Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-05-24
CHAPTER xIv-continued.

/ didn't know you could be so con-
viucing," was Miss Genevieve's com
ment. ut was splendid Nobody will
ever believe that you are going to go
on building your dam and threatening
TO drown US. after this"
What did I say" queried Brouil-
lard, having. at the moment, only the
haziest possible idea Of what he had
said
"As If you didn't know" she
laughed. You congratulated every
body. And the funny thing about It is
that you didn't say a single word about
the Niquoia dam"
Didn't I? That shows how com
pletely your father has converted me.
how helplessly l am carried along on
the torrent Of events"
But you are not" she said accus.
ingly. Deep down in your inner con
seriousness you don't believe little bit
In Mirapolis. You are only playing the
game with the rest OF US, Mr.. Brouil.
lard
German. Mr. Cortwright's ablest
trumpeter In the real-estate booming.
was holding the plaza crowd spell
bound with prophetic outlining Of the
Metropolitan future
In the middle distance and back
grounding the buildings or the oppo-
site side of the plaza, rose the false
work Of the great dana standing for
est of sawed timbers, whose afternoon
shadows were already pointing like a
many-angered fate toward the city Of
the plain. But, though the face of the
speaker was toward the shadowing for.
est, his words ignored it. THE snow
capped Timayonis." the mighty Chi
gringo," and the golden-veined slopes
of Jacks mountain" all came in for eu-
logistic mention: but the massive wall
Of concrete, with its bristling parapet
OF timbers. lad no part in the orators
flamboyant descriptive.
Brouillard loved Amy Massingale
with passion which, however blind it
might be on the side OF the higher
moralities. was still keen-sighted
enough to assure him that every
plunge he made in the Metropolitan
whirlpool was sweeping him farther
away from her
He had transferred the power com
pany's stock, minus a single share to
cover his official standing on the
power company's board. to Cartwright.
and had opened an account at the Nj
quota National The ninety-nine thou
sand nine hundred dollars had since
grown by speculative accretions to the
rounded eighth of a million which all
fnanciers agree in calling the stepping
stone to fortune.
He had regarded this money-was
still regarding it--as loan: his lever
with which to pry out something which
he coulc really call his own. But more
and more possession and use were dull
ing the keen edge of accountability
and there were moments OF insight
when the grim irony Of taking the
price of honor to pay an honor 5aht
forced :tself upon him. At such mo.
ments he plunged more recklessly. in
one OF them taking stock in a gold.
dredge company which was to wash
nuggets by the wholesale out Of the
Quadjenai bend. in another buying vet
other options in the newest suburb of
Mirapolis.
With the waning of the day of cele.
brations the temper OF the street
throngs was changing. 1t is only the
people of the Latinized cities who can
take the carnival spirit lightly; in
other blood liberty grows to license
and the thin veneer of civilized re-
straints quickly disappears. From
early dawn the saloons and dives had
been adding fuel to the flames. and
light-heartedness and gOud-natured
horseplay were giving way to sardonic
humor and brutality.
In the short faring through tha
crowded street from the plaza TO the
Metropole corner Brouillard saw and
heard things to make his blood boil.
Twice before he reached Bongras' cafe
entrance the engineer shouldered his
way to the rescue Of some badeered
nucleus OF excursioni5ts. and in each
instance there were frightened women
to be hurriedly spirited away to the
nearest place Of seclusion and safety.
1t was in front of Bongras' that
Brouillard came upon Rev. Hugh Cast.
ner, the hot-hearted young zealot who
had been flung into Mirapolis on the
crest of the tidal wave of mining ex.
element. Though Hosford--who had
not bean eEaced, as Mr.. Cortwrigh,