Part 22 (2/2)
”Stop there,” said Ji the ax in the bush and feel very fit To put you out of your office would giveafter you through the court”
”Shucks!” exclai me?”
”I reckon you know You put Davies on our track; he broke the line, and sent a log down on our canoes He's smart and both plots worked before we found him out But we did find hi how much was supposition and how o to laith a tale like that”
”We don't propose to bother, because I think we're even You helped us sell our clai to pay We raised theranted you wouldn't reach just value”
”You told them what I offered?” Bau ”I expect they got a useful hint In fact, if you want to control Northern copper, you had better get busy
It looks as if the Combine were on your track” He paused and beckoned Jake ”Well, perhaps there's enough said We mustn't keep you”
They went off and left Bau very still with his fist clenched
A few days afterwards, Ji on the veranda at the store Mrs Winter had refused to sell the business, but Jake had engaged extra help and they had arranged for a long holiday The store, standing back froh board sidewalk, was son wheels A Chinese laundry and a pool-room occupied the other side Sawhboring vacant lot Mean frame houses ran on from the store, some surrounded by a narrow yard, and soauze so that they looked like ely unattractive, but one could see the sparkling Inlet and the dark forest that rolled back to the shi+ning snow
Ji-chair, was quietly satisfied After taking Mrs Winter and Carrie to lunch at a s bored It was nice to know he had nothing to do and had money to spend In fact, he had relished a novel enjoyht presents for his hosts without thinking what they cost Now he languidly looked back on the years that had gone so quickly since his parents died They were strenuous years, marked by hardshi+p, toil, and adventure, for Jim had not known monotonous quietness Even when he studied at McGill, he had worked between the ter no field for such talent as he had, he had sold his labor where he could He had seenand had a curious feeling that there were fresh experiences in store By and by he banished the memories and looked at Jake
”I smile when I think about the tiot after hi Davies on our track,”
he said
Jake laughed ”After all, I guess you took a useful line Made hiot to show us he wasn't a crook”
”Why did he want to show us? What we thought wouldn't matter a hill of beans”
”The fellohite,” Jake replied
”Martin is white,” Ji pretty near the rocks when he gave us a lift”
Jake nodded When their ested an arrangement that had worked for the benefit of all Jake hoped his coue assent, but doubted
”Why did he help?” Ji about”
”If you ht Carrie would like it”
”Ah,” said Ji like this! Well, e Martin ive us a lift for your sister's sake You ought to have refused”
”I didn't know The thing's got obvious since”
”But you kno?”