secret conclave of the timber men to fight that first encroachment on
their old-time domains and rights was a stern and a bitter resolve.
The knowledge of it would have mightily astonished--might have daunted
effectually a certain young engineer who was just then learning from
Manager Jerrard the details of his new commission.

In the end, late in March, Whittaker and Jerrard found themselves with
a charter and a location approved by the state railroad commissioners,
permitting them to build a six-mile railroad across Poquette Carry; to
carry passengers, baggage, express and freight, but with the limitation
that when the state land-agent should think the condition of drought
dangerous and should so notify the company, the road should cease to run
any trains until rain wet down the woods.

The location was taken by right of eminent domain, and all the
provisions of the law were complied with. No settlement for the damage
caused to Colonel Ward through the loss of his land was possible, altho
the railroad company made liberal offers, and he was finally left to
pursue his remedy in the courts.

Up to this time Jerrard had kept his negotiations with young Parker a
private matter between the two of them, even as he had kept some of the
annoying legislative details away from his superior.

"What engineer can you send down there and handle the thing for us?"
asked President Whittaker, when Jerrard informed him that all the legal
details had been settled. "I want some one who knows enough to get the
line going in season for our August trip--and above all to keep still. I
don't want to hear a word about it till I get out of a canoe at Poquette
Carry next summer. Here we want to build a wheelbarrow road, and I
have been having hard work to convince some of our bankers that I'm not
planning a coup against the Canadian Pacific. Bosh!"

"These timber-land owners started most of that foolishness," said
Jerrard. "But speaking of a man, there's Rodney Parker."

"Never heard of him."

"He's been with the engineers two years on the Falls cut-off's new work.
I can't think of any one else who will suit us as well."

"'Tisn't going to take any very wonderful man to build this road," the
president snapped, rather impatiently.

A smile crept into the wrinkles about Jerrard's shrewd eyes.

"Whittaker," said he, "there's a side to our railroad enterprise that
neither you nor I appreciated at first. I've been getting some points
from