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〃What can you do？〃
〃Get that bridge span out of there； of course。〃
〃How？〃
〃Can't we blow her up with powder？〃
〃Ever try to blow up iron？〃
〃There must be some way。〃
〃Oh； there is；〃 replied Welton。 〃Of coursetake her apart bolt by
bolt and nut by nut。〃
〃Send for the wrenches； then；〃 snapped Orde。
〃But it would take two or three days； even working night and day。〃
〃What of it？〃
〃But it would be too lateit would do no good〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 interrupted Orde； 〃but it will be doing something；
anyway。 Look here； Welton； are you game？ If you'll get that bridge
out in two days I'll hold the jam。〃
〃You can't hold that jam two hours； let alone two days；〃 said Welton
decidedly。
〃That's my business。 You're wasting time。 Will you send for
lanterns and wrenches and keep this crew working？〃
〃I will；〃 said Welton。
〃Then do it。〃
During the next two days the old scenes were all relived； with back
of them the weight of the struggle that had gone before。 The little
crs and the implements of their trade；
menaced by a jam on the point of breaking； wet by a swollen and
angry flood； over…arched by a clear calm sky or by the twinkling
peaceful stars。 Long since had they ceased to reckon with the
results of what they did； the consequences either to themselves or
to the jam。 Mechanically they performed their labour。 Perhaps the
logs would kill them。 Perhaps these long； black； dripping piles
they drove were having some effect on the situation。 Neither
possibility mattered。
Then all at once； as though a faucet had been turned off； the floods
slackened。
〃They've opened the channel；〃 said Orde dully。 His voice sounded to
himself very far away。 Suddenly the external world； too； seemed
removed to a distance； far from his centre of consciousness。 He
felt himself moving in strange and distorted surroundings； he heard
himself repeating to each of a number of wavering； gigantic figures
the talismanic words that had accomplished the dissolution of the
earth for himself： 〃They've opened the channel。〃 At last he felt
hard planks beneath his feet； and； shaking his head with an effort；
he made out the pilot…house of the SPRITE and a hollow…eyed man
leaning against it。 〃They've opened the channel； Marsh；〃 he
repeated。 〃I guess that'll be all。〃 Then quite slowly he sank to
the deck； sound asleep。
Welton； returning from his labours with the iron bridge and the jam；
found them thus。 Men slept on the deck of the tug； aboard the pile…
driver。 Two or three had even curled up in the crevices of the jam；
resting in the arms of the monster they had subdued。
XLII
When Newmark left； in the eathe booms； unless curiosity should take
her。
As the team left the marsh road for the county turnpike past the
mills you are。rly stages of the jam； he gave scant
thought to the errand on which he had ostensibly departed。 Whether
or nor Orde got a supply of piles was to him a matter of
indifference。 His hope； or rather preference was that the jam
should go out； but he saw clearly what Orde； blinded by the swift
action of the struggle； was as yet unable to perceive。 Even should
the riverman succeed in stopping the jam； the extraordinary expenses
incidental to the defence and to the subsequent salvaging；
untangling and sorting would more than eat up the profits of the
drive。 Orde would then be forced to ask for an extension of time on
his notes。
On arriving in Monrovia； he drove to his own house。 To Mallock he
issued orders。
〃Go to the office and tell them I am ill；〃 said he； 〃and then hunt
up Mr。 Heinzman； wherever he is； and tell him I want to see him
immediately。〃
He did not trouble to send word directly to Orde； up river； but left
him to be informed by the slow process of filtration through the
bookkeepers。 The interim of several hours before Heinzman appeared
he spent very comfortably in his easy chair； dipping into a small
volume of Montaigne。
At length the German was announced。 He entered rather red and
breathless； obviously surprised to find Newmark at home。
〃Dot was a terrible jam；〃 said he； mopping his brow and sinking into
a chair。 〃I got lots of logs in it。〃
Newmark dismissed the subject with an abrupt flip of his unlighted
cigar。
