Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-08-11


late neglect of her. III l wanted to
be hateful I might insist that you
haven't given the true reason yet"
Perhaps will give it before go, T"
he parted. But just now I'd much
rather talk about something else. Tell
me about yourself What. have you
been doing all these days when l
haven't been able to keep tab on you?"
"Flirting-flirting desperately with
Tig, with Mr.. Arson and Mr.. Grislow
and that nice boy of yours, Herbert
Griffith, and with-no, not with Mr..
Leshington; he scares me-makes a
face like a wooden image and says:
Little girl, you need a mother-or a
husband; haven't made up my mind
which When he does make up his
mind I'm going to shrek and run
away"
And you flirt!" he protested re-
proachfully. Now tell me about the
Little SUSAN is the Bluegrass farm
looming up comfortably on the eastern
edge of things?"
In twinkling her frivolous mood
vanished.
oh, we are prosperous. desperately
prosperous. We have all the improve
ments' you can see and a lot that you
can't see. And our pay roll-it fairly
frightens me when make it up on the
Saturdays"
Il see," he nodded. "All going out
and nothing coming in. But the money
is all here, safely stacked up in the
ore bins. You'll get it all out when
the railroad comes"
THAT is another thing-a thing |
haven't dared tell father and. Stevie.
When was in Mirapolis this morn
ing l heard that the railroad wasn't
coming, after all; or. rather, Tig had
heard it and he told me. We were dig
ging for facts when you met us on
Chigringo avenue-trying to find out IL
the rumor were true"
1T means a great deal to you.
doesn't it?" he said evasively.
1T means everything-a thousand
times more now than it did before"
His quick glance up into the sud-
denly sobered eyes of the girl stand
ing on the step above him was a voice
less query and she answered 1t.
We had no working capital. as
think you must have known. Once q
month father or Stevie would make up
few pack-saddle loads of the rich
est ore and freight them over the
mountains to Red Butte. That was
how we got along. But when you sent
me word by Tig that the railroad COM
pany had decided to build the exten.
sion, there was there was "a
chance
YES" he encouraged.
"A chance that the day of little
things was past and the day of big
things was come. Mr. Cartwright and
some of his associates had been trying
to buy an interest in the Little Susan
Father let them in on some sort of q
stock arrangement that / don't under
stand and then made himself person
ally responsible for a dreadful lot of
borrowed money"
Borrowed Of Mr.. Cortwright?"
Queried Brouillard.
mo; of the bank. Neither Stevie
nor l knew about 1t until after 1t was
done, and even then father wouldn't
explain. He has been like a man out
of his mind since Mr.. Cartwright got
hold of him-everything is rose-col-
ored. But you see how 1t all depends
upon the railroad"
Not so much upon the railroad now
as upon some other things" said
Brouillard automatically. You say
your father has borrowed of the bank
is Mr.. Cartwright mixed up in the
loan in any way?"
yes; he arranged 1t in some way
for father-I don't know just how. All
know is that father is responsible,
and that IL the railroad doesn't come
he will lose everything"
Brouillard gave q low whistle. 81
don't wonder that the quitting rumor
made you nervous. But l think can
lift one of your burdens. What you
heard in town this morning is fact:
the railroad people have stopped work
on the Buckskin extension. Don't
faint-they are going to begin again
right away"
Obi" she gasped. Are you sure?
How can you be sure?"
I've given the order" he said
gravely, AN order they can't disre-
gard. Let's go back a bit and I'll ex.
plain. Do you remember my telling
you that your brother had tried to
bride me to use my influence with Mr..
Ford?"
las II / should ever be able to for.
get it," she protested.
We'll, that wasn't all that he did
he threatened to turn the valley into
a placer camp, to disorganize our
working force. even stop or definitely
postpone the building of the dam"
She was listening eagerly. but there
was a nameless fear in the steadfast
eyes-a shadow which he either
missed or disregarded.
And you-you believed this?" she
asked family.
Il was compelled to believe 1t. He
let me pan out the proof for myself"
1T is dreadful-dreadful!" she muir.
INJURED. You believed him, and for
that reason you used your influence
with Mr.. Ford?"
He got up and took her in his arms,
and she suffered him.
"A few days ago, little girl. I couldn't
have told you. But now l can. l am