The Boss of Wind River

rom Garwood, called at the office of Clancy Brot

he regarded his visitor f

e. "How does it come that Kent gets them limits

gher," said Mr. Ackerman

e got, an' ye can say that we'll remember it. If them limits had gone to one of our own people we'd have said nawthin', for we could have fixed it wid him or he'd a had to fix it wid us. But th' way it is we're sore, an' we make no bones about sayin' so. Where's

sfaction which Mr. Ackerman, who held confidential relations with certain members

. "There was a reason why Kent got the limit

's Kent been makin' up to ould Garwood's girl. Garwood works his pull, an' th' limits goes to Kent. I have it from the inside that Garwood got them for

mean?" Acke

rake-off, for ye asked for none. So ye do it to hit Kent. Then he tenders for timber limits, an' Garwood, bekase the young man is keepin' company wid his daugh

natural mistake. "If you think Garwoo

e," sai

an. "If Garwood had cared to use his influence for him the Peninsular would

them limits," said

d his reasons other than the one you mentioned. Kent has sun

ed onto him to tie up his cash reso

tly, "but his business is involved already, and if

th an appreciative grin. "I wish ye luck, but what d

r you," Ackerman promised. "Now, I understand you

Clancy replied. "That's why we t

tting it th

ar

rsel

bbed i

erman in disappointment. "I su

ough Shan McCane a good man? If there's

ou give him the

he logs. He can drive

or wasn't allow

it is-i

ually, "that if whiskey got into K

makes four," he said oracularly. "What a

as in favour of indirect speech would pe

started bechune two camps, means hell an' docthers' bills to

king his voice to little more than a

commented. "I'll speak to

y Mr. Ackerman. "Is Kent still deliveri

for breach of contract yet. I had him write a letter makin' a b

and left Clancy's office wearing the peculiarly bland, guileless smile which was his whenever he had succeeded in arranging a particularly un

g and back again, and smiled. His expression somehow reminded M

said he. "What are

rstand you," said Mr.

ke went on. "Is it a fact that the O. & N.-otherw

ected that Mr. Ackerman was almost

Peninsular? You

fact, then?

trol-oh, no! that would be most unlikely

ility, however?"

smiled Mr. Ackerman, getting his second

en did you and Garwood go

Figuratively speaking, he even gathered ste

of speech. "My dear sir, I am not in the lumber busine

leasant, open disbelie

" said Mr. Ackerman wit

"By the way, I'm going to subpoena both o

believe," said Mr. Ackerman wi

th," Locke retorte

r Ackerman's business associates, including Garwood, and discarded them one by one. Then came the rumour of Garwood's acquisition of the Peninsular, an acquisition almost coincident

have accomplished a certain purpose. What is the purpose? So far it seems to be the buying out of existing lumber concerns. Ackerman approached Kent. For whom? Probably for this Central Lumber Company. Therefore Ackerman is one of those behind it. Ackerman's influenc

Kent, which were typically those of Hugh Garwood. Then, too, Mr. Ackerman's evident discom

them to no one. His surprise, therefore, was great when Joe Kent

," Joe asked, "that he

d, "but tell me how it

rred to me," repli

impatiently. "Don't hold out on your

events. It was a slight thing, but another corroboratory circumstanc

e last man you suspect is the first man you ought to. It's just like him to cut a man's throat and then pick his pocket. Why, damn him"-Bill

ned. Croo

s is up to you, Locke. Start your g

tion to the Transportation Commission comes up for hearing. Outside of that our best chance lies in investigating this Central Lumber Com

e that Jack Crooks, knowing of his recent flying trip, drew her

se you s

saw her,"

been very gla

idn't exactly fall on my neck. I don't think

worn a sunny smile ever since you returned? Y

" Joe's smile be

d the good-natured fatuity of the recently engaged man who rather likes t

ngagement to her you're making a mistake," she said

re you can?

at must have seemed an impertinent curiosi

rd act, isn't it? And then I say: 'Ah, Beatrice, why that cold a

o the ploughed ground. You and Edith were very much taken with each other, and when you come back, weari

give up," said Joe f

mood one night and she told me something. Afterward she regret

thrown down hard. What you spoke of is very much off." He out

stand. Weren't you fond of her? And if you weren't, w

ith and I made one together. I think we both saw it as soon as it was made, but it took all this time to strai

lirt myself. I think she was flirting straight through, and I don't know

d Joe. "Now I can

g boss; MacNutt, Deever, and Tobin were good, practical foremen. But the concern lacked a strong, competent executive head who knew the logging business intimate

heir troops with enthusiasm to the point of performing practical impossibilities through pride in them and in themselves and that magic, mystic thing called esprit du corps, so there have been employers who, in time of need, command the unswerving, uncomplaining loyalty of the shantyman. For such m

square deal. He may be driven like a mule, cursed in language for which he would kill any one else, fed poorly and housed

ede from a position once taken. He may listen to advice, but he must decide for himself and by himself. He must never argue, he must never give reasons. He must hold himself aloof and above his men, and yet not overdo i

d a generation arose which literally knew not Joseph-to whom the name of Kent meant nothing. The old hands would have fought at one word uttered against the "Old Man's" son, whom most of them had never seen,