〃Heinzman；〃 said he； 〃in three weeks at the latest Orde will come to
you asking for a renewal of the notes you hold against our firm。
You must refuse to make such a renewal。〃
〃All righdt；〃 agreed Heinzman。
〃He'll probably offer you higher interest。 You must refuse that。
Then when the notes are overdue you must begin suit in foreclosure。〃
〃All righdt；〃 repeated Heinzman a little restlessly。 〃Do you think
he vill hold that jam？〃
Newmark shrugged his shoulders swiftly。
〃I got lots of logs in that jam。 If that jam goes out I vill lose a
heap of money。〃
〃Well； you'll make quite a heap on this deal；〃 said Newmark
carelessly。
〃Suppose he holds it；〃 said Heinzman； pausing。 〃I hate like the
mischief to joomp on him。〃
〃Rot！〃 said Newmark decisively。 〃That's what he's there for。〃 He
looked at the German sharply。 〃I suppose you know just how deep
you're in this？〃
〃Oh； I ain't backing oudt；〃 negatived Heinzman。 〃Not a bit。〃
〃Well； then； you know what to do；〃 said Newmark； terminating the
interview。
XLIII
Little by little the water went down。 The pressure； already
considerably relieved by the channel into Stearn's Bayou； slackened
every hour。 Orde； still half dazed with his long…delayed sleep；
drove back along the marsh road to town。
His faculties were still in the torpor that follows rest after
exhaustion。 The warm July sun； the breeze from the Lake； the flash
of light from the roadside water； these were all he had room for
among his perceptions。 He was content to enjoy them； and to
anticipate drowsily the keen pleasure of seeing Carroll again。 In
the rush of the jam he had heard nothing from her。 For all he knew
she and Bobby might have been among the spectators on the bank； he
had hardly once left the river。 It did not seem to him strange that
Carroll should not have been there to welcome him after the struggle
was over。 Rarely did she get to the booms in ordinary
circumstances。 This episode of the big jam was； after all； nothing
but part of the day's work to Orde ； a crisis； exaggerated it is
true； but like many other crises a man must meet and cope with on
the river。 There was no reason why Carroll should drive the twelve
miles between Monrovia and s and lumberyards； Orde shook himself fully awake。
He began to
review the situation。 As Newmark had accurately foreseen； he came
almost immediately to a realisation that the firm would not be able
to meet the notes given to Heinzman。 Orde had depended on the
profits from the season's drive to enable him to make up the
necessary amount。 Those profits would be greatly diminished； if not
wiped out entirely； by the expenses； both regular and irregular；
incurred in holding the jam； by the damage suits surely to be
brought by the owners of the piles； trees； pile…drivers and other
supplies and materials requisitioned in the heat of the campaign；
and by the extra labour necessary to break out the jam and to sort
the logs according to their various destinations。
〃I'll have to get an extension of time；〃 said Orde to himself。 〃Of
course Joe will let me have more time on my own personal note to the
firm。 And Heinzman surely ought toI saved a lot of his logs in
that jam。 And if he doesn't want to； I guess an offer of a little
higher interest will fetch him。〃
Ordinarily the state of affairs would have worried him； for it was
exactl〃
〃Where was she exposed？〃
〃Down at Heinzman's。 You knowor perhaps you don'tthat old
Heinzman is the worst sort of anti…vaccination crank。 Well； he's
reaped the reward。〃
〃Has he smallpox？〃 asked Ordethat you would take them up
personally。 Our resources are all tied up。〃
〃Can't we raise anything more on the Northern Peninsula timber？〃
asked Orde。
〃You ought to know we can't；〃 cried Newmark； with an appearance of
growing excitement。 〃The last seventy…five thousand we borrowed for
me finishes that。〃
〃Can't you take up part of your note？〃
〃My note comes due in 1885；〃 rejoined Newmark with cold disgust。 〃I
expect to take it up then。 But I can't until then。 I hadn't
expected anything like this。〃
〃Well； don't get hot；〃 said Orde vaguely。 〃I only thought that
Northern Peninsuy the situation he had fought against so hard。 But now he was
too wearied in soul and body。 He dismissed the subject from his
mind。 The horses； left almost to themselves； lapsed into a sleepy