CHAPTER XXXV
Events followed each other with refreshing rapidity. While the crew ofthe big locomotive on the crossing busied themselves getting up steam,Sexton and Jules Rondeau toiled at the loading of the discarded boilerand heavy castings aboard two flat-cars. By utilizing the steel derrickon the company's wrecking-car, this task was completed by noon, andafter luncheon the mogul backed up the main line past the switch intothe Laguna Grande yards; whereupon the switch-engine kicked the twoflat-cars and the wrecking-car out of the yard and down to the crossing,where the obstructions were promptly unloaded. The police watchedthe operation with alert interest but forebore to interfere in thishigh-handed closing of a public thoroughfare.
To Sexton's annoyance and secret apprehension, Bryce Cardigan and BuckOgilvy promptly appeared on the scene, both very cheerful and lavishwith expert advice as to the best method of expediting the job in hand.To Bryce's surprise Jules Rondeau appeared to take secret enjoyment ofthis good-natured chaffing of the Laguna Grande manager. Occasionallyhe eyed Bryce curiously but without animus, and presently he flashed thelatter a lightning wink, as if to say: "What a fool Sexton is to opposeyou!"
"Well, Rondeau," Bryce hailed the woods-boss cheerfully, "I see you havequite recovered from that working over I gave you some time ago. No hardfeelings, I trust. I shouldn't care to have that job to do over again.You're a tough one."
"By gar, she don' pay for have hard feelings wiz you, M'sieur," Rondeauanswered bluntly. "We have one fine fight, but"--he shrugged--"I don'want some more."
"Yes, by gar, an' she don' pay for cut other people's trees, M'sieur,"Bryce mimicked him. "I shouldn't wonder if I took the value of that treeout of your hide."
"I t'enk so, M'sieur." He approached Bryce and lowered his voice. "Forone month I am no good all ze tam. We don' fight some more, M'sieur. AndI have feel ashame' for dose Black Minorca feller. Always wiz him eetis ze knife or ze club--and now eet is ze rifle. COCHON! W'en I fight, Ifight wiz what le bon Dieu give me."
"You appear to have a certain code, after all," Bryce laughed. "I aminclined to like you for it. You're sporty in your way, you tremendousscoundrel!"
"Mebbeso," Rondeau suggested hopefully, "M'sieur likes me forwoods-boss?"
"Why, what's the matter with Pennington? Is he tired of you?"
The colour mounted slowly to the woods bully's swarthy cheek."Mademoiselle Sumnair, he's tell me pretty soon he's goin' be boss ofLaguna Grande an' stop all thees fight. An' w'en Mademoiselle, he is inthe saddle, good-bye Jules Rondeau. Thees country--I like him. I feelsad, M'sieur, to leave dose beeg trees." He paused, looking ratherwistfully at Bryce. "I am fine woods-boss for somebody," he suggestedhopefully.
"You think Miss Sumner dislikes you then, Rondeau?"
"I don' theenk. I know." He sighed; his huge body seemed to droop. "Iam out of zee good luck now," he murmured bitterly. "Everybody, she hateJules Rondeau. Colonel--she hate because I don' keel M'sieur Cardigan;Mademoiselle, he hate because I try to keel M'sieur Cardigan; M'sieurSexton, she hate because I tell her thees mornin' she is one fool forfight M'sieur Cardigan."
Again he sighed. "Dose beeg trees! In Quebec we have none. In zee woods,M'sieur, I feel--here!" And he laid his great calloused, hairy hand overhis heart. "W'en I cut your beeg trees, M'sieur, I feel like hell."
"That infernal gorilla of a man is a poet," Buck Ogilvy declared. "I'dthink twice before I let him get out of the country, Bryce."
"'Whose salt he eats, his song he sings,'" quoth Bryce. "I forgive you,Rondeau, and when I need a woods-boss like you, I'll send for you."