the better
residences. They were almost invariably built of many corners, with
steep roofs meeting each other at all angles, with wide and ornamented
red chimneys, numerous windows, and much scroll work adorning each apex
and cornice. The ridge poles bristled in fancy foot-high palisades of
wood. Chimneys were provided with lightning-rods. Occasionally an
older structure, on square lines, recorded the era of a more dignified
architecture. Everywhere ran broad sidewalks and picket fences. Beyond
the better residence districts were the board shanties of the mill
workers.

Orde and Newmark tramped up the plank walk to the farthest brick
building. When they came to a cross street, they had to descend to it
by a short flight of steps on one side, and ascend from it by a
corresponding flight on the other. At the hotel, Newmark seated himself
in a rocking-chair next the big window.

"Good luck!" said he.

Orde mounted a wide, dark flight of stairs that led from the street to a
darker hall. The smell of stale cigars and cocoa matting was in the
air. Down the dim length of this hall he made his way to a door, which
without ceremony he pushed open.

He found himself in a railed-off space, separated from the main part of
the room by a high walnut grill.

"Mr. Heinzman in?" he asked of a clerk.

"I think so," replied the clerk, to whom evidently Orde was known.

Orde spent the rest of the morning with Heinzman, a very rotund,
cautious person of German extraction and accent. Heinzman occupied
the time in asking questions of all sorts about the new enterprise. At
twelve he had not in any way committed himself nor expressed an opinion.
He, however, instructed Orde to return the afternoon of the following
day.

"I vill see Proctor," said he.

Orde, rather exhausted, returned to find Newmark still sitting in the
rocking-chair with his unlighted cigar. The two had lunch together,
after which Orde, somewhat refreshed, started out. He succeeded in
getting two more promises of contracts and two more deferred interviews.

"That's going a little faster," he told Newmark cheerfully.

The following morning, also, he was much encouraged by the reception
his plan gained from the other lumbermen. At lunch he recapitulated to
Newmark.

"That's four contracts already," said he, "and three more practically
a sure thing. Proctor and Heinzman are slower than molasses about
everything, and mean as pusley, and Johnson's up in the air, th