The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-08-28
CHAPTER xVIlI-continued.

I
that il was those sixteen townships
of red cedar-that crown grant In
British Columbia in which you induced
! me to invest four hundred thousand
dollars. You will remember that you
| purchased that timber for me from the
Caribou Timber company, Limited
| YOu said ii was an unparalleled invest
ment. Quite recently ] learned-nO
matter hOw-that you were the princi-
| pal owner of the Caribou Timber com
pany, Limited! Smart as you are
somebody swindled you with that red
| cedar. 1t vas wonderful stand OF
timber--so read the cruisers report
| but fifty Iet cent of IL. despite Its
| green and Furnishing appearance. is
| hOllOw-butted And the remaining
| fifty per cent of sound timber canrot
be logged unless the rOltten timber IL
logged also and gotten out of the way.
And | am informed that logging it
spells bankruptcy"
She gazad AT him steadily, nut with
out malice; his face crimSOned and
then paled; presently his glance
sought the carpet. While he struggled
TO formulate verbal defense against
her accusation Shirley continued:
"YOu had erected huge sawmill
and built and equipped logging road
before YOU discovered you had been
swlndled. SO. in order to save az
much as possible from the wreck. you
decided 10 unload your white elephant
on somebody else. / was the readieSt
victim. You were the executor Of my
fathers eState-yOu We're my guardian
and financial adviser, and so you found
II very, very easy to swindle mel"
II had my back to the wall" he
quavPred. 81 was deSperate-and II
wasn't at all the bad investment you
have been told II is. You had the money
more money than you knev what TO
do with-and with the proceeds Of the
sale Of those cedar lands, knew
could make an investment In California
redwood and more than retrieve my
fOrtunes-make big money for both
Of MS"
you might have borrowed the money
from me. You know | have never hes
itated TO join in your enterprises"
"This was too big deal for yOu.
Shirley. | had vision. I could see in-
calculable riches in this redwood EN-
pire, but II was a tremendous gamble
ana required twenty millions to swing
II ~ the very start. | dreamed of the
control of California redwood: and if
you VIII stand by me- Shirley, shall yet
make my dream come true-and half
of II shall be yours. II has always
been my intention to buy back from
you secretly and at a nice profit to you
that Caribou red cedar, and with the
acquisition Of the Cardigan properties
I would have been in position to do
40. Why. that Cardigan tract in the
San Hedrin which we will buy in with
In a year for half million, Is worth
five millions at least. And by that
time, feel certaln-in fact. I know
, 'he Northern Pacific will commence
building In from the south, from Will
Its"
81 shall" he began. but he paused
abruptly. as II he had suddenly re-
membered that tact and not pugnacity
was the requirement for the handling
Of this ticklish situation.
She silenced him with a disdainful
gesture. "You shall not smash the
Cardigans." she declared firmly. "You
are devoid OF mercy. Of a sense of
craftsmanship. Now. then. Uncle
Seth. listen to me: You have
twenty-four hours In which to make
up your mind whether to accept my
ultimatum or refuse II. II you re-
fuse, shall prosecute you for fraud
and a betrayal OF trust as my fathers
executor on that red cedar timber
DEAL"
He frightened a triie. Tin afraid
that would be long, hard row to hoe,
my dear. and of course, | shall have to
defend myself"
''In addition" the girl went on qui-
city. ~the county grand jury shall be
furnished with stenOgraphic report
OF your conversation Of Thursday
night with Mayor POundstoae. That
win not be long, hard row to hoe
Uncle Seth. for in addition to the
stenographer. have another reliable
witness. Judge Moore. Your casual
disposal of my sedan as n bribe to the
mayor will be hard TO explain and
rather amusing, IN view of the fact
tina, Ryyce Cardigan managed to fright
en- Mr. Poundstone into returning the
sedan while you were away. And
Il that is not sufficient for my purpose,
have the sworn confession of the
Black MinOrca that you gave him FIVE
hundred dollars to XIII Bryce Cardigan.
Your woods boss. ROndeau. will also
swear that you approached him with
proposition to do away with Bryce
Cardigan. | think, therefore that you
Will readily see how impossible a sit
uatlOn Won have managed To create
and will lot disagree with me when
suggest that II would he better for you
10 leave this county"
His face had gone gray and bag
gard. II can't" he murmured. 81
can't leave this great business now.
-FOUR own interests In the company
render such course unthinkable.
without my hand at the helm. things