N0RT1T PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. CHAPTt-R XVIII Continued. 20 "Oh, my love I" Jie cried happily. "I Tuuln't (lured dream of such happiness until todny. You wen so unnttnln iillc the obstacle! between us wore so tnnny nnd so grent " "Why today, Bryce?" she Interrupt ed blm. He took her ndornhlo little nose In his grent thumb nnd forefinger nnd tweaked It gently. "The light began to dawn yesterday, tny dear little m 'iny. following an Interesting hnlf bour which I put In with his honor the mayor. Acting upon suspicion only, T told Poundstonc I was prepnred to send him to the rock pile If he didn't behave himself In the nintter of my permanent franchise for the N. CO. anil the oily old Invertebrate wept nnd promised me anything If I wouldn't disgrace him. So I promised I wouldn't do anything until the franchise mat ter should be definitely settled after which I returned to my office, to find mvnltlng mc there no less a person 'than the right-of-way man for the "Northwestern Pacific, lie was a per fectly delightful young fellow, and he hnd a proposition to unfold. It seems the Northwestern Pacific has decided to build up from Wllllts, and all that powwow and publicity of Buck Ogll vy's about the N. O. 0. was In all probability the very thing that spurred them to action. They figured the C. M. & St. P. was back of the N. C. O. that It was to be the first link In a chain of coast roads to be connected ultimately with the terminus of the O. M. & St. P. on Gray's Harbor, Wash ington. And If the N. C. O. should be built It meant that a rival road would get the edge on them In the matter of every stick of Humboldt nnd Pel Norte redwood and they'd be left holding the sack." "Why did they think that, dear?" "That amazing rascal, Uuck Ogllvy, used to bo a C. M. & St. P. man; they thought they traced nn analogy, I dare say. Perhaps Ituck fibbed to them. At any rate this right-of-way man was mighty anxious to know whether or not the N. C. O. had purchased from the Cardigan Redwood Lumber com pany n site for a terminus on tide water (wo control all the deep-water frontage on the bny), and when I told him the deal had not yet been closed lie started to close one with me." "Did you close?" "My dear girl, will a duck swim? Of course I closed. I sold throne-quarters of nil wo had, for three-quarters f a million dollars, andjin hour ago 1 received a wire from nfy attorney In San Francisco Informing me thnt the money .had been deposited' In escrow thoro awaiting formal deed. That "I'm the Laguna Grande Lumoer Com pany." money putH tho Cardigan Itedwood Lumber company In the clear no re ceivership for us now. my dear one. 'And I'm going right nhead with the building of the N. C. 0. while our holdings down on tho San Hedrln double In value, for tho reason that within three years they will be accos ' Bible and can bo logged over tho rails of tho Northwestorn Pnclfic I" "Hrycc," Shirley declared, "haven't I always told you I'd never permit you to build tho N. C. O.v "Of course," ho replied, "but surely you're going to withdraw your objec tions now." "I am not. You must choose be tween tho N. 0. O. and mo." And sho met his surprised gaze unflinchingly "Shirley! .You don't mean It?" "I do mean It. I luivo always meant It. I lore' you, denr, but for all that you must not build that road," Ho stood up and towered above he uteraly. "I must build It, Shirley. I'vo contracted to do it, and I must keep faith with Gregory of tho Trinidad Timber company. lie's putting up tho money, and I'm to do the work and operate tho lino. I can't go back on Mm now." "Not for my sake?" she pleaded, lie LLEY of f.e GIANTS By PETER B. KYNE Author of "Cappy Ricks" shook his bead. "I must go on," he relfarntcd, "IV) you realize what that resolution means to us?" The girl's tones were grave, her glance grnver. "I realize what It means to me!" She came closer to hlin. Suddenly the blnze In her violet eyes gave way to one of mirth. "Oh, you dear big booby!" she cried. "I was Just test ing you." And she clung to him. laugh ing. "You always heat mc down you always win. Brycq dear, I'm the La gunn Grande Lumber company nt least I will be tomorrow, and I repeat J for the last time that you shall not bnlhPthe N. C. O. bociiuwe I'm going to oh, dear, I shall die laughing ni you because I'm going to merge with the Cardigan