Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-07-12
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with me, Monty?"
CHAPTER Xxx.
The Pace-Setter,

practically empty when he went in
and took his accustomed place at one
Of the alcove tables, but he had barely
given his order when Starbuck ap-
peared and came to join him.
you're looking a whole lot better
this morning, john" said the mine
owner quizzically, as he held up a
finger for the waiter. "How's the
grOuch?"
Smiths answering grin had some
thing Of its former good-nature in it.
"Today's the day, Billy" he said. ITO
morrow at midnight we must have the
water running in the bitches or lose
our franchise. It's chasing around in
the back part Of my mind that Stanton
will make his grandstand play today.
I'm not harboring any grouches on the
edge of the battle. They are a handi-
cap, anyway, and always"
That's good medicine talk" said the
older man, eying him keenly. And
then: 'You had US all guessing, yester-
day and the day before, John. You
sure was acting as If you'd gone plumb
locoed."
81 was locoed," was the quiet ad-
mission.
what cured your
"It's too long a story to tell over the
breakfast table. What do you hear
from Williams?'
"All quiet during the night; but the
waafbor roOOrfc ORC CooriDo him nm
a good bit this morning"
, "Storms on the ranger"
Eyes. The river gained four feet
last night, and there is flood water and
drift coming down to beat the band.
Just the same, BARLEY says he is
going to make good"
Smith nodded. BARLEY IS all right !;
the right man in the right place. Have
you seen the colonel since he left the
offices last eveningT'
eyes. I drove him and Corona out
to the ranch in my new car. He said
he'd lost his roadster; somebody had
Sneaked in and borrowed It."
Il suppose he told you about the
latest move-our move-in the stock
selling gamer"
"No, he didn't; but Stillings did. You
played it pretty fine, John; only I hope
to gracious we won't have to redeem
those options. 1t would bust our little
inside crowd wide open to have to buy
in all that stock at par"
Smith laughed. "'Suf1cient unto the
day. Billy. It was the only way to
block Stanton. It's neck or nothing
with him now, and he has only one
more string that he can pull"
"The railroad right-of-way dealY'
Eyes; he has been holding that in
reserve-that, and one other thing"
"What was the other thing?" Star
buck was absently fishing for a Sec
ond lump Of sugar in the sugar bowl.
HAS it got anything to do with the
bunch of news that you won't tell
us-about yourself, John?"
'It has. Two days ago, Stanton had
me fairly, but a friend of mine stepped
in. Last night, again, he stood to win
out. But a man fell into the river, and
Stanton lost out once more
Starbuck glanced up soberly. you're
talking in riddles now, John. I don't
sabe."
SIT isn't necessary for you to sabe.
Results are what counts. Barring acct
dents, you Timanyoni High Line
people can reasonably count on having
me with you for the next few critical
days; and, I may add, you never
needed me more pOintedly."
Starbuck's smile was face-wide.
at hope I don't feel sorry" he re-
marked. "Some day, when you can
take an hour or so off, I'm going to
get you to show he around in your
little mu-zeeum Of self-conceit, John.
Maybe I can learn how to gather me
up one"
! Smith matched the mine owners
good-natured smile. For some unex-
plainable reason the world, his particu-
lar world, seemed to have lost It's
malfgnance. He could even think of
Stanton without bitterness; and the
weapon which had been weighing his
hip pocket for the past few days had
been carefully buried in the bottom of
the lower dressing-case drawer before
he came down to breakfast.
"You may laugh, Billy, but you'll
have to admit that I've been Outfgur-
ing the whole bunch Of you, right from
the start" he retorted brazenly. 'But
jo%f 30 70 hJ7ei 10 &c
practically Stanton's last day of grace.
If he can't get some legal hold upon
us before midnight tomorrow night,
or work some scheme to make US lose
our franchise, his job is gone"
! "Show me-" said the mine owner sue
cinctly.
! Its easy. With the dam completed
and the water running in the bitches,
we become at once a going concern,
with assets a long way in advance of
our liabilities. The day after tomor-
row-if we pull Throughout won't
be able to buy a single share of
Tmanyoni High Line at any figure.
AS natural consequence, public senti-
ment, which, we may say, is at pres
ent a little doubtful, will come over
to our side In a landslide, and Stan
toms outfit, If it wants to continue the
fight, will have to fight the entire
Timanyoni, with the city of Brewster
thrown IN for good measure. Am ]
making 1t plain?"
/ fright you are, SO far. Go on"
! "Billy, I'll tell you something that
I haven't dared to tell ANYBODY, not
Vol D11