The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-08-27

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wanton destruction of Gods handi
work. You wanted that burl, an6
when my father was blind and could
no longer make his Sunday pilgrimage
up to that grove. your woods-boss
went up and stole that which you
knew you could not buy"
"That will be about all from you
young man. Get out of my office
And, by the way, forget that you have
met my niece"
"It's your office-so I'll get out. AS
for your second command"--he snapped
his fingers in Pennington's face
''fooeyr
When Bryce had gone, the Colonel
hurriedly called his logging camp or
the telephone and asked for Jules
Rondeau, only to be Informed by the
timekeeper who answered the tele
phone. that Rondeau was up in the
green timber with the choppers and
could not be gotten to the telephone
in less than two hours.
DO not send for him, them" Pen.
nington commanded. SIN coming UP
on the eleven-fifteen train and viii
talk to him when he comes in for his
lunch"
At eleven o'clock, and just as the
Colonel was leaving to board the
eleven fifteen logging train bound
empty for the woods. Shirley Sumner
made her appearance in his office.
Uncle Seth," she complained, "Tm
lonesome. The bookkeeper tells me
you're going up to the logging-camp.
May / go with you?"
"By all means. Usually I ride in
the cab with the engineer and fireman
but if you're coming, I'll have them
hook on the caboose. Step lively, my
dear, or they'll be holding the train
for us and upsetting our schedule"
BY virtue of their. logging contract
with Pennington, the Cardigans and
their employees were transported free
over Pennlngton's logging railroad ;
hence, when Bryce Cardigan resolved
to wait upon Jules Rondeau in the mat
ter of that murdered Giant, it was
Characteristic of him to choose the
shortest and most direct route to his
quarry. and as the long string of empty
logging-trucks came crawling off the
Laguna Grande Lumber company's log
dump. he swung over the side, quite
ignorant of the fact THAT Shirley and
her precious relative were riding in
the little cabOose In the rear.
At twelve-ten the train slid In on
the log landing.
where's Rondeau" Bryce asked.
The engineer pointed to huge.
swarthy man approaching across the
clearing in which the camp was sit
uated. THAT'S him." he replied.
And without further ado, Bryce strobe
to meet his man.
"Are you Jules Rondeau!" he de-
manded as he came up to the woods
boss. The latter nodded. I'm Bryce
Cardigan" his interrogation announced.
land I'm here to thrash you for chop
ping that big redwood tree over in
that little valley where my mother is
buried"
"Ohw Rondeau smiled. "Wiz
pleasure, M'sieur." And without a
moments hesitation he rushed. Bryce
backed away from him warily. and
I ey circled.
"When 1 get through with you, Ron
deau," Bryce said distinctly, still take
a good man to lead you to your meals.
This country isn't big enough for both
of us, and since you came here last,
you've got to go first"
Bryce stepped in, tented for Ron
deau's jaw with his right, and when
the woods-boss quickly recovered, rip
ped a sizzling left into the latter's
midriff. ltondeau grunted and dropped
his guard, with the result that Bryce's
great fists played devils tattoo on
his countenance before he could
crouch and cover.
"This is tough one" thought Bryce.
His blows had not, apparently, had the
slightest effect on the woods-boss.
Crouched low and with his arms
wrapped around his head, Rondeau
still came on unfalteringly, and Bryce
was forced to give way before him; to
save his hands, he avoided the risk of
battering Rondeau's hard head and
sinewy arms.
Already word that the woods-boss
was battling with stranger had been
shouted into the camp dining room.
and the entire crew of that camp,
abandoning their half-finished meal,
came pouring forth to view the contest.
Out of the tail of his eye Bryce saw
them coming, but he was not appre-
hensive, for he knew the code of the
woodsman: 'I.et every man roll his
own hoop" 1t would be a fight to a
finish, for no man would interfere;
striking, kicking, gouging, biting, or
choking would not be looked upon as
unsportsmanlike and as Bryce backed
cautiously away from the huge, 1.-the,
active, and powerful man before him,
he realized that Jules Rondeau was,
as his father had stated, stop dog
among the UNDERTAKES"
Rondeau, it was apparent. had no
stomach for Bryce's style of combat.
He wanted rough-and-tumble fight
and kept rushing, hoping to clineh; if
he could but get his great hands on
Bryce, he would wrestle him down,
climb him, and finish the fight in Jig
time. But rough-and-tumble was
exactly what Bryce was striving to