Itedwood Lumber com pany, and then my railroad shall be your railroad, and we'll extend It anil haul Gregory's logs to tidewater for him also. And silly, didn't I tell you you'd never build the N. C. O.?" "Ood bless my mildewed soul 1" ho murmured, nnd drew her to him. In the gathering dusk they walked down the trull. Heslde the madrono tree John Cardigan waited patiently. "Well," he queried when they Joined hlin. "did you find my handker chlef for me, son?" "I didn't find your handkerchief, John Cardigan," Bryce answered, "but I did find what I suspect you sent me hack for and thnt Is a perfectly won derful daughter-in-law for you!" John Cardigan smiled nnd held out his arms for her. "This," he said, "Is the happiest day that I havo known since my boy was born." CHAPTER XIX. Col. Setb Pennington wns thoroughly crushed. Look which way he would the bedeviled old rascal could find no loophole for escapo "You win, Cardigan," lie muttered desperately us he sat In his office nfter Shirley had left him. "You've had more than n shade In every round thus far, and at the finish you've landed a clean knockout. If I had to fight any mnn hut you " lie sighed resignedly nnd pressed the push-button on his desk. Sexton ntoretl. "Sexton," he said bluntly and Tvlth a slight (jjilver In his voice, my niece and I have had a disagree ment. We have quarreled over young Cardigan. She's going to marry hlin. Now, our affairs are somewhat In- olved, and In order to straighten them out we spun n coin to sec whether she should sell her stock In Lngunn Grande to me or whether I should sell mlno to her and I lost. The book nidation of the stock nt the close of last year's business, plus ten per, cent will determine the selling price, nnd I shall resign as president. You will, In nil probability, be retained to man age the company until It Is merged with the Cardigan Itedwood Lumber compnny when, I Imagine, you will be given ample notice to seek a new Job elsewhere. Call Miss Sumner's attor ney, Judge Moore, on the telephone nnd ask him to como to tho office nt nine o'clock tomorrow, when the pa pers can be drawn up and signed. That Is nil." The Colonel did not return to his home In Hedwood boulevard thnt night. He had no appetite for dinner and sat brooding In his ofllco until very late; then he went to the Hotel Sequoia and engngod a room. He did not possess sufficient courage to face his niece again. At four o'clock the next day tho Colonel, his baggage, bis automobile, his chauffeur nnd the solemn butler, James, boarded tho passenger steamer for Sun Francisco, nnd at four-thirty sailed out of Humboldt bay over the thundering bar and on Into the south. Tho Colonel wns still a rich mnn, hut his dream of a redwood empire had faded, and onco moro ho wns taking up the search for cheap timber, Whether lie ever found It or not Is a matter that does not concern us. At n . moment when young Henry Poundslono's dream of legal opuleuco wns fading, when Mayor Poundstono's hopes for domestic pence bad been sbnttered beyond repair, tho while his cheap political nsplrittloiiH hnd been equnlly devastated because of n cer tain damnnble document In the posses slon of Bryco Cardigan, many ovents of Importance were transpiring. On the veranda of his old-fashioned homo John Cardigan snt tapping tho floor with his stick. nnd drenmlng dreams which for the first tlmo In mnny years were roso-tlnted. Heslde him Shirley snt, her glnnco bent musingly out across tho roofs of Sequoia nnd on to tho bny shore, where tke smoke nnd exhaust steam floated up from two sawmills hor own nnd Hryco Card! gun's. To her came at regularly spaced Intervals tho faint whlnli; of tho saws and the rumble of log trains crawling out of the log dumps; high over the piles of bright, freshly sawn lumber she caught from time to tlmo the flush of white spray'as the grent logs tossed from tho trucks hurtled down tho skids and crashed Into tho bny. At the docks of both mills vessels were loading, their tnll spars' cutting tho sky line above nnd beyond tho smoke stacks; far down the bay a steam schooner, loaded until her main deck was almost flush with tbowater, was putting out to sea, and' Shirley heard the faint echo of her siren as she whistled her Intention to pass to star board of a wind jammer Inward bound In tow of a Cardigan tug. "It's wonderful," sle said