The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1898-12-08
XTII.--CoNTINUED.
Copyright. Iso.. by Mary Hsliock Foote.l


Mr.. Bingham produced letter in
long blue envelope, unsealed, and with
out an address. lie offered it to Faith
81 will not touch It'll" she cried. For
shame, father! Can you stoop tc read
a private letter picked out of the pock-
cts of your guest by your own serv-
auts?"
"My guestl A pretty sort of guest!
My guest is n spy, and he is my pris-
oner," shouted Mr.. Bingham. II have
the right to search, and l have proved
his trade on him by the papers he
carries Abby was right to inform our
boys of this meeting, and they were
right to be there, prepared to take him
alive or dead. The time demands it,.
A spy expects the treatment of n spy;
lie knows what that is when he agrees
to take the job. Now hear what he
says for himself This is n letter ad-
dressed to Sir Peter Plympton. the
president of our company, as you know.
The date is June 30, the day of that oc-
casion you refer to in a manner so re-
spectful to your father, when we first
met this Mr.. Darcie Hamilton, alias
Jack Darcie. His father is Archibald
Hamilton, one of our directors, so it's
not for the wages he has taken up the
trade; it's pure love of the business.
| will not stop to read each specific
charge that he brings against me; you
can read the letter yourself, if you like.
Perhaps you have read it,"
Faith rejected the letter with pas
sionate gesture.
"Then you will have to take my word
| for the contents. It's the old list Of
charges that is always put up when
| there is a kick against one man on the
Misrepresentation of a lot of other
men who have something to gain by
| his downfall. I'm liar and a thief
and I'm generally incompetent; there's
nothing wrong that / haven't done, and
| there's nothing right that | have. II
you won't read it, you can take for
granted there's nothing left out. But
| here is his summing up:
81 would unhesitatingly recommend
that work be suspended, and the mine
shut down, pending a complete reor.
| ganization of the force. The morale oi
the men is what might be looked for as
the result of inefliciency, wasteful eX-
travagance, and corruption in the Off.
GERS. l should recommend the dis
charge of every man on the pay rolls
beginning with the manager and ex.
cepting the doctor. At present the
mine is run in the interests of the man,
ager and of the Miners union. The
force includes some of the most un
scrupulous of the Idaho "Mollies," ant
in the existing state of feeling between
the Mine-owners' association and the
unions the mine is regarded us danger
and menace to the peace of the com
Inunity; and in the event of these
troubles coming to crisis, demanding
the presence of the troops, l think it no
unlikely that the mine would be shu
down by QSder of the district com
mander.'
"All this he submits respectfully, ant
signs himself John Darcie Hamilton
"Now, whether the charges agains
me are true or false has nothing to dc
with the question. Is this Darcie Ham
ilton entitled to be called my guest, tC
enjoy the shelter of my house, and tn,
privilege of my daughters society? Il
she doing right by herself and by ms
in making him her frend-not to speal
of anything more?"
''Let me look at the letter" said Faith
She held it in her trembling hands
trying to fix her mind upon the las
few sentences, and to compare th'
written words with those she had heart
her father pronounce; she turned to tn,
date, and then she went back again t.
the signature.
Take it, please" she said, handing
it to her father. 81 think there is no
much to choose among u.s."
II don't know what you may meaI
by that. Include yourself IL you thinl