“The independents are goin’ to develop that power. They’re goin’ to build the biggest paper-mill in the world there. They’re goin’ to extend the railroad up to Castonia. They’re goin’ to do it all on an old charter that every one had forgotten except the lobby clique that put it through and has been holdin’ it for speculation. And why I know it all and no one else knows it on the outside yet, my boy, is because they’ve had to come to me! They’ve had to come to me!”
And he promptly answered the eager though mute inquiry in the young man’s eyes.
“Every dollar that I could save, rake, and borrow for years I’ve been putting into shore rights and timber. What timber country I couldn’t buy I’ve leased stumpage on. I’ve smelt it all comin’. And now they’ve had to come to me, Wade. They’ve bonded the shore rights for a purchase, and it’s all settled.”
“With all my heart I’m glad for you, Mr. Ide!” cried the young man, with a sincerity that put a quiver into his voice. And both hands seized the hands of the magnate of Castonia in a grip that brought gratified tears to the other’s eyes.
“I know it has always been a surprise to you, Wade, that I was so ready and anxious to give you a lay on the timber end,” the little man went on. “But I knew it was time to operate on these cuttin’s this season. There are things you can’t hire done with plain money. I wanted courage, grit, and honesty. Most of all, I needed absolute loyalty. There’s been too much buyin’ up of men in these woods. The old gang is a hard one to fight. I reckon I’ve got you with me.”
“Heart, soul, and body, now as from the first, Mr. Ide.”
“And the lay I’ve given you is the best investment I could have made,” declared the partner. “I want you to feel that it is straight business. It was no gift. You’re earnin’ it. But the big bunch is ahead of you, boy!” His tone was serious.
“Your make will come out of the timber lay. I’ve said I smelt this comin’. If it hadn’t come this year we should have sent our logs ’way down-river along with the rest, and done the best we could to steal a profit after Pulaski Britt and his gang had charged us all the tolls and fees they could think of, and made us accept their selling-scale. But now! But now!” His voice became tense, and he leaned forward and patted the young man’s arm. “The Great Independent—and that’s the name of the new organization, and it’s a name that’s goin’ to roar like the Hullin’ Machine in the ears of the trust—wants every log we can hand over to ’em this season. What they don’t use in construction work and in their new saw-mill they’ll pile to grind into pulp next year.
“I’ve got their contract, Wade. Every log to be scaled for ’em on our landings! And I reckon that will be the first time a square selling-scale was ever made on this river. No Pirate Britt and his gang of boom-scale thieves for us this time! Every honest dollar we make will come to us. And there’ll be a lot of ’em, son.”