Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-02-22


too few. We're going to need them,
and more, too. before we finish, Mr.
Allison. Perhaps I'd better figure on
perhaps if they continue to quit on
us, by twos and threes, as they have
in the last week, I'll have to-
His pause seemed almost an invita-
ton that the other suggest q remedy,
and, whether it was or not, Dexter ALI
son was quick to seize the opening
His suggested solution was heartily
bluff
Import some more" he said. When
you've employed these men as long as
have-the type Of man who has
worked all his life on the river-you'l
know as we'll as l do just how uncer,
tain and unreliable they are. What
you need is a gang that doesn't want
to think for itself This crowd has toe
much imagination for a grind like
this"
Steve nodded very thoughtfully.
eff it is all imagination" he Won
dered. "But they're not merely dis
contented, you see, Mr.. Allison. They
they are misleading themselves. They
seem to think, from what I've gather
ed from Mclean and few with whom
l have talked, that they are working
themselves out of a job for good when
they help to build this strip of rail
road. They think so. They have been
convinced that such is the truth. Per-
sonally, however. l feel sure that be-
tween us we can correct that impress
sion''
Even though he was looking in the
direction Of heavy smoke cloud that
had followed sharp blast to the north
of them, Steve felt the weight Of Alli-
sons questioning glance.
"We." he echoed, "Where do l fig
ure in it?'
The younger mans upward glance
was seemingly surprised.
! "You? Why, you're stakeholder.
1t means as much to you as it does to
Mr.. Ainnesley and Mr. Elliott"
/ Allison interrupted him.
"Of course!' he exclaimed. Surely!
see! What l mean was how in the
world can | make them understand
that such fool idea is all wrong? So
far as this constructive work is con-
cerned, Pm not an active member. I
I had that understood with Elliott
when 1 went into this thingr'
| "Of course" Steve in turn broke in.
II understand that. But they know
you; they know that Morrison would
be nothing more than a street of we'll
, kept lawns and COW pastures if you
! hadn't seen it's possibilities. And so
I've already told some of them, Mr.. AL
lison. I've gone even further and CIV
en- a lot of them my word that you'll
guarantee yourself that this is the big
gest thing for the good of this section
, that has yet happened"
The speaker SMILED frankly into the
bigger mans eyes.
"And that was all they needed, was
it?' Allison queried. at length. "That
fixed it. did it?''
"Absolutely!" Steves cheeriness
should have been Infectious 'Abso-
lutely, Mr.. Allison. A lot of people
have come to look On your word as law
in this country. you know-a lot of
/ Them
"Hum-m," replied Allison. ''Hum-m"
Both Of them were quiet for time
Steve's next remark brought Allisons
head up sharply.
II meant to bring some of my esti-
! mates and plans down with me when l
came" be told him. "You spoke Of
wanting to run over the whole prop
osition with me, you'll remember. the
first day you arrived"
Allison nodded shortly. II remember"
"I'll bring them next trip" Steve
finished. II came so near to losing
them last night that Pm taking no
chances until they're in duplicate. We
can run over them laterT'
Allison wheeled and gaZed meditat
ingly toward the group who were slow
ly moving their way. His daughter
Barbara, with .Wickersham at her side.
was in the lead.
"Any time" he agreed. There's no
particular hurry"
And then a moment later. just when
she was beginning to wonder wheth-
er he was purposely avoiding her, Bar
bara was surprised at the calm ease
with which Steve took her away from
her tall escort. She had noticed that
Wickersham and Steve had not touch
ed hands when they first met, an hour
or two before, nor even limited at such
salute. But now, as earlier in the
/ day when her dash toward the stables
had left him standing rigid in the mid
GH, Of the lawn, she failed to see the
expression that settled upon Wicker
sham's long face. 1t was Dexter ALL
son this time who noticed 1t, and hours
later, when he and Wickersham sat
and faced each other in the downstairs
room in the house on the hill which
served as Allison's Office. he remem-
bered and recognized 1t.
"You wanted to talk with me"
! Wickersham inquired as he entered
! the room that evening.
! Somehow Wickersham's unending po-
likeness had always irritated Allison.
That night his smoothly infectiOnless