Roanoke Rapids herald. [volume] (Roanoke Rapids, N.C.) 1914-192?, 1920-07-09
CHAPTER xVIIl-continued.

10
81 suppose So" she answered, "al-
though think until very recently
that 1t 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.
Yon said II was an unparalleled Invest
ment. Quite recently learned-no
matter how--that you were the princl-
pal owner of the Caribou Timber com.
pany, Limited! Smart as you are,
somebody swindled you with that red
cedar II vas a wonderful stand OF
timber-so read the cruisers report
but fifty per cent Of It, despite Its
green and hourishlng appearance, Is
hOllOw-butted And the remaining
fifty per cent of sound timber cannot
be logged unless the roltten timber is
logged also and gotten out of the way.
And | am informed that logging II
spells bankruptcy"
She gazed at him steadily, but 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
swindled So, In order to save as
much as possible from the wreck, you
decided to unload your white elephant
on somebody else. l was the readiest
victim. You were the executor Of my
fathers estate-you were my guardian
and financial adviser, and so you found
II very, very easy to swindle mcV
~ had my back to the WALL he
quavered. IL was desperate-and 1t
wasn't at all the bad Investment you
have been told ut is. You had the money
more money than You knew what to
do wlth-and with the proceeds Of the
sale of those cedar lands, knew l
could make an investment In California
redwood and more than retrieve my
fortunes-make big money for both
of u.s."
"You might have borrowed the money
from me- You know have never hes
stated to join in your enterprises"
"Thls was too big deal for you
Shirley. had vision. could see in
calculable riches In this redwood en-
pire, but 1t was tremendous gamble
and required twenty millions to swing
it at the very start. | dreamed of the
control of California redwood; and II
you will stand by me, Shirley, shall yet
make my dream come true-and half
of it shall be yours. 1t 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
/ would have been in position to do
so. Why, that Cardigan tract in the
San Hedrin which we will buy In with
in year for half million, is worth
five millions at least. And by that
time feel certain-in fact, | know
the Northern Pacific will commence
building in from the south, from Will
Hts"
"I shall" he began, but he paused
abruptly. ms If he had suddenly re-
membered that tact and not pugnacity
was the requirement for the handling
of this ticklsh situation.
She silenced him with disdainful
gesture. "You shall not smash the
Cardigans," she declared firmly. "You
are devoid of mercy, of 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 1t. If 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 trife. 'Tm afraid
that would be a long, hard row to hoe,
nv dear, and of course, shall have to
defend myself"
"Tn addition" the girl went on qui-
city, "the county grand jury shall be
furnished with a stenographic report
of your conversation Of Thursday
night with Mayor Poundstone. That
will not be a 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 bride to the
mayor will be hard to explain and
rather amusing, in view of the fact
that Bryce Cardigan managed to fright
en- Mr.. Poundstone into returning the
sedan while you were away. And
IL that is not sufficient for my purpose,
I have the sworn confession Of the
Black Minorca that you gave him five
hundred dollars to kill Bryce Cardigan.
Your woods boss, Rondeau, will also
swear that you approached him with a
proposition to do away with Bryce
Cardigan think, therefore, that you
will readily see how impossible sit
uation you have managed to create
and will not disagree with me when
suggest that II would be better for you
to leave this county"
His face had gone gray and bag
gard. ~ can't he murmured, u
can't leave this great business now.
Your own interests in the company
render such course unthlnkable.
without my hand at the helm, things
will go to smash"
"rll risk that. want, to get rid or
that worthless red cedar timber; so l