Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-12-11
CONTINUED from preceding issue)

tance as it would be to fill and bridge
too. And. if we were TO look al il IN that
light, then why wouldn't it be sui easier
to drive THOSE piles say, next February or
Maren, while the swamp j. still crasted
over and stiI Lar.' 1T would afford us
some sort vi tcO.ln- ID work on then 9th
er thar black ooze and llypads. Wouldn't
il seem 80 TO YOU?
''We'd siill have that track north Of
here to lay" Fat Joe advised, when we
work in from the south with steel"
.Surely,' Steve admitted. "Of course.
But wouldn't that be q better bet than
TO stand To see our embankment and
bridge
lie broke off there. just as Joe had hes
itaied d moment before. The undercur-
rent Of meaning for which the ~latter's ears
were waiting came TO the surface, howev-
er, when Steve began again.
Suppose, Joe he pursued lazily-
suppose YOU had contracted with n rail
road-an infant road too young even TO
be named-to move for YOU more timber
than either of lis will ever own, contracted
in apparent good faith, when in your
heart YOU were certain that the railroad
itself would never be able TO fulfill It's hall
Of the bargain. Granting such a state OF
affairs, Joe, what do you suppose you
would do?'
maybe I'd hire me a red headed river
dog came ,Joe's answer, pat. Maybe
I'd hire me a bully boy boss Of white wa
ter to build me some sideways to the near
est flood water. SOS | could teach the in
FAINT railroad YOU mention that business
was business, contract or no contract
'Of course YOU wouldr' Steve agreed
instantly, and h. might have been com
plimenting 2 first primer favorite so pleas
ed was his tone. "Of course Won would.
I'm afraid that | was TOO easy for you,
wasn't il. .Joel But now suppose Won
were bent on proving to everybody, and
particularly to those who had fathered IT,,
what IN unfortunate weak!ing this anna
teur, unnamed child OF constructive 81
lpnce really was. In that event do you
figure you'd conduct YOURSELF"
Joe smiled oddly. II little halefully. II
was magic quick, that change IN his eI-
preston. as swift as was ne thought be-
hind it.
"Td have my logs all cut and ready to
haul a. an excuse. wouldn't IL" he IN
quired. with simulated anxiety. Gould
I tell folks. through the newspapers. for
instance, ,hat wasn't strong Tor letting
my timber lc for the gruh~ TO lunch on
il | had To square MYSELF"
Quite naturally Until then Stoves
face KEEP! il ~pre,crnatura. gravity. lie
srinned ever 80 family now. VERY nat
urally You'd want 70 save your winter cnt.
Then ia have ',m build a bridge some
where's along the river | aimed 10 drive
a bridge and 4 nice dirt embankmeni. all
dressed M with rails and ties and things
on top. I'm allowed to suppose I've got
an awful long standin' score, amt |. along
with nh this timber? Well. that's what
I'd ike ~ have EN- do, then. And when
| opened her up n few miles up river and
She began ~ roar. when that first head OF
water hit the bridge and the sticks began
to grind. | suppose ia take up my posi-
ton on the bank where | could watch real
wei. III light ne a long black cigar and
murlrur sort Of lanEuid sympathetic,
There goes your railroad ~eentsf'
.'Snch 4 move in itself would be outside
the letter of the contract Steve expostu-
lated. "Whv. they wouldn't dare 10 any
thing. They wouldn't dare to begin driving
the river before your time was ur. much
les, 40 damage 10 your completed work.
What excase-what legal exeuse--could
they give. even though they were morally
certain that YOU were bound 70 fa;le"
Very slowly. almost pitvinrlv. Joe, turn
ed toward him.
Legal he droned. 'Morala" And
then he laughed his clear tenor ontburst
which barely escaped being q ciggie-
Dear child. iudicionSly speaking Law and
lumber and morals and mill feet don't NIX
They don't mix al Ill in this section Of ihc
country. If they wanted 70 bother their
head, with I'm alabi they could say II wa
top Of flood and they weren't eager To be
hung up Just because a brass huttoned
conductor promised en- a through express
in the morning. They could say Bat
what good would explanation d. u. huh II
they sent a half million logs sky hoctin
into our bridget Ut wouldn't save our con-
struction would ite'
lie wheeled back to Steve. his manner
brisk.
do VIC leave that stretch open" he
asked. Is that The way yoa have u fig
ureds"
I'm afraid we'd better Sieve said.
TT, 80 - el~-a a. thev cane IA arv-