Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-06-08


market place that Brouillard himself
was, according to his means, one Of
the most reckless of the plungers, buy
ing, borrowing, and buying again as if
the future held no threat of possible
debacle. 1t was an object lesson for
the timid. Those who did not them
selves know certainly argued that
there must be few who did know,
and among these few the chief of the
reclamation service must be in the
very foremost rank.
For the better part of a fortnight the
tidal waves Of prosperity, as evinced
by increasing speculative values, kept
on rolling in, each one apparently lit.
tie higher than it's immediate prede-
cessor. Then the food began to sub
side, though so slowly that at first it
was only by careful comparison Of
the daily transfers that the recession
could be measured
Causes and consequences extraneous
to the city itself contributed to the al
most imperceptible reactionary ten
dency. For one, the Buckskin Mining
and Milling company reluctantly aban-
doned its pastime Of blowing barren
burrows on Jacks mountain, and lit
tie later went into liquidation, as the
phrase ran, though the eastern bond
holders probably called it bankruptcy.
About the same time the great cement
plant, deprived of the government
market by the slackening Of the work
on the dam, reduced it's output to less
than one-fourth Of it's full capacity.
Most portentOus of all, perhaps, was
the rumor that the placers at Quad
jenai were beginning to show signs Of
exhaustion. It was even whispered
about that the two huge gold dredges
recently installed were not paying the
expenses Of operating them.
Quite naturally, the pulse of the
Wonder city beat sensitive to all these
Oppressive rumOrs and incidents, re-
spending slowly at first but little
later in accelerated throbbings which
could no longer be ignored by the most
optimistic bidder at the curb" ex-
changes.
ttvities in local sales fell off and the
Mirapolitans themselves were no long
er crOWding the curbs or standing in
line at the real estate Offices for their
turn at the listings, the prudent ones,
with Mr.. Cartwright and his chosen
associates far in advance of the field,
were placing Mirapolis holdings tempt
tngly on view in distant markets; plac-
ing them and selling them with
blazonry of advertising worthy of the
envy of those who have called them
selves the suburb builders of Greater
New York.
1t was after this invasion of the dis
tant market was fully in train that
Cartwright once more sent for Brouil-
lard, receiving the engineer this time
in the newest offices of the power COM
pany, on the many-times- bought-and-
sold corner opposite Bongras'.
Hello, Brouillardi" said the mag.
nate loosely, indicating a chair and
the never-absent open box of cigars in
the same gesture. You're getting to
be as much Of stranger as a man
might wish his worst enemy to be-
you sent for me?" Brouillard broke
in tersely. More and more he was
coming to acknowledge a dull rage
have often wondered"
We'll, | might say that have made
you what you are, and"
That's true; the truest thing you
ouov cold proniIIard
And, was going to add, can I'M
make you just as easily. But l don't
want to be savage with you. All I'm
asking is a little information first, and
a little judicious help afterward. What
are your orders from the Department."
Brouillard got up and stood over the
stocky man in the office chair, with the
black eyes blazing.
"Mr. Cartwright, said a moment ago
that you have made me what l am,
and you have. l am infinitely worse
man than you are, because l know bet
ter and you don't. 1t is no excuse for
me that l have had a motive which
haven't explained to you, because, as
once told you, you couldn't understand
it in a thousand years. The evil has
been done and the consequences, to
you, to me, and to everyone in this
cursed valley are certain. Facing them
as | am obliged to face them, | am tell
ing you-but what's the use? You
can't make a tool of me any longer
that's all. You must cook your meat
over your own fire. I'm out Of it,
Il can smash you" said the man in
the chair, quite without heat.
mo, you can't even do that" was
the equally cool retort. mo mans
fate is in another mans hands,
He was moving toward the door, but
Cartwright stopped him.
''One more word before you go,
Brouillard. 1t is to be war between US
from this on?"
Il don't say that. 1t would be awk-
ward for us both now. Let is be
armed neutrality if you like. Don't in
terfere with me and I won't interfere
with you"
"Ahi" said the millionaire. NOW
you have brought 1t around to the
point l was trying to reach. You don't
want to have anything more to do
with me, but you are not quite ready
to cash in and pull out Of the game.
How much money have you got?"
The cool imDudence of the question