The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1920-05-06

"Oh, very. OF course I'm only haz-
arding guess, but that guess is that
the Colonel is in for razooing at the
hands of somebody with small
crouch against him."
MAY the Lord strengthen that
somebody's arm" Bryce breathed fer
vently. eff your client can afford to
hold out long enough, he'll be able to
buy Pennington's Squaw creek timber
at bargain"
"My understanding is that such is
the program"
Bryce reached for the deed, then
reached for his hat. IF you'll be good
enough to wait here, Judge Moore, I'll
run up to the house and get my father
to sign this deed. The Valley of the
Giants is his personal property, you
know. He didn't include it in his as
sets when incorporating the Cardigan
Redwood Lumber company"
A quarter of an hour later he re-
turned with the deed duly signed by
John Cardigan and witnessed by
Bryce; whereupon the judge careless
ly tossed his certified check for hun
dred thousand dollars on Bryce's desk
and departed whistling turkey in the
Straw" Bryce reached for the tele
phone and called up Colonel Penning-
ton.
Bryce Cardigan speaking" he be-
gan, but the Colonel cut him short.
"My dear, impulsive young FRIEND"
he interrupted in oleaginous tones,
chow often do you have to be told that
am not quite ready to buy that quar-
ter-section?"
"Oh," Bryce retorted, II merely
called up to tell you that every dollar
and every asset you have in the world,
including your hearts blood, isn't suf-
ficient to buy the Valley of the Giants
from us now"
"Eh? What's that? Why?"
Because, my dear, overcautious and
thoroughly unprincipled enemy, it wa'
sold five minutes ago for the tidy sun
of one hundred thousand dollars, and
if you don't believe me, come over to
my office and I'll let you feast your
eyes on the certified check"
He could hear a distinct gasp. After
an interval of five seconds, however
the Colonel recovered his poise. 81
congratulate YOU" he purred. Il sup
pose I'll have to wait little longer
now, won't L? Well-patience is my
middle name. Au .revoir."
The Colonel hung up. His hard face
was ashen with rage, and he stared at
a calendar on the wall with his cold
phidian stare. However, he was not
without n generous stock of optimism
Somebody has learned of the low
state of the Cardigan fortune" he
unused. land taken advantage of it t.
induce the old man to sell at last
They're figuring on selling to me at q
neat profit And certainly did over
play my hand last night. However.
there's nothing to do now except sit
tight and wait for the new owners
next move"
Meanwhile. in the general office of
the Cardigan Redwood Lumber COM
tldnN, JOY WIS ldlllbdllt- bryce ttTUi-
gan was doing a buck and wing dance
around the room, while Mora McTav-
ish, with her back 20 her tall desk,
watched him, in her eyes a tremendous
JOY and a sweet yearHing glow of
adora ion that Bryce was too happy
and excited to notice.
Suddenly he paused before her.
"Moira, you're a lucky girl" he de
cared. u thought this morning you
were going back to kitchen in a log
ging camp. 1t almost broke my heart
to think of fate's swindling you like
that" He put his arm around her and
gave her brotherly hug. Its
autumn in the woods, Mora, and all
the underbrush is golden"
She smiled, though it was winter in
her heart.