Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-06-14


the moment we go into other markets
we are getting over into the enemy's
country. I'm not saying that the
money, couldn't be raised in New
YWk; but if we should go there. the
trust would have an underhold on US,
right from the start"
81 see" said the colonel, who was
indeed seeing many things that his
supplemented philosophy had never
dreamed of; and then he answered the
direct question. There is plenty of
money right here In the Timanyonis"
Smith nodded. He was getting his
second wind now. and the race prom
ised to be keen joy.
''But they would have to be shown
you think?" he suggested. "An right;
We'll proceed to show them. Now we
can come down TO present necessities.
We've got to keep the work going
and speed 1t up to the limit: we ought
to double Williams force at once-put
on a night shift to work by electric
light"
The colonel blinked twice and swal-
bowed hard.
"Say, JOHN he said, leaning across
he tabledesk; you've sure got your
aerve with you. Do you know our
present bank balance is under five
thousand dollars. and a good part of
that Is owing TO the cement people"
"Never mind: don't get nervous"
was the reassuring re1oinder. 1--WE are
going to make 1t bigger in a few min
utes, I hope. Who ais your banker
hereP'
"Dave Kinzie OF the Brewster City
National"
Tell me a little something about
Mfr. Kinzie before we go down to see
him; just brief him for me as man.
I mean"
The colonel was shaking his head
slowly.
"He's what you might call twenty
ton optimist, Dave IS; solid, little
slow and sure, but the biggest boomer
IN the West. If you can get him start
ed-believes In the resources Of the
country and all that. But you can't
borrow money from him without secur-
tty, II that's what you're aiming TO do"
Cant weP smiled the young man
who knew banks and bankers. Lets
go and see. You may introduce me to
Kinzie as your acting financial secre-
tary, If you like. Now one more ques-
ton: What is Kinzie's attitude toward
Tmanyoni Ditch?'
"At first he was all kinds Of friend
ly; he Is stakeholder in a small way.
But after a while he began to cool
down a little, and now-well, don't
know; hate to think 1t Of Dave, but
I'm afraid he's leaning the other way,
toward these Eastern fellows. He
tried to cover StantOn's tracks in the
stock-buying from Gardner and Boil
ling"
THAT is natural, too" said Smith,
whose point Of view was always IN
obscured in any battle Of business.
1.-THE big company would be a better
customer for the bank than your little
one could ever hope to be. l guess
that's all for the present. If you're
ready. We'll go down and face the
music"
"By Jandersl" said the colonel with
an open smile; IT believe you'd just as
soon tackle a banker as to eat your
dinner; and I'd about as soon take a
horsewhipping. Come on; I'll steer
you up against Dave, but I'm telling
you right now that the steering Is
about all you can count on from me-"
It was while they were crossing the
street together that Mr.. Crawford
Stanton had his third morning caller,
thickset, barrel-bodied man with
little piglike eyes, closely cropped hair,
bristling mustache, and a wooden
leg Of the homemade sort. The men
Of the camps called the cripple "Peg-
leg" or "Blue Pete" indifferently,
though not to his face. For though
the fat face was always relaxed in a
good-natured smile, the crippled sa-
loonkeeper was Of those who kill with
the knife.
Stanton looked up from his desk
when the pad-and-click Of the cripple's
step came in from the street.
Hello, Simms," he said, In curt
greeting. "Want to see me? Sit
down."
Simms threw the brim Of his soft
hat up with q backhanded stroke and
shook his head. "It amt worth while;
and I gotta get back to camp. I blew
In to tell y'u there's fella out there
that needs TIL sandhaQ"
"Who is ft7"
"Fella name Smith. He's shown
'em how to cut too many corners
pace-settin', he calls 1t. First thing
they know, they'll get the concrete up
to where the high water won't bust 1t
OUT
Stanton's laugh was impatient.
Don't make any mistake Of that
sort, Simms," he said. eve don't want
the dam destroyed; we'd work just
as hard as they would to prevent that
All we want Is to have other people
think it's likely to go out-think 1t
hard enough to keep them from put
ting up any more money. Let that go.
Is there any more fresh talk-among
the men?" Stanton prided himself a
little upon the underground wire-pull-
ing which had resulted In putting
Simms on the ground as the keeper Of
the construction-camp canteen. 1t was
a fairly original way Of keeping lis
tening ear open for the camp gossip.
Little" said the cripple briefly.