Iron County news. [volume] (Hurley, Wis.) 1913-1950, 1924-08-30
A Novel of the Foothills
BY ROBERT STEAD
Aufho- Of The Cor PpHebsr The Hozss-
steadeYs 49, Neighbour " etc.
covrisht b. ROBERT STEAD
CHAPTER xll-cOntlnusd.

aeu%iu iHt I1LEll5 VI tilF DIS AtANHs anu
upon arrival n the West, Under lost
no tipe In preparing blueprints and
charts descriptive Of the improve
ments to be made on the land and the
order ID wh,eh the work was to be
carried on Grant bought a tract suit
able to his purpose and the wheels
Of the machine were set in motion.
Whep iris had been done Grant
turned 70 the working out Of his own
individual experiment.
During the period in which these ar
TangenRuts were being made it was
inevitable that Grant should have
heard more or less Of Transley. He
had rot gone out Of his way to seek
information Of the contractor, but 1t
rather bad been forced upon him
Tranaey's name was frequently heard
IN the Offices Of the business men with
whom he had to do; It was mentioned
In local papers with the regularity pc
Cullar to celebrities IN comparatively
small centers. Translcy, II appeared,
had become something Of a power in
the land Backed by old Y.D.'s capt.
tai, ne had carried some rather daring
ventures through to success. He had
seized the panicky moments following
the outbreak Of the war 10 buy heavily
on the wheat and cattle markets, ana
Increases In prices due 70 the worlds
demand for food had made him one
Of the wealthy men OF the city. The
desire ~ many young farmers 20 enlist
had also afforded an opportunity TO
acquire their holdings for small con
siderations. and TransIey had proved
his patriotism by facilitating the am
Billions Of as many men In this posi-
ton as came to his attention. The
fact that even before the war ended
Che farms which he acquired In this
way were worth several times the
price he paid was only an incident In
the transactions.
But no word OF Transley's domestic
affairs reached Grant. who told him
self that he had ceased to be inter.
ested in them, but kept an alert ear
nevertheless. IT would seem that
Trausloy rather ecIipsed his wife in
che public eye
SO Grant set about with the deyel-
opmeut u his own farm. and kept HIS
mind occupied with II and with his
'srger cXperlment-except when It
went flirting with thoughts OF Phyllis
Bruce He had written 20 Murdoch
- engage Phyllis mt any price and
bring her West with him. She would
be needed IN the new business lie
had lntlmated that the change would
be permanent and that II might be
sell 10 bring the family.
lie selected a farm where a ridSS
Of foothills overlooked broad valley
recedIne into the mountains. The
dealer had no idea Of selling him this
particular piece Of land they were
bound for half section farther up the
slope when Grant stopped ON the brow
OF the hill TO feast Ills eyes on the
scene that lay before him. II burst
upon him with the unexpectedness pc
cunar to the foothlll valleys; miles OF
gently undulating plain, lying appar-
entity far below. but in reality rising
in sharp ascent toward the snow
capped mountains looking down silent
Nv through their gauze Of bluepurple
afternoon mist AT distances which
even his trained eye would not at
tempt TO compute lay little round
lakes Ike silver coins on the surface
or the prairie: here aud there were
dark green bluffs Of spruce to the
right ribbon OF river, blue green
save where the rapids churned It
white, and along its edge a fringe OF
ieafy cottonwoods; at vast intervals
square black plots OF plowed land like
sections on a chesshoard Of the gods.
and farm buildings cut SO clear In the
mountain atmosphere that the sense
OF space was lost and they seemed
like chJd-houses just across the way.
Grant turned 10 his companion with
an animation on his face which almost
startled the prosalc dealer In real
estate
Wonderful Wonderful Z" he eX-
claimed. I'VE don't need to 80 any
farther II you can sell me this"
"Sure I can sell You this, said the
dealer. looking at him somewhat
Queerly. "That is. IL you want It. I
thought you were looking fer a wheat
csrn"
The mans totpl lack Of apprecia-
uon i7rItated Grant professionally,
"Wheat Ills the belly" he retorted.
~but sunsets keep alive the soul What
Is the priceg
Again the dealer gave him a queer
sldeIong look. and made as though to
argue with him, then suddenly seemed
70 change his purpose. Perhaps he
reflected that strange things happened
60 the boys overseas.
~Ill get You the price in town. he
said You are sure It VIII Sult7"
"Suit? No king in Chrstendom has
his palace on a site Ike this. I'd 50
round the world for t.
You're the doctor, said the dealer,
turning his car.
Grant completed the purchase or
Gered lumber for a house and barn.
and engaged carpenter TO superin-