The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1933-07-07

out. When l heard of the jam you're
in here"-lifting one hand and giving
it a little twist as though the explana-
ton were self-evident-"I thought it
might be good place to see what Pm
good for what I'm wound on"
A moment of silence followed. He
could see the pulses leaping in her
throat, and his own heart speeded a
trihe. A girl in a corner should well
come such chance, and he waited,
anticipating that welcome, but 1t did
not come. Instead of fguratively fall
ing on his neck and hailing him as the
savior of the day, she folded her small
hands and looked at him with gaze
as searching as it was level
Perhaps you're asking for more than
you understand In the way of
trouble, mean. need help and right
away, but l wouldn't want any man to
come to work for me without knowing
just how desperate the situation it.
That, you see, wouldn't be fair to
to the sort of man need.
People who have known this COM
pany for years figure that we are
through. Even the men Oh the job
have the notion that we're marked
paid. Perhaps they are right; I'm
trying to prove them wrong.
81 +. 1t ruight be simpler If |
knew just how much you have heardT'
He told her tersely the gossip he
had listened to in the past hour, and
she nodded slowly.
"Those things are all true. There's
a fundamental problem of finance,
however, which is behind it all. The
| Bank of Kampfest, now owned by
Belknap & Gorbel, holds enough of our
| paper to make our statement look very
bad We can hope for nothing but
embarrassing demands there. The only
| way we can meet those obligations
land keep from being sold out to sat-
/, isfy them is to keep the mill saving. l
| can borrow on lumber in the yard
| from Milwaukee banks, largely be-
| cause we have some very favorable
| contracts. However, the contracts will
be voided unless we are prepared
to meet their terms of regular and
| prompt deliveries.
"The way out now goes back to
keeping the mill logged and running.
Things haven't been any too smooth at
| the woods end; you know what we are
up against in the matter of transpor-
i tation, evidently. We can't spend a
dollar for more equipment. We must
keep afloat with what we have :.
or go down."
She paused and John had a queer
/ feeling: annoyance at her apparent
competence.
"Snow came early and we're going
to have trouble with it. We have four
teen miles Of railroad through chop
pings where drifting will be certain.
was worried tonight and went looking
for Tiny and Way-Bill- my engineer
| and conductor-te have them take the
pillow out If 1t didn't let up. That's
how l happened to see your reception.
The snow has stopped; we're safe for
tonight. How long Wen be safe, no
one can tell. Without fighting snow
we've been unable to build up re-
serve of logs in the millyard. A three
day shut down would ruin US"
She paused again and her eyes shift
ed moment from his intent scrutiny.
She talked like man, business man,
but that change in her face indicated
to John that she was playing up to
part, downing her weaknesses and linn
itations with an effort which gave her
superficial veneer of coldness, hard
ness.
mo, things haven't been going so
we'll in the woods. l kept Royce, my
fathers old superintendent, on because
l could trust him absolutely and
L.. need men l can trust"-the
shell she had built about herself giving
way ever so little for the moment.
I'VE were just getting along when Mr..
Belknap himself came up to Kamp-
fest"
Johns mouth frightened and his
brows gathered closer.