The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1920-06-19

debtor Shirley, can you stand some
plain speaking-between friends, /
mean?"
81 think so, Mr.. Cardigan"
"Well, then" said Bryce. '1fsten to
this: | am your uncle's enemy until
death do us part. Neither he nor /
expect to ask or to give quarter, and
I'm going to smash him if 1 can"
eff You do, you smash me-" she
warned him.
Likewise our friendship. Tn sorry.
hut IT'S got to be done if I can do It.
Shall-shall we say goOd-by, Shirley? p
"Yes-s-s!" There was break in
her voice. "GOod-by, Mr.. Cardigan.
wanted to know"
"GOOd-by! Well, that's cutting the
mustard" he murmured soto voce,
land there goes another bright day
dream" Unknown to himself. he
spoke directly into the transmitter.
and Shirley. clinCing half hopefully 70
the receiver at the other end of the
wire, heard him-caught every inf1ec-
ton of the words. commonplace
enough, but freighted with the pathOs
Of Bryce's first real tragedy.
"Oh, Bryce" she cried sharply. But
he did not hear her; he had hung up
his receiver now.
The week that enSued was remarka-
BILE for the amount of work Bryce &C
cOmplished in the investigation of his
fathers affairs-also for a visit from
Donald McTavish. the woods-bosS.
Hello. McTavish," Bryce saluted
the woods-bOss cheerfully and extend
ed his hand for cordial greeting. His
wayward employee stood up, took the
proffered hand in both of his huge and
ca1lOus ones, and held it rather child
ishly.
"Weel! 'Tis the wee laddie hisser.''
he doomed. I'm glad to see We, boy"
you'd have seen me the day before
yesterday-if you had been seeable."
Bryce reminded him with n bright
smile. Mac, old man, they tell me
you've gotten to be a regular go-to-
hell"
''Tll nae deny take a wee drappie
now an then" the woods-bCss admit
ted frankly. albeit there was a har-
ried. hangdog look in his eyes.
Mac, did Mora give you my mes
sage?"
save"
"Well. guess we understand each
other. Mac. Was there something
else you wanted TO see me about?"
McTaviSh sided up to the desk.
"Ye'H no be firm auld Mac DOT O.
hand?" he pleaded hopefully. "Mon.
ha We the heart to do it-after a these
yearsT'
Bryce nodded. "If you have the
heart-after all these years-to draw
pay You do not earn. then l have the
heart to put a better man in your
place It's no good arguing, Mac
You're off the pay roll onto the pen
sion roll-yOur shanty in the woods,
your meals at the camp kitchen, your
clothing and tobacco that l send out
to you. Neither more nor less :"
"Who will We lit in ma placer"
II don't know. However. it won't
be difficult task to find better man
than you"
"In nae let him work" McTavish's
voice deepened to a grOwl.
"You worked that racket on my ia
Their. Try 1t on me, and you'll answer
% me-personally. Lay the weight of
your finger on your successor, Mac,
and you'll die in the county poor farm.
No threats, old man! You know the
Cardigans; they never bluff"
McTavish's glance met the youthful
masters for several seconds; then the
woods boss trembled. and his gaze
sought the office floor. Bryce knew
he had his man whipped at last, and
McTavish realized 1t. too. for quite
suddenly he burst into tears.
"Dinna fire me. lad" he pleaded.
'I'll gaze back on the job an leave
whusky alone"
Nothing doing, Mac. Leave whisky
alone for year and I'll discharge
your successor to give you hack your
Job. For the present. however. my
verdict stands. You're discharged"
"WhO kens the Cardigan woods as
ken them? McTavish blubbere,l.
who'll fell trees WI the least amount
o. breakage? Who'll get the work out
o. the men? who'll Ye dinna mean
1t, lad. Ye Gamma mean IT."
"On your way. Mac. loathe argu-
ments."
II maun see yer father ABBOTT this.
He'll nae stand for sic treatment O.
an auld employee"
Bryce's temper flared up. ''YOu
keep away from my father You've
worried him enough in the past. you
drunkard. If you go up to the house
TO annoy my father with your plead
ings. McTavish, I'll manhandle you
He glanced at his watch. 'The next
train leaves for the woods In twenty
minutes. If you do not go back on it
and behave yourself, you can never
20 back to Cardigan woods
II will nae take charity from any
man." McTavish Numbered. "PH nae
bother the owe man, an~Tll nae go
back to yen woods to live on yer
bounty. | was never a man to take
charity" he roared furiously. and left
the office. Bryce called after him a