presently, apropos of nothing. "Aye," lie replied In his deep, melo dious voice, "I've been sitting here, tny dear, listening to your thoughts. You know something, now, of the tie that binds my boy to Seqtioln. This" he 'waved his arm abroad In the dark ness "this Is the true essence of life to crcntC( t0 (1(veop t)l0 KftH tnnt Ood has given us to work nnd know the blessing of wenriness to have Ireams nnd ."ce them come true. Thnt Is life, md I luff, lived. And now I nm ready to rest." He smiled wist fully. " 'The king Is dead. Long live the king.' I wonder If your raised as you have been, can face life In Sequnln resolutely with my son. It Is n dull, drab sawmill town, where life unfolds gradually without thrill where the years stretch ahead of one with only trees, nmong simple folk. Tho life mny bo hard on you, Shirley; one has to acquire n tnste for It, you know." I have known the lilt of bnttle, John-partner," she answered; "hence think I can enjoy the sweets of vic tory. I nm content." And what a run you did give thnt boy Ilryce I" She laughed softly. "I wanted him to fight; I had n great curiosity to sec the stuff thnt was In him," she ex plained. Next day Bryce Cardigan, riding tho top log on the end truck of a long train Just In from Cardigan's woods In Township Nine, dropped from the end of the log ns the train crawled through the mill ynrd on Its wny to the log dump, lie balled Huck Ogllvy, where the latter stood In the door of the office. "Big doings up on Little Laurel creek this morning, Buck." "Do tell!" Mr. Ogllvy murmured morosely. "It wns great," Bryce continued. Old Duncan McTnvIsh returned. I knew he "would. Ills year on tho mourner's bench expired yesterday, and be enme back to claim his old Job of woods boss." "He's one year too late," Ogllvy de clared. "I wouldn't let that big Cana dian Jules Itondcnn quit for n farm. Some woods boss, that and his first' Job with this company was the dirtiest on could hnnd him smenrlng grease on the skid road nt n dollar nnd u hnlf n day nnd found. He's mndo too good to Ipse out now. I don't care whnt his private morals may be. He can get out the logs, hnng his rascally hide, and I'm for him " "I'm afraid you haven't anything to say about It, Buc'f," Bryce replied, dryly. "I haven't eh? Well, any- time you deny Ino tho privilege of hiring nnd , firing you're going to be out the serv ice of a rattling good general mana ger, my son. Yes, sir I If you hold nie responsible for results I must se lect the tools I want to work with." "Oh, very well," Bryce laughed. "Have It your own way. Only If you can drive Duncan McTavlsh out of Cardigan's woods I'd like to see you do It. Possession Is nlno points of the law, Buck nnd Old Duncan Is In possession." "What do you mean In possession?" "I menu thnt at ten o'clock this morning Duncan McTnvIsh appeared at our log landing. Tho whisky fat was ill gono from him nnd he ap peared forty years old Instead of the sixty that ho Is. With u whoop lie came Jumping over tho logs, straight for .Tides Rondeau. The big Canuck saw him coming nnd knew what Ids visit portended so lie wasn't taken unawares. It was n cuso of fight for his Job nnd Rondeau fought." "The devil you say I" "I do nnd there wns tho devil to pay. It wns u rough and tumble nnd no grips barred just tho kind of u fight Uondenu likes. Nevertheless Old Duncan floored him. While bo's been away somebody taught him the hnm mcr lock and tho crotch hold and n few more fancy ones, nnd he got to work on Rondcnu In a hurry. In fnct ho had to, for 1 tho tussle hnd gono over live minutes nonueiurs youth would havo doclded the Issue." "And Itoudcau wait whipped?" "To a whisper. Mac floored him, and choked htm until he bent the ground with his freo hnnd In token of surrender; whereupon old Duncan let him up, nnd Uondenu went to his shauty and packed his turkey. The Inst I saw of him ho wns headed over tho hill to Camp Two on Laguna Grande. He'll probably chnso that as slstimt woods boss I hired nfter tho consolidation out of Shirley's woods nnd help himself to the fellow's Job I don't euro If he doe. What Interests mc Is tho fnct thnt the old Cardigan woods boss Is back on tho job In Car dlgnn's woods, nnd I'm mighty glnd of It. The old horsethlef hns had his lesson and will remain sober here after. I think he's cured." "The infamous old outlaw 1" "Mac