The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1920-09-17

debtor. Shirley, can you stand some
plain speaking friends, l
mean?"
81 think so, Mr.. Cardigan"
"Well, then" said Bryce, "listen to
this: am your uncle's enemy until
death do us part. Neither he nor l
expect to ask or to give quarter, and
Pm going to smash him if 1 cam"
IF you do, you smash me-" she
warned him.
Likewise our friendship I'm sorry,
but It's got to be done if 1 can do it.
Shall-shall we say good-by, Shirley 2"
"Yes-s-s" There was break in
her voice. "Good-by, Mr.. Cardigan. I
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, clinging half hopefully to
the receiver at the other end of the
wire, heard him-caught every infiec-
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 ac-
complished in the investigation of his
fathers affairs-also for visit from
Donald McTavish, the woods-boss.
'Hello, McTavish," Bryce saluted
the woods-boss cheerfuIly and extend
ed his hand for cordial greeting. His
hayward employee stood up, took the
proffered hand in both of his huge and
callous ones, and held it rather child
ishly.
"Weel! IT'S the wee laddie hisser,"
he doomed. "Pm glad to see We, boy"
You'd have seen me the day before
yesterday-if you had been seeable,"
Bryce reminded him with a bright
smile. MAC, old man, they tell me
you've gotten to be a regular go-to-
hell"
'I'll nae deny l take wee drappie
now an them" the woods-boss admit
ted frankly, albeit there was har-
ried, hangdOg look in his eyes.
Mac, did Mora give you my mes
sage?"
aye"
"Well, I guess we understand each
other. Mac. Was there something
else you wanted to see me about?"
McTavish sided up to the desk.
yell no be firm auld Mac DOT O.
hand?" he pleaded hopefully. "Mon,
ha We the heart to do it-after a. these
years"
Bryce nodded. eff you have the
heart-after all these years-to draw
pay you do not earn. then I have the
heart to put 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
and tobacco that I send out
to you. Neither more nor lessw
" ho VIII We ViI III ilio PidCCt
II don't know. However, it won't
be difficult task to find a better man
than you"
"I'll nae let him work" McTavish's
voice deepened to growl.
"You worked that racket on my IA
Their. Try it on me, and you'll answer
20 personally. Lay the weight of
your finger on your successor, Mac,
ant, you'll die in the county poor farm.
No threats, old man! You know the
they never bluff"
McTavish's glance met the youthful
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 it, too, for quite
suddenly he burst into tears.
"Dinna fire me, lad" he pleaded
'Tll gaze back on the job an leave
alone"
"Nothing doing, Mac. Leave whisky
alone for year and I'll discharge
your successor to give you back your
Job. For the present, however my
verdict stands. You're discharged
"Who kens the Cardigan woods as
[ ken them?"' McTavish blubbered.
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."
con x,nr1r x,ou Moo I 1ootha rrr,,
ments."
81 maun see yer father ABBOTT this |
He'll nae stand for sic treatment o.
an auld employee"
. Bryce's temper fared 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
ngs, .McTavish, I'll manhandle you"
he glanced at his watch. ''The next |
train leaves for the woods in twenty !
Ii you do not go back en- it |
and behave yourself, you can never |
20 back to Cardigan woods"
Il will nae take charity from any |
man," McTavish Numbered. "Pll nae !
bother the owe man, an I'll nae go !
back to yon 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
cheerful goodbye, but he did not an
swer. And he did not remain in town;
neither did he return to his shanty
IN the woods. For month his where
lbouts remained mystery; then one
lay MORA received a letter from him
her that he had Job knee
,oiting in single mill in Mendocine
county.
In the interim Bryce had not been