The Holly chieftain., 1898-12-02
CHAPTER vII.-cosrrsuEp.
lcOpyrish, 1904. BY Mary H.lIoek Eoo...l


trict, could consistently and honorably
remain neutral; still, he had his SYM
pathies. which he expressed on occa-
sions to the proper persons.
When Darcie asked for the latest
news from the seat OF war. he replied
that he had had only conflicting ru-
mors since the night before; but he
expected that when news did come it
would be bad, and he spoke of the
guarded barricades on the one side,
and on the other the armed intimi-
dators pouring into Gem, filled with
oaths and whisky and turbulence.
"And where is my father, doctor?"
Faith inquired
"Mr. Bingham is understood to be
non-combatant like myself; the union
bosses have nothing against him."
at would be more to his credit, per-
haps, if they had," thought Faith.
"And Abby?" said she. II suppose
need not be anxious about Abby?"
Bred and bawn in a brier-patch!'
laughed the doctor. "Abby's in her ele-
mcnt; she has a friend behind every
union gun. She could go through
beg your pardon-through Hades on
the strength of her connections"
When Faith had left the room to
fetch the warm water and the sponges
and a few more articles which the doc
tor required, he freed his mind with n
great oath:
"The old man is beast, and a coward
to boot. He's gone on monstrous
spree, and I think it's deliberate. in
case he should be hauled up for aiding
and abetting this nice work that's 60
ing on. There were not IL men out of
300 answered to the payroll this MORN
ing; they are on duty elsewhere. He
wants TO be able to prove an alibi in
the person of the devil of drink that's
in him. He is afraid of his union
friends, now, because they are on top
and they stick at nothing; but he
knows their time is short; he has an
eye to windward."
And what will become Of her?'
God knows. She is worse than ia
therless. She cannot stay, yet she can
not go. Here's knot for somebody to
unite; perhaps lover. have thanked
the Lord that my wife is in Spokane,
but l could almost wish, for that poor
ch;ld's sake, that she were here; then
/ could be father to her myself-tiil
we hear from the lover. And speaking
of Spokane" the doctor continued.
there's lawyer down there who has
been telegraphing at great rate to
know il Jack Dacey, reported shot ut
the Big Horn mine, is John Darcie.
Says your friends are worried about
you."
MY friends-what friends?"
"Your folks in England. He says
there will be the devil to pay If Dacey
is Darcie. Says you're great deal big
ger man than we take you for in the
Occur d'Alenes."
Il wish you would wire him TO keep
my people that I'm all right, and then
to hold his peace"
who are you, anyhow, Darcie :?
What racket are you working? You
may as well trust me; the doctor
knows everything and says nothing,
you know"
"Pm John Darcie, half owner of the
Black Dwarf. and partner of Mike Nc
Gowan."
Anything else?"
Nothing else worth mentioning"
ut is sometimes safest to mention
things, in times like these, to the right
person."
Very true, doctor. will mention a
few things that am not: I'm not a
Pinkerton detective; I'm not reporter
for the press; I've not run away from
my regiment; I've not hypothecated
bonds; I'm not raising funds for an
Irish rebellion; I'm not the murderer
OF DIR. Cronin; and I'm not anybody's
lost heir. And I'm going to get out
of these Occur d'Alenes as soon as l
can get bond on the one thing here
that want"
Which property is that, may ask ?''
You may ask, but shall not tell
you" u
"You are Scotchman plain enough,
by the way you answer questions"
II need not ask what you are, doc
tor, by the way you ask them; but I
take your Intention"
"You had much better take my ad-
vice. and tell me what sort of layout
you are on. What's your game? What
are trumps-spades or hearts? Are
you making heart solo?'"
whats heart soloY"
"Ah. you don't know the great Idaho
gnme-the greatest game out! Better
camp with us five years or so and learn
the rudiments. There are points In solo
that l can't do justice to in a phrase;
but for, snapshot. heart solo is
where hearts are trumps, and you play
the crowd for three times your loss
II you lose, and the same il you win.
The idea is, you are pretty deep in,
and IL you don't make It, and the
widow goes back on you, you're apt
to leave your dead and wounded on the
field"
There Is no widow In mine," said
Darcie. "unless it's the widow at Wind
SORT but not all the sons of the widow
nor all the goods in 'er shop can help
me II i don't make IT, as you say"
II believe 1t IL . heart solo," said
the doctor; ''you needn't mind confid-
ing In me; I've been married only a
year"
There Il = thing should like to con-
fide TO you ON the spot. and that's
letter, doctor. wish you'd mail Il
to this busybody lawyer 70 forward for
me. It's important, II you please"
with pleasure; mail II with my own