
what you may do or fail to do" said
BrouiIlard.
But you have made the plans for
this power plant haven't your"
yes; and they are the property of
the department. If you want them
I'll turn them over to you upon q
proper order from headquarters.
That's little more like it. Where
lid you say I'd find your wire Officer"
Brouillard gave the information, and |
rs Hosford went out Grislow came in |
and took his place at the mapping |
able.
Glad you got back in time to save
ny life" he remarked pointedly, with
! shy glance at his chief. Hes been
flowing burrows up and down my little
'otato patch all day.
"Humph! Digging for information,
suppose?" grunted Brouillard.
Just that; and he's been getting it,
90. Not out Of me, particularly, but
ut Of everybody. Also, he was willing
0 impart a little. We're in for the
ime of our lives, Victor"
Il know it," was the grabbed rejoin-
er.
You don't know the tenth part of
)" asserted the photographer slowly.
It's modest name, The Niquoia I'M
rovement company but it is going
D be like charity-covering a multi
lde of sins. Do you know what that
lank-faced organizer has got up his
leeve? He is going to build us q
eat, up-to-date little city right here
i the middle of our midst. If hadn't
lade him believe that I was only
he would have had me out
18th transit, running the lines for
lie streets"
"A city?-in this reservoir bottom?
guess not. He was only stringing
ou to kill time, Grizzly"
Don't you fool YOURSELF" ex- Il
aimed the mapmaker. He's got the
ans in his grip. We're going to be
/ little reservation set apart for us |
: the grace of God and the kind |
,ss of those promoters. The remain ,
n of the valley is laid off into cute =
tie squares and streets, with every t
ing named and numbered, ready to '
listed in the brokers' offices. You | Q
ay not be aware of it, but this pala- a
Il office building Of ours fronts on t
ligringo avenue"
Stuff" said Brouillard. What has D
this bubble blowing got to do with s
g building Of temporary dam and | Il
3 setting up Of couple of cement c