Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-02-01

countenance-a most meaningful smile
Of roguery. "Well, from what I've
heard he stated, land what I've =
seen, l should say that you are my
man O'Mara. Mr. Elliott himself has
informed ne that your quite spectacu-
lar success in one or two vital cam
paigns has been entirely du~ to the
fact that You are an-er-0pl ortunist.
l agree with Mr. Elliott absolutely
that is, if Ey first premise is correct"
Barbara's face had cooled little in
that moment since Steye's eyes had
left her face. Now she forgot her
confusion-forgot to be annoyed. even
at her fathers clumsy banter.
"Your man, O'Marar' she exclaimed
Indignantly. Your man! Why, he
he's N.Y. And that was as far as
she went.
Her voice thinned into nothingness,
but words were not necessary to tell
either Caleb or Steve that she had
been about to assert a prior claim
which dated back years and years.
II have always insisted to Mr.. Ell
lott" Steve said, that the solution of
all the difficulties, which he chooses to
view as gloriously romantic tits with
Destiny, depends one half upon luck
and the other half on being on the
ground personally when the-affair-
starts" He half faced toward Allison
Il am O'Mara," he finished very brief
ly; your man, O'Mara-if you happen
to be the East Coast DeE elopment and
Timber company
There was at most 10 more than thc
barest suggestion Of it IN Stoves crisp
question, bat Caleb senS"d in}mcliat@-
ly that Allison's placid appropriation
Of the blue flannel shirt2I one as NlS
own particular property was not Il Id
tually accepted status. Dexter, how
ever. failed or chose to read nothing
in the drawing question.
I'm it." be agreed jovially-"that Is,
l and two or three others, including
Mr. Elliott, our esteemed president,
I've heard much of you, Mr.. O'M2Ta.
I've looked forward to this meetin=s,
he added as he shook hands. Now |
want to tell you that | am proud to
know you. And SO you didn't get my
message, after all?"
- had to come down river yester-
day." Steve explained. Your telegram
found me here. and I waited over I'M
til this morning, as you suggested
"Surely-surely! I see-I see" AL
lison emphasized his comprehension.
"Not that it was anything Of vital i'm
portance l just wanted a short con-
ference with you, that was all"
"Would you-would you mind finding
Miss Sarah Steve?" Caleb asked.
"Will you tell her, please. that we are
to be subjected to neutrality-suspicious.
imposition?''
Allison shook his head and led the
way to a chair Il didn't know that
you were acquainted with him. Cal.
Have you known him long?'
'Um-m-m-yesr Caleb weighed his
reply "Quite some time, | think
might say"
He shook with scarcely suppressed
laughter. but Allison ignored his sense
less mirth.
I'D like to claim that boy as my
own discovery" he avowed, "but I
can't. not without fear Of successful
contradiction on Elliott's part And In
point of service it isn't fair to- call him
a boy. either. though I suppose both
of us are old enough to be his father
He's EIliOtts find Elliott suggested
him as the one man for this job when
I consolidated with the Ainnesley
crowd and they took up the contract
to move the reserve timber from Thir-
ty Mile and the valleys above. Elliott
knew Of him, but I've been looking up
his record pretty closely since he took
hold in earnest,
Hes in his twenties, as near as
can make out, but he's come through
on one OF two jobs that might we'll
make an old campaigner envious- He
took a fortune in hard woods out of
San DOMINGO for a Berlin concern; h"
was the only man on the st. Sebastian
river Job who said the construction
was too light. He said it wouldn't
stand when the ice began to move in
the spring, and it didn't, Oh, he knows
his business. But it wasn't his sue
cessos which caught ElliOtts eye. It's
the way he has failed a couple Of times,
fighting right back to the last ditch,
and fighting and fighting, when all the
rest had cult. that made me anxious
to get look at him. Perhaps there
are older men who can Outfigure him
on loads and stresses. but as Il field
general he stGnds alone. He can han
die men. And when it comes to meet
ing conditions just as they arise Ell
lott says he's q wonder. He can out
guess dear Old Mother Nature herself.
''That's why the East Coast company
brought him up here to build its bit
of road" he went on slowly. "They've
got to move that Reserve company tim
Der They have q contract that'll break
em-break us-if we fall down. And
do you know. Cal, II can't help but
believe that the thing is beyond the
pale of possibility, | believed it six
M A