Part 9 (1/2)
Keller took his hands fro, bowled pipe from his mouth
”You knohat I did with that bear,” he said ”More than a year ago Iher Last suot her so she'd eat out of ar between July and November We used to chu Why, daht ions! And she got so fond ofshe came out with two cubs, an' as soon as they could waddle she brought 'em out there on the hillside an' waited for ot another half barrel of sugar--luar--on the way froang has done?”
”They haven't shot her?”
”No, they haven't shot her I wish to God they had! They've _blown her up!_”
The little engineer subsided into a chair
”Do you hear?” he demanded ”They've blown her up! Put a stick of dynaar, attached a battery wire to it, an' when she was licking up the sugar touched it off An' I can't do anything, daovernht, it says An' those fiends over there think it's a good joke onHis fat hands were clenched, and his round, pluer
”When I went over to-night they laughed at me--the whole bunch,” he went on thickly ”I offered to lick every ht in twenty years Instead of fighting like rabbed hold of me, chucked ht! What do you think of _that_, Aldous?
Me--assistant divisional engineer of the GTP--_bounced in a blanket_!”
Peter Keller hopped froain, sucking truculently on his pipe
”If they were on our road I'd--I'd chase everyto the CNR They're out of my reach” He stopped, suddenly, in front of Aldous ”What can I do?” he de like this co it All the caht of that bear You fired Tibbits because, as you said, he was too thick with Quade You told hiht before Quade's face Tibbits is now fore over there Two and two make four, you know Tibbits--Quade--the blown-up bear Quade doesn't miss an opportunity, no et even with you You ht report the blanket affair to the contractors of the other road I don't believe they would stand for it”
Aldous had guessed correctly what the effect of associating Quade's name with the affair would be Keller was one of Quade's deadliest eneain His eyes burned deep back It was not Keller's physique, but his brain, and the fearlessness of his spirit, that ht, Aldous,” he said ”Some day--I'll even up on Quade”
”And so shall I, Peter”
The engineer stared into the other's eyes
”You----”
Aldous nodded
”Quade left for Tete Jaune to-night, on a hand-car I follow him to-morrow, on the train I can't tell you what's up, Peter, but I don't think it will stop this side of death for Quade and Culver Rann--or me I mean that quite literally I don't see how more than one side can coo on to Tete Jaune You know every mountain and trail about the place, don't you?”
”I've tramped them all, afoot and horseback”
”Then perhaps you can direct rave”
Peter Keller paused in the act of relighting his pipe For a raves up at Tete Jaune,” he said, at last ”A great rave you're looking for, Aldous, it will be unmarked”
”I am quite sure that it is rave of a ht reh,” repeated Keller, puffing out fresh voluh----”