knows the San Hedrln as know my own pocket, ne'll bo a tower of strength when wo open up that tract after tho railroad builds la. By Cgpjrlght by Pter D. Ryne tho way, has my dad been down this morning?" "Yes. Molrn rend the mail to him and then took him up to tho Vnllcy of the Giants, lie said ho wanted to do n little quiet figuring on thnt new steam schooner you're thinking of building. He thinks she ought to bo bigger big enough to carry two mil lion feet." Bryce glnnced nt his watch. "It's hnlf after eleven," he said. "Guess I'll run up to the Giant nnd bring him home to luncheon." He stepped Into tho Napier standing outside the ofllce nnd drove nwny. Buck Ogllvy waited until Bryce was out of sight; then with sudden deter mination he entered the ofllce. "Molrn," he said abruptly, approach ing the desk where sho worked, "your dad Is back, nnd what's more. Bryce Cardigan hns let him hnve his old Job as woods boss. And I'm here to an nounce thnt you're not going back to the woods to keep house for him. Un derstand? Now, look hero. Molrn. I've shilly-shallied around you for months, protesting my love, nnd I haven't got ten nnywhere. Today I'm going to nsk you for the Inst time. Will you marry mo? I need you worse than thnt ras cal of n futher of yours does, nnd I tell you I'll not hnve you go back to the woods to take care of him. Come, now, Molra. Do give me a definite un swer." "I'm nfrald' I don't love you well enough to mnrry you, Sir. Ogllvy," Molrn pleaded. "I'm truly fond of you, butr-" "The Inst boat's, gone." cried Mr. Ogllvy desperately. "I'm answered. Well. I'll not stick around here much longer. Molrn. I realize I must be a nuisance, but I can't help being n nui sance when you're near me. So I'll quit my Job here nnd go back to my old game of railroading." "Oh, you wouldn't quit n ten-thou-snnd-dollnr Job," Molra erled aghast. "I'd quit a million-dollar job. I'm desnerate enough to go over to the mill nnd pick n fight with the big bnndsnw. I'm going nway where I can't see you. Your eyes ure driving me crnzy." "But I don't want you to go, Mr. Ogllvy." "Cnll me Buck," he qommnnded shnrply. "I don't wnnt you to go, Buck," she repeated nieckly. "I shall feel guilty, driving you out of a fine position." "Then marry me and I'll stay." "But suppose I don't love you the way you deserve " "Suppose! Suppose!" Buck Ogllvy cried. "You're no longer certnln of yourself. How dare you deny your love for me? Eh? Molra, I'll risk It," Her pyes turned to him timidly, nnd for the first time he snw In their smoky depths a lambent flame. "I don't know." she qunvered, "nnd It's a blg.responslhlllty In case " "Oh, the devil tnke tho case!" he cried rapturously, and took her bonds In his. "Do I Improve with nge, denr Molra?" ho asked with boyish eager ness; then, before sho could nnswer, he swept on, a tornndo of love nnd pleading. And presently Molra was In Ids arms, nnd he was kissing her, nnd sho wns crying softly because well, she admired Mr. Buck Ogllvy; more, she respected blm and wns genuinely fond of him. Sho wondered and she wondered, n quiet Joy thrilled her In the knowledge thnt It did not seem nt nil Impossible for her to grow, In time, absurdly fond of this wholesomo red rascal. "Oh, Buck, dear," sho whispered, "I don't know, I'm sure, but perhaps I've loved you a llttlo bit for a long time." "I'm perfectly wild over you. You're tho most wonderful woman I ever heard of. Old rosy-cheeks 1" And ho pinched them Just to see the color como and go. John Cnrdlgan was seated In his lumberjack's easy chnlr ns his son -ap pronched. His lint lay on the litter of brown twigs beside him; his chin wns sunk on his breast, and his bend was "held n llttlo to ono side In a lis toning nttltudo; a vagrant little breeze rustled gently a lock of his fine, long whlto hntr. Bryce stooped over the old man and shook him gently by the shoulder. "Wnko up, pnrtner," ho called cheer fully. But John Cnrdlgnn did not wnko, nnd again his son shook him. Still receiving no response, Bryce lift ed the leonlno old bend and gazed Into his father's fnce. "John Cnrdl gnn!" ho cried shnrply. "Wake up, old pal." Tho old eyes opened and John Car llgun smiled up at his boy. "Good son," ho whispered, "good son I" He closed his sightless eyes again ns If tho mero effort of holding them open wearied him. "I've been sitting hero wnltlng," he