The Mena weekly star. (Mena, Ark.) 1904-1977, 1920-09-30

dred thousand dollars"
"Well. I'll he shot. Bryce, What
did he say?s
said he'd take the matter under
consideration and give me an answer
this morning He asked me. OF course
what ! wanted that much money fol
and | told him was going TO run n
night shift. double my force OF men In
the woods. and buy some more logging
trnciys which | can get rather cheap.
Well. this morning ! called for my
answcr-and got II, The Sequoia
to hundred thousand. but 1t won't
give ME the cash In lump sum.
can have enough to buy the logging
trucks now. and on the first of each
month. when present my pay roll.
the bank will advance me the money
to meet It,"
Bruce, | am amazed"
Il am not--sinca you tell me Colo
mel Pennington controls that bank.
That the bank should accommodate
us is the most natural procedure Inn
aginable. Pennington is only playing
safe--which is why the bank declined
to give me the money In a lump sum.
II we run night Shift Pennington
knows that we can't dispose Of our
excess OUTPUT under present market
conditions. It's safe bet our Ium-
Der is going to piaS up on the mill
dock; hence. when the smash comes
and the SequoIa Bank Of Commerce
calls our loan and we cannot possibly
meet 1t. the lumber on hand will prove
security for the loan. will 1t not7 In
fact, It Will be worth two or three dol
lars per thousand more then than 1t
Is now. because 1t will be air-dried."
But what Idea have you got back
Of such procedure. Bryce?"
Merely forlorn hope. dad. Some
thing might turn up. The market may
take a sudden squirt and go up three
or four dollars. And whether the mar
ket goes up or comes down. 1t costs US
nothing to make the experiment"
"QuIte true" his father agreed.
Office tomorrow morning. dad. wen
hold meeting Of our board of direc-
tors and authorize me as president of
the company to sign the note to the
bank. We're borrowing this without
collateral. you know"
John Cardigan entered no further
objection. and the following day the
agreement was entered into with the
bank. Bryce closed by wire for the
extra logging equipment and imme-
diately set about rounding up crew
for the woods and for the night shift
In the MILL.
For month Bryce was as busy as
the proverbial one-armed paper-hanger
with the Itch. and during all that time
he did net see Shirley Sumner or hear
OF her, directly or indirectly.
MORA McTavish, In the meantime.
had come down from the woods and
entered upon her duties 10 the mill Of
fee. The change from her duh. 8rab
life. giving her. as It did. an opportun-
ity for companionship with people Of
she had been used to. quickly brought
about a swift transition In the girls
nature. With the passing of the
coarse shoes and calico dresses and
the substitution of the kind of cloth
Ing. all women of Moira's instructive
refinement and natural beauty long
for. the girl became cheerful, animat-
ed. and lmbued with the optimism of
her years.
MORA worked In the general office,
and except upon occasions when
Bryce desired to look at the books or
MORA brought some document into the
private office for his perusal. there
were days during which his pleasant
Good morning, Moira." constituted
the extent of their conversation.
Bryce had been absent In San Fran
cisco for ten days. He had planned to
stay three weeks, but findin~ his bust
ness consummated In less time. he re-
turned to SequoIa Unexpectedly. MORA
was standing at the tall bookkeeping
desk, her beautiful dark head bent
over the ledger. when he entered the
Office and set his suitcase in the
corner
SIS that you. Mr.. Brycey she
querIed
eThe identical individual, MORA
How did you guess 1t was IT,
She looked up at him then. and her
wonderful dark eyes lighted with
flame Bryce had not seen in them
heretofore. Il knew you were com.
ing" she replied simply.
you had a bunch. MORA. Do you
get those telepathic messages very
often?" He was crossing the office
to shake her hand.
I've never noticed particularly
that is, until came to work here. But
always know when you are return
Ing after a considerable absence
She gave him her hand I'm so glad
you're back I"
"Why?' he demanded bluntIy.
She flushed I'll really don't
know. Mr. Bryce"
"Well, then" he persisted. what do
you think makes you gladf"
Il had been thinking how nice II
would be to have You back. Mr. Bryce.
When you enter the office. It's ike a
breeze rustling the tops OF the red
woods And your father misses you
so: he talks TO me great deal about