I
suppose I feel a certain natural chagrin at having been beaten, and
in consequence cherish an equally natural desire to pay the old
schemer back in his own coin. Under the rules as we play the game,
such action on my part is perfectly permissible, is it not?"
"Yes," she agreed frankly, "I think it is, Uncle Seth. Certainly, if
he blocked you and rendered your timber valueless, there is no reason
why, if you have the opportunity, you should not block him--and
render his timber valueless."
The Colonel banged the table with his fist so heartily that the
silver fairly leaped. "Spoken like a man!" he declared. "I HAVE the
opportunity and am proceeding to impress the Cardigans with the truth
of the old saying that every dog must have his day. When Cardigan's
contract with our road for the hauling of his logs expires by
limitation next year, I am not going to renew it--at least not until
I have forced him to make me the concessions I desire, and certainly
not at the present ruinous freight-rate."
"Then," said Shirley eagerly, "if you got a right of way through his
Valley of the Giants, you would renew the contract he has with you
for the hauling of his logs, would you not?"
"I would have, before young Cardigan raised such Hades that day in
the logging-camp, before old Cardigan sold his Valley of the Giants
to another burglar--and before I had gathered indubitable evidence
that neither of the Cardigans knows enough about managing a sawmill
and selling lumber to guarantee a reasonable profit on the capital
they have invested and still pay the interest on their bonded and
floating indebtedness.
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