went on in the same gentle whisper. "No, not waiting for you, boy waiting " Ills head fell over on his son's shoul der; his hand went groping for Bryco's. "Listen," he continued. "Can' you hear It tho Silence? I'll wait for you here, my son. Mother and I will wait together now In this spot she fancied. I'm tired I want rest. Look after old Mac and Molra and Bill Dandy, who lost his log at Oamp Soven l&at fall and Tom Ellington's call drcn nnd nil the others, son. Tot know, Bryce. They're your rcsponsl bllltles. Sorry I can't wait to. see th San Hedrln opened up, but I've lived my life nnd loved my love. Ah, yes, I've been happy so happy Just doing things and drenmlng here among mj Glauts and " He sighed gently. "Good son," he whispered ngnln ; his big body relaxed, and tho great heart of tho Argonaut was still. Bryce held him until tin realization ciime to him thnt his father was no more thnt like a wutch, tn winding of which hns been neglected, he hnd gradually slowed up and stopped. "Goodby, old John pnrtner 1" lie murmured. "You've csfnped Into the light at Inst. We'll go homo together now, hut we'll come back again." And with his father's body In hli strong amis he departed from the little nniphlthenter, wnlklng lightly with his heavy burden down the old skliLrond to the waiting automobile. And two. days biter John Cnrdlgan returned to reft forever with his lout mate among the Giants, himself nt Inst nn infinites imal portion of that tremendous silence that Is the diapason of the nges. When tho funeral was over Shirley and Bryce lingered until they found themselves ulone beside the freshly turned earth. Through a rift In the great branches two hundred feet nllove n pntch of cerulean sky showed faint ly; the sunlight fell like u broad gold en shaft over the blossoni-laden grave and from the brown trunk of nn nil- acent tree u gray squirrel, u descend ant, perhnps, of tho gruy squirrel that "He Was a Giant Among Men." had been wont to rob Bryce's pocket of pine "nuts twenty years before, chirped nt them Inquiringly. "Ho wns n glnnt nmong men." said Bryce presently. "Whnt a fitting place for hlin to lie!" He passed his arm around his wife's shoulders nnd drew her to blm. "You made It possible, sweetheart." Sho gazed up nt him In ndornMon. And presently they left the Valley of the Giants to fnce the world to gether, strong In their faith to live their lives nnd love their loves, to drenm their dreams and perchance when life should be done with and the hour of rest nt hand, to surrender, sus- tnlned nnd comforted by the knowl edge that those dreams had come true THE END. DIAMOND IS MODERN JEWEL Beautiful Stone as We Know It Today Was Unfamiliar to the An cient World. The perfectly cut nnd brilliant dia mond the world knows todny Is not very much more than 50 years old. snys a writer In Popular Science. The an cient world knew little of din monds. From the first Pharaoh to the last, through all the pageantry of 31 dynasties, diamonds wero unknown In Egypt. From the dnwn of history, Babylon remained .unfamiliar wtfh them for 40 centuries. Tho conquest of Alexander across the Indus In 327 B. C. acquainted Greece vnguoly with their existence, The pntrlclnns of Rome In the days of the curly empire rarely owned them. Byzantine supremacy, the riso of Ven ice to maritime power, the Moorish conquest of Spain, brought only n trickle of diamonds Into western Eu rope. A fashionable Jewelry store In America today curries more diamonds In stock than were In nil Europo when Columbus stilled from Pnlos. It Certainly Is That! Have you ever been stuck In the mud at the foot of a steep Incline In u bnlky motor car? So have wo. And If you are a woman and the motor was driven by a normal man, you heard words that you had a vague Idea existed but were not exactly sure were In current use. And If he asked for a pair of pliers, you knew If you made a mistake and handed hlin a monkey wrench ho might choke you or some thing. And when, after ho has had to put on the chains, you finally pull out of that mud hole, O-ool "Ain't it a grand and glorious feeling?" Colum bus Dispatch. People who are suffering will not listen to your cool philosophy, Tbj ojMwt things, . . . , WEALTH IN WEST. Canadian Farmers Confident of Record Grain Crop. Boston Banker, Returning From Trip Through the Country, Tells of Rich Yields