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第54章

the riverman-第54章

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children。  Then they stepped out on the little porch and looked into 

the fathomless night。  The sky was full of stars; aloof and calm; 

but waiting breathless on the edge of action; attending the word of 

command or the celestial vision; or whatever it is for which stars 

seem to wait。  Along the street the dense velvet shade of the maples 

threw the sidewalks into impenetrable blackness。  Sounds carried 

clearly。  From the Welton's; down the street; came the tinkle of a 

mandolin and an occasional low laugh from the group of young people 

that nightly frequented the front steps。  Tree toads chirped in 

unison or fell abruptly silent as though by signal。  All up and down 

the rows of houses whirred the low monotone of the lawn sprinklers; 

and the aroma of their wetness was borne cool and refreshing through 

the tepid air。



Orde and his wife sat together on the top step。  He slipped his arm 

about her。  They said nothing; but breathed deep of the quiet 

happiness that filled their lives。



The gate latch clicked and two shadowy figures defined themselves 

approaching up the concrete walk。



〃Hullo!〃 called Orde cheerfully into the darkness。



〃Hullo!〃 a man's voice instantly responded。



〃Taylor and Clara;〃 said Orde to Carroll with satisfaction。  〃Just 

the man I wanted to see。〃



The lawyer and his wife mounted the steps。  He was a quick; 

energetic; spare man; with lean cheeks; a bristling; clipped 

moustache; and a slight stoop to his shoulders。  She was small; 

piquant; almost child…like; with a dainty up…turned nose; a large 

and lustrous eye; a constant; bird…like animation of mannerthe 

Folly of artists; the adorable; lovable; harmless Folly standing 

tiptoe on a complaisant world。



〃Just the man I wanted to see;〃 repeated Orde; as the two 

approached。



Clara Taylor stopped short and considered him for a moment。



〃Let us away;〃 she said seriously to Carroll。  〃My prophetic soul 

tells me they are going to talk business; and if any more business 

is talked in my presence; I shall EXPIRE!〃



Both men laughed; but Orde explained apologetically:



〃Well; you know; Mrs。 Taylor; these are my especially busy days for 

the firm; and I have to work my private affairs in when I can。〃



〃I thought Frank was very solicitous about my getting out in the 

air;〃 cried Clara。  〃Come; Carroll; let's wander down the street and 

see Mina Heinzman。〃



The two interlocked arms and sauntered along the walk。  Both men lit 

cigars and sat on the top step of the porch。



〃Look here; Taylor;〃 broke in Orde abruptly; 〃you told me the other 

day you had fifteen or twenty thousand you wanted to place 

somewhere。〃



〃Yes;〃 replied Taylor。



〃Well; I believe I have just the proposition。〃



〃What is it?〃



〃California pine;〃 replied Orde。



〃California pine?〃 repeated Taylor; after a slight pause。  〃Why 

California?  That's a long way off。  And there's no market; is 

there?  Why way out there?〃



〃It's cheap;〃 replied Orde succinctly。  〃I don't say it will be good 

for immediate returns; nor even for returns in the near future; but 

in twenty or thirty years it ought to pay big on a small investment 

made now。〃



Taylor shook his head doubtfully。



〃I don't see how you figure it;〃 he objected。  〃We have more timber 

than we can use in the East。  Why should we go several thousand 

miles west for the same thing?〃



〃When our timber gives out; then we'll HAVE to go west;〃 said Orde。



Taylor laughed。



〃Laugh all you please;〃 rejoined Orde; 〃but I tell you Michigan and 

Wisconsin pine is doomed。  Twenty or thirty years from now there 

won't be any white pine for sale。〃



〃Nonsense!〃 objected Taylor。  〃You're talking wild。  We haven't even 

begun on the upper peninsula。  After that there's Minnesota。  And I 

haven't observed that we're quite out of timber on the river; or the 

Muskegon; or the Saginaw; or the Grand; or the Cheboyganwhy; Great 

Scott! man; our children's children's children may be thinking of 

investing in California timber; but that's about soon enough。〃



〃All tight;〃 said Orde quietly。  〃Well; what do you think of Indiana 

as a good field for timber investment?〃



〃Indiana!〃 cried Taylor; amazed。  〃Why; there's no timber there; 

it's a prairie。〃



〃There used to be。  And all the southern Michigan farm belt was 

timbered; and around here。  We have our stumps to show for it; but 

there are no evidences at all farther south。  You'd have hard work; 

for instance; to persuade a stranger that Van Buren County was once 

forest。〃



〃Was it?〃 asked Taylor doubtfully。



〃It was。  You take your map and see how much area has been cut 

already; and how much remains。  That'll open your eyes。  And 

remember all that has been done by crude methods for a relatively 

small demand。  The demand increases as the country grows and methods 

improve。  It would not surprise me if some day thirty or forty 

millions would constitute an average cut。*  'Michigan pine 

exhaustless!'those fellows make me sick!〃





* At the present day some firms cut as high as 150;000;000 feet。





〃Sounds a little more reasonable;〃 said Taylor slowly。



〃It'll sound a lot more reasonable in five or ten years;〃 insisted 

Orde; 〃and then you'll see the big men rushing out into that Oregon 

and California country。  But now a man can get practically the pick 

of the coast。  There are only a few big concerns out there。〃



〃Why is it that no one〃



〃Because;〃 Orde cut him short; 〃the big things are for the fellow 

who can see far enough ahead。〃



〃What kind of a proposition have you?〃 asked Taylor after a pause。



〃I can get ten thousand acres at an average price of eight dollars 

an acre;〃 replied Orde。



〃Acres?  What does that mean in timber?〃



〃On this particular tract it means about four hundred million feet。〃



〃That's about twenty cents a thousand。〃



Orde nodded。



〃And of course you couldn't operate for a long time?〃



〃Not for twenty; maybe thirty; years;〃 replied Orde calmly。



〃There's your interest on your money; and taxes; and the risk of 

fire and〃



〃Of course; of course;〃 agreed Orde impatiently; 〃but you're getting 

your stumpage for twenty cents or a little more; and in thirty years 

it will be worth as high as a dollar and a half。〃 *





* At the present time (1908) sugar pine such as Orde described would 

cost 3。50 to 4。





〃What!〃 cried Taylor。



〃That is my opinion;〃 said Orde。



Taylor relapsed into thought。



〃Look here; Orde;〃 he broke cut finally; 〃how old are you?〃



〃Thirty…eight。  Why?〃



〃How much timber have you in Michigan?〃



〃About ten million that we've picked up on the river since the Daly 

purchase and three hundred million in the northern peninsula。〃



〃Which will take you twenty years to cut; and make you a million 

dollars or so?〃



〃Hope

 so。〃



〃Then why this investment thirty years ahead?〃



〃It's for Bobby;〃 explained Orde simply。  〃A man likes to have his 

son continue on in his business。  I can't do it here; but there I 

can。  It would take fifty years to cut that pine; and that will give 

Bobby a steady income and a steady business。〃



〃Bobby will be well enough off; anyway。  He won't have to go into 

business。〃



Orde's brow puckered。



〃I know a manBobby is going to work。  A man is not a success in 

life unless he does something; and Bobby is going to be a success。  

Why; Taylor;〃 he chuckled; 〃the little rascal fills the wood…box for 

a cent a time; and that's all the pocket…money he gets。  He's saving 

now to buy a thousand…dollar boat。  I've agreed to pool in half。  At 

his present rate of income; I'm safe for about sixty years yet。〃



〃How soon are you going to close this deal?〃 asked Taylor; rising as 

he caught sight of two figures coming up the walk。



〃I have an option until Nov

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