Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-04-19
CHAPTER V-contlnued.

CHAPTER N-Continusd.
~ can't believe it. Murray. It's
leaf out OF the book OF Bedlaml
Take a fair shot at it and see where
the bullet lands: this entire crazy fake
is built upon one solitary. lonesome
fact-the fact that we're here, with a
job on our hands big enough to create
an active. present-moment market for
labor and material There is absolute
" nothing else behind the bubble
blowing: II we were not here the Nj
quota Improvement company would
never have been heard Oft"
Grislow laughed. Your arguing that
twice two makes four doesn't change
the iridescent hue If the bubble, he
volunteered. "yf big money has seen
a chance to skin somebody. the mere
fact that the end g the world is due
to come along down the pike some
day isn't going to cut any obstruCting
figure. Wen all be buying and sell
ing corner lots in Hosfords new city
before we're n month older. Don't you
believe IT."
I'm believe it when | see IT," was
Brouillards reply; and with this the
matter rested for the moment
It was later in the day. an hour or
so after the serving Of the hearty
supper in the engineers mess tent
that Brouillard was given to see an
other and stiIl less tolerahla side Of
his temporary guest Hosford had
come into the Office to plant himself
soI,dly in the makeshift easy chair for
the smoking OF d big, black aftersup-
per cigar
I've been looking over your rules
and regulations, Brouillard." he be.
gan, after an interval Of silence which
BrouiIlard had been careful not to
break. You're making a capital mis-
take in trying to transplant the old
Connecticut blue laws out here. Your
workingmen ought TO have the right 10
spend their money in any way that
suits en-"
BrouiIlard was poiutedly occupying
himself at his desk. but he looked up
long enough to say Whisky, you
mean -
THAT nd other things. They tell
me you DOT allow any open gam
bling or any women here outside Of
the families Of the workmen."
We don't" was the short rejoinder.
THAT won't hold water after we get
things fairly in motion"
1T viii have to hold wafer as far
as we are concerned. II I have to build
a stockade around the camp" snapped
Brouil]ard
Hosford's heavy face wrinkled itself
In a mirthiess smile You're nutty.~
he remarked. when / find a man
bearing down hard on all the little
vices. it always makes me wonder
what's the name Of the corEing big one
he Is trying to cover up"
Since there was obviously no peace
ful reply TO be made to this. BrouiIlari
bent lower over his work and said
nothing. At every fresh step in the
forced acquaintance the newcomer
was painstakingly developing new an
tagoLtsms. Sooner or later. Brouiliard
knew. 1t would come to an open rup-
tuT,. but he was hoping that the actual
Lostilities could be postponed until
after Hosford had worn out his tenn
porary welcome as q guest in the eugi
neers' mess.
For a time the big man in the easy
chair smoked on in silence Then he
began again
Say. Brouillard l saw one little girl
today that didn't belong TO your work
men sfamily outfit, and she's a peach;
came riding down the trail with her
brother from that mine up on the
south mountain Massingale, isn't H.?
By Jove. she fairly made my mouth
water!"
Inasmuch as no man can read field.
notes when the page has suddenly be-
come a red blur. Brouillard looked up
You are my guest, in a way, EIr
Hosford; for that reason / can't very
well tell you what l think of you. q"
So much he was able to say quietly
Then the control mechanism burned
out in a fash of fiery rage and he
cursed the guest fluently and compre-
hensively, winding up with a crude
and savage threat Of Acknowledgement
If he should ever venture so much as
to name Miss Massingale again in the
threatener's hearing.
Hosford sat up slowly, and his big
face turned darkly red.
Welt" he broke out. $50 you're
that kind Of a fire-eater, are your
didn't suppose anything like that
ever happened outside of the ten-cent
shockers Wake up. man; this is the
twentieth century we're living in.
Don't lock at me that way!"
But the wave of insane wrath was
already subsiding. and Breuillard, half