on for
the long winter campaigns in the forest. As soon as the spring thaws
began, once more the drive demanded his attention. And in marketing the
lumber, manipulating the firm's financial affairs, collecting its dues,
paying its bills, making its purchases, and keeping oiled the
intricate bearing points of its office machinery, Newmark was busy--and
invaluable.

At the end of the fifth year the opportunity came, through a combination
of a bad debt and a man's death, to get possession of two lake
schooners. Orde at once suggested the contract for a steam barge.
Towing was then in its infancy. The bulk of lake traffic was by means
of individual sailing ships--a method uncertain as to time. Orde thought
that a steam barge could be built powerful enough not only to carry its
own hold and deck loads, but to tow after it the two schooners. In this
manner the crews could be reduced, and an approximate date of delivery
could be guaranteed. Newmark agreed with him. Thus the firm, in
accordance with his prophecy, went into the carrying trade, for the
vessels more than sufficed for its own needs. The freighting of lumber
added much to the income, and the carrying of machinery and other heavy
freight on the return trip grew every year.

But by far the most important acquisition was that of the northern
peninsula timber. Most operators called the white pine along and back
from the river inexhaustible. Orde did not believe this. He saw the
time, not far distant, when the world would be compelled to look
elsewhere for its lumber supply, and he turned his eyes to the almost
unknown North. After a long investigation through agents, and a month's
land-looking on his own account, he located and purchased three hundred
million feet. This was to be paid for, as usual, mostly by the firm's
notes secured by its other property. It would become available only
in the future, but Orde believed, as indeed the event justified, this
future would prove to be not so distant as most people supposed.

As these interests widened, Orde became more and more immersed in them.
He was forced to be away all of every day, and more than the bulk of
every year. Nevertheless, his home life did not suffer for it.

To Carroll he was always the same big, hearty, whole-souled boy she
had first learned to love. She had all his confidence. If this did not
extend into business affairs, it was because Orde had always tried to
get away from them when at home. At firs