of Great Northwestern Wheat Fields. A Boston banker, desiring to re cupernte from a season of strenuous work, did what most bankers do. or ihould do, took n holiday, nway from the confines of the city life. Canada wns In his mind. Ho would make tho trip, learn something of the country, breathe of Its ozono and return ex hilarated both In mind and body. On his return a few days ngo, he told the reporter of the Wall Street Journal of tho richness of tho vast fields of gold en grnln thnt he snw on his trip through the Cnnndlan West. Doubt less he broke his Journey Into the Canadian Rockies long enough to mnka an Inspection of them. Who could help It. ns from the cur window were to be seen miles nnd miles of golden Btooks, ranged row np'on row nwny back to the lines of the horizon? lie must hnve done so, for when he got back to the Hub, he was filled with enthusiasm over his trip nnd whnt ho snw In Cnnndn, and he hud to get It off his mind. It wns rcvenled In this wny: "Cnnnda Is getting strong, recover ing by lenps and bounds from the de-. presslon cniised by war. While unrest and Inck of co-operation seem to bo holding things buck on this side of the border the Dominion to the north faces nn era of unprecedented nctlvlty and prosperity. One of tho basic reasons for fills brilliant comeback In tho rich yield of the grent northwest ern wheat fields." That the crops In Cannda, both east nnd west, are meeting the expectation! of the farmers Is n satisfying fnct, whleh gives a positive assurance of a yield that will mean millions of dol lurs to the wealth of the country. There will probably be ns much ns two hundred million bushels of wheat to export, giving nn ndded wealth to the country of nearly hnlf a billion dol lars. In all ports the crop yield promises to be nbundnnt, nnd with favorable weather from now on there muy be expected a harvest that will equal If not surpass that of 1015. It will doubtless be pleasing to the many readers of this paper to know that the friends they have developing their forms In this region of big crops nnd good prices will participate In this wealth, and whnt will he more plens- Ing, Is the knowledge of the fact thnt the wealth In which they will partici pate comes from big prices for a product produced from Innd purchased at a cheap price. Western Canada has never known a failure In crops. There nre districts where partial failures have been, but consideration should he given to tho fact thnt the country, that portion of it In which the present grnln growing lies. Is from seven to eight hundred miles In length by'hnlf that distance In breadth. Because one speaks of the wonder ful success of grnln growing there, there should not- be lost sight of the fnct that this Is only one Item In the wealth-producing possibilities. There Is cattle raising, with nil the advan tages In every wny thnt It possesses anywhere; the dalrylng.lndustry Is as sumlng rcmnrkable proportions, nnd a grent deal of attention Is given to the development of this Industry, which Is so. adaptable to the country, by both federal and provlnclnl governments. Advertisement Hubby Inquires. "Fashions from Pnrls say tho ladles will wear no stocklng3." "Whnt will that cost?" Judge. A Feeling of Security You naturally feel eecuro when yon know that the medicine you are about to take is absolutely pure and contains no harmful or habit producing drugs. Such a medicine is Dr. Kilmer's Swamp Root, kidney, liver and bladder remedy. The same standard of purity, strength and excellence is maintained in every bottle of Swamp-Root. It is scientifically compounded from vegetable herbs. It is not a stimulant and is taken in teaspoonful doses. It is not recommended for everything. It is nature's great helper in relieving nd overcoming kidney, liver and blad der troubles. A sworn statement of purity is with every bottle of Dr. Kilmer's Swamp Root. If you need a medicine, you should have the beat. On sale at all drug stores in bottles of two sizes, medium and large. Ilowever, if you wish first to try this great preparation send ten cents to Dr. Kilmer & Co., Binshamton, N. Y., for a sample bottle. When writing be sure and mention this paper. Adv. Easy. Chemistry Professor Namo three articles containing starch. Student Two cuffs and n collar. Relief INDIGESTKW 6 Bell-ans Hot water Sure Relief LL-AIMS FOR INDIGESTION