. The foremen's capability ensured fair effort. But the something nece

s of the deciduous trees and moaned in the feathery tops of the pines. The ground was frozen to an i

luck logs could be got to the various skidways located at convenient places beside the roads, and piled there, but they could not be transported farther. The big sleigh

e tank affairs on runners, drawn by from four to six horses. At the top of the tank was a stout, wooden triangle with a block. A wire rope ran through the block. At one end of the rope was a barrel; at the other end was a horse. The horse walked away; the barrel, filled at a water-hole cut in t

themselves. There was no indication of undue sociability. Still MacNutt, on the principle that storms always brew in fine weather, kept a very open pair of eyes and ears. Some

len tree. MacNutt observed the listless rise and fall of the man's axe in high displeasure. It fell almost of its own weight; there was no power

tt, "I'll have no sojerin'

, exhibiting a pair of r

jerin'?"

grub, an' then loaf on the job, would ye, ye slab-mouthed, slouchin' son of sin?" For t

Flett denie

MacNutt. "Where

azes!" sa

knee, and threw him back down across the l

nd Flett, staring up helpless and half stunned

ottle apiece from a m

me to-night and hike in the morning!" he ordered. "You're fired!

n was doing a man's w

t without preliminary. "I'll ha

his fellow-transgressor, spat on the dry sno

my time?

d. "I can do with ye or without ye. Suit

then hurts no m

a camp, and you know

not unreasonable, "but the boys over to McCane

nothing else to do, over the few miles which separated the two camps. But he could and di

k-house at night, usually noisy, was now uproarious; some of the men obeyed with less alacrity and grumbled with a great

own and lit his pipe. For an hour he waited, smoking thoughtfully, watching the fluffy, impudent whiskey-jacks. At the end of that time three men appeared down the trail fr

men headin' f

ness," replied the

at sack?" Mac

n, and the others laughed.

u," he ordered; "and don't let me ca

the jug, slipping the bag from his shoulder

troke. There was a crash of crockery and a sudden strong odour of alcohol; fo

ncerity in the blow that the men paused. MacNutt gave them no time. He charged them instantly, axe aloft, and, prudence getting the better of anger, they ran for their lives. MacNutt followed f

seeing the work, Rough Shan McCan

our chasing three of my men

t indifferently, and the men near a

n have a right in the woods, an' not you nor ann

hed a jug of booze they were bringing to my camp,

estimation. Regan, who had expected to share the contents of the ju

y-boy? I'd 'a' give a we

hat? Can't ye let the boys have a drink if they want it? An' if

MacNutt. "There's been booze comin' over from your camp, an'

you to pieces," threatened Rough Shan.

n's axe and tossed it on the snow bef

pick up that axe an

f rather than to look for serious trouble, and a fight wi

sts an' feet in a m

sed. "Take an axe.

, to the huge deli

my men alone, an' I'll leave you alone. But if

" said MacNutt. "Now

r could suggest, sent MacNutt's stock booming. The lumber jack loves a fighter, and a man who could run three of McCane's crew out of the woods and bluff R

es wid me, after this. I'll save me thirst till the drive is down, an' then-" A

or they would drink it. Visitors from McCane's camp came empty-handed,

get it somewhere," he said to himself. "For a week not a man has gone to McCane's

was struck by the popularity of the tote road as a promenade. There was no reason why the men should not walk on

a systematic search, and finally found beneath the butt of a windfall a small keg containing rye whiskey of

of cayenne pepper, a tin of mustard, two boxes of "Little Giant" pills, a cake of soap, and a huge plug of black chewing tobacco. All these he i

ighty swallows before the taste reached his toughened palate. Now two swallows may not make a summer, but they may make a very sick lumbe

I t'ink you eat too moche grub dat you ain't chaw. S'pose

l kick your backbone up through your hat; I'll--" Here ci

eg cochon-de pork, de bean, de bread an' molass'-tous les choses. All

to his own mouth, rolling a beatific eye as the liqui

Ah, holy Sainte Agathe, I am poison' lak one wolf! Ah, bon Saint Jean Baptiste, ven

raged epigastrium, watched Chartrand's gyrations with huge satis

wid pork an' beans, hey? Take some yerself, me laddybuck. That's right-tie y

languages, and regarding the fragments of the broken bot

he announced. But Hicks, whose wisdom

lves," he counselled. "If we give ou

and immediate, were also far-reaching and enduring. The foreman noted the victims of his strategy, issued them chlorodyne from the van, an