The Adair County news., 1921-02-16
Continued from Page 2.

ftfaf- Tree, ne Ola IL unQer the apDre-
Hension that your Valley of the Giants
is a part of my Squaw creek timber
adjoining"
81 do not believe that. There was
rI,~Iice in the act-brutality, even; for
E1y mothers grave identified the land
Rs ours, and Rondeau felled the tree
oH her tombstone"
IF that is so, and Rondeau felled
that tree-I do not believe he did,
Z am sincerely sorry, Cardigan. Name
Sour price and will pay you for the
tree"
You can't pay for that tree" Bryce
burst forth. mo pitiful human being
cas> pay in dollars and cents for the
~zanton destruction of Gods handi-
T1ork. You wanted that burl, and
when my father was blind and could
no longer make his Sunday pilgrimage
mp to that grove, your woods-boss
vent 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"
IFS your office-so I'll get out. As
for your second command"-he snapped
his fingers in Pennington's face
''fOoeyF'
When Bryce had gone, the Colonel
hurr;ediy called his logging-camp on
the telephone and asked for Jules
Randeau, only to be informed by the
tin,ekeeper who answered the tele-
phone, that Rondeau was up in the
green timber with the choppers and
cossd not be gotten to the telephone
In less than two hours.
do not send for him, then" Pen
nington commanded. I'm coming up
on The e1even-fifteen train and will
talk TO him when he comes In for his
Iuf5ch.''
At eleven o'clock, and just as the
Colonel was leaving to board the
eleren-ffteen logging-train bound
empty for the woods, Shirley Sumner
made her appearance in his office.
Uncle Seth" she complained, "Fm
lonesome, The bookkeeper tells me
So1're going up to the logging camp.
May go with your"
~By H1l means. Usually I ride in
the cab with the engineer and fireman;
but IL you're coming, I'll have them
book 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
10 walt upon Jules Rondeau In the mat
Ger OF that murdered Giant, 1t was
Characteristic Of him to choose the
ehorteSt and most direct route to his
quarry, and as the long string of empty
logging trucks came crawling of the
IAguna Grande Lumber company's log
dump, he swung over the side, quite
ignorant Of the fact that Shirley and
Ter precious relative were riding in
die little caboose In the rear.
At twelve-ten the train slid in on
the log landing.
where's RondeauT Bryce asked. /
The engineer pointed to a huge,
swarthy man approaching across the
clearing in which the camp was sit
mated. That's him." he replied.
And without further ado, Bryce strobe
70 meet his man.
care you Jules RondeauF he de
uanded as he came up to the woods
Boss The latter nodded. I'm Bryce
Cardigan" his interrogation announced,
"snd I'm here to thrash you for chop
ping that big redwood tree over In
that little valley where my mother is
buried"
~Ohi" Rondeau smiled "Wiz
pleasure, M'sieur" And without a
moments hesitation he rushed. Bryce
hacked away from him warily, and
fhey circled.
"When get through with you, Ron
de;ru," Bryce said distinctly, ftll 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
fhe woods-boss quickly recovered, rip
ped a sizzling left into the latter's
T1driff. ltondeau grunted and dropped
his guard, with the result that Bryce's
great fists played a devils tattoo on
his cOuntenance before he could
crouch and cover.
''Ihis is tough one" thought Bryce.
Bis blows had not, apparently, had
slightest effect on the woods-boss.
CroBched low and with his arms
wrapped around his head, Rondeau
still came on unfalteringiy, and Bryce
was forced to give way before him; to
save his hands, he avoided the risk Of
battering Rondeau's hard head and
siBewy arms.
Already word that the woods-boss
was battling with stranger had1been
shouted into the camp dining room,
and the entire crew of that camp,
fhoir half-fnishad nnoaI !