Part 4 (1/2)
”Well, anyhow, her father is mixed up in this lumber camp business He owns a lot of property next toto me”
”He does?” cried Mollie ”That's just like the Jallows! Always taking what doesn't belong to theirls She borrowed o and never returned it”
Mr Ford sirl Alice,” he said, ”but that Jallow is certainly a sharper, to be moderate He and I will have a clash if he doesn't look out!” and Mr Ford's hands clenched
”What about, Daddy?” asked Grace
”Why, as I said, he claiht this luest stockholder, I was given to understand that a certain tract, containing valuable timber, ith my purchase I had it surveyed, and I supposed I had title to this big strip, that joins on some land Jallons
”We didn't cut any trees on this strip for some years, and here this Fall, e started in on it, Jallow stopped us by an injunction froht?” asked Betty
”Why, he claimed that valuable strip was his I contested, of course, but it seems that there was a mix-up in the landmarks Those by which I went, when I had my survey made, had disappeared, and others which were accepted by the court seemed to indicate that the land was Jallow's But I know better I was there at the survey, and saw the marks The trouble is that I couldn't prove it My word alone was not enough, and the surveyor, I am sorry to say, is dead”
”Then you can never prove it is your land, Daddy?”
”Well, if I could find an old lumberman--Paddy Malone he called hiht prove my case, for he ith me at the time, he and a couple of his friends, and he sahere the stakes and stone piles were But Paddy seems to have disappeared”
”That's too bad!” exclaimed Mollie, sy later I aed--if not by Jallow, by some one interested with him The strip they claim, and which I say is mine, is the most valuable in the woods I wish I could establish title to it, but unless I can find Paddy, or some of his friends, I'm afraid I'll have to lose
”That is the cooing to spend the winter in camp--or at least part of the winter”
”Will there be any danger?” asked Grace, rather tial proceedings Nothing will be done, anyhow, until Spring Then I'll see what can be accoal representative in the camp, in case Jallow tries any more sharp tricks He has won the first skirmish, however, so I don't believe he'll make another h
”Now, if you girls think you'd like to go winter ca, why, say the word, find out if your folks will let you,” and Mr Ford looked at Mollie and Betty, ”and I'll arrange with Ted Franklin and his wife”
”Of course we'll go, Daddy!” cried Grace, dancing about the rooirls?”
”Scruo!” declared Betty ”Now let's go tell poor Aood,” said Mr Ford, reflectively
”Those Jalloell, perhaps the least said about the excitedly over the chance that had been offered to them, Grace, Mollie and Betty were soon on their way to the hoton
They found their chulooh wanly
By coh unspoken, consent, the little episode of the afternoon was not referred to
”But, oh! we've got the finest news!” cried Betty, enthusiastically
”We're going winter ca!”