The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-02-15
CHAPTER II-Continued

out about you . . what kind or
nut-cracker you are"
The young gray eyes were studying
the old blue ones closely, now.
IL found out" Able continued. "He
says you're no good" In the pause
the justice chuckled softly. "He says
you're absolutely no good to yourself
or anybody else He tells me that you
know more about logging and sawmills
than any man your age has right
to know and he's seen a lot of men.
He says you can make the worst crew
that ever infested shanty eat out of
your hand. He says you don't know
what it is to be tired or afraid.
And then he says again that you're no
use on earth, so far as he can tell"
Elliott was grinning a bit foolishly
now and rubbed his chin.
Able went on:
'He told me that before the war
your war, not ours-they'd figured you
as one of the prize young men in
their organization but that since you've
come home there's nothing you'll do.
You can do anything, he says, but you
won't. l asked him why and he said
he guessed it was because everything
they had to offer you was too simple,
which l translated to mean that they
haven't a good, tough hickory nut to
offer you"
The others rather embarrassed smile
faded.
WAS he mad? he asked.
WAS he really sore at me?"
mad like anybody else would be,
take it, if they saw a young man
they thought lot of wasting his
time"
I'm sorry! l think lot of Mr..
Bridger. He certainly has been white
with me. I've tried, Judge. Honest,
I've tried to give 'em all had but
But he's right. The war upset me, like
a lot of others. 1 haven't got my feet
on the ground yet. After the big show
everything else seems too id easy !"
Likely. You haven't tried my Job
yet" Able said gravely.
Being justice In Tincup?"
mo. Not that My real job-my
for an estate. The McManus estate,
which is nothing more than as pretty
a piece of hardwood as ever stood out
doors. The Hoot Owl stuff, we call 1t.
Trying to operate it to profit and
hang on as administrator so some
other man won't step in and give that
stuff away is my particular hard nut
And it's chore, Elliott" ~
He eyed the younger man brief
interval and caught his breath quickly.
Il like the way you looked at Nick
Brandon in court this afternoon. No
young man has looked at him that way
since / can remember. That's why
telephoned Bridger: because l liked
the way you looked at Brandon and
because I'm about worn out trying to
crack hard nut That's why I'm
here.
Maybe, from what Bridger told me,
and from what I've seen of you, you
might maybe, perhaps, like to take a
crack at this nut. -
After moment he repeated:
"You might, possibly. The fact Is,
I'm through. Elliott. I've given the
job all had. I'm at my wits end and
the estates at its ropes end. We're
licked, as we stand now, and the truth
is that maybe, perhaps, possibly
might do a right fair job of begging
you to come and help me!'
Elliott did NOT speak but watched
Able as he fumbled in his pocket for
sketch map. Able paused for a mo-
ment, and then continued:
"Come over by the window. Now
here's the ay-out,"-spreading the map
on the sill. Here's the railroad, main
line. This is Hoot Owl siding with oul
mill Twenty men, there, some living
in shanties and the boarding house TAX
ing care of the rest. It's long, mar
row strip, you see; seventy-six forties
uncut Four miles of slash to north
of the mill. Our railroad goes uI
through the chopping, so. We've ar
old coffee-pot Of twenty-ron rod engine
and freight cars, all more or less ready
for junk. Here's the camp now anG
we're cutting on the second forty north
Got thirty-odd hands there that pass fol
men, r.s ~
Harrington was handling 1t for me
Man named Buffers millwright and q
fellow named Ruppert's boss at camp
Harrington's gone-driven out-ant
we're in the soup!"
He paused and looked at Elliott
whose keen eyes were studying the
detail of the map.
"It's a haywire outfit The locomo
tive broke down yesterday and unles:
the boys get her working, the mill will
be out of logs in week. The mil
itself is grand old ruin but saws
after fashion. The lumber in the
yards is mortgaged up to the last cul
piece. there's not enough In the bank t.
meet interest and payroll and there:
no, boss on the job"
Elliott looked at the old man.
"You said it was as pretty a piece
of hardwood as ever stood outdoors
If so, why's 1t In this jam?" p ~
Able sArmitage lifted a hand In ges
ture and whispered sharply one word
"Brandon!''
Ben put down the map. replaced tn,
pipe stem between his teeth and shoyet
his hands deep into pockets.
Brandon, eh?" he nodded. Check
out on the stories I'd heard. =. S,
Erandons put you on the toboggan
Thy?" ~
Able shrugged. Probably becaus
It's kept itself out of his hands 70
soiiong. And. besides. there are othe
reasons s~~z --s-s1f-, Ftrrg7l nes