St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1899-02-25
CHAPTER vII.-CcNTrsuED.

The doctor was one of the few men
who at that time, in the troubled dis.
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-
anors 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 infimi-
dators pouring into Gem, filed with
oaths and whisky and turbulence.
'sAnd where is my father, doctor "'
Faith inquired.
"Mr. Bingham is understood to be a
non-combatant like myself; the union
bosses have nothing against him.
"It would be more to his credit, per-
haps, If they had," thought Faith.
"And Abby?" said she. 81 suppose
need not be anxious about Abby?"
Bred and bawn in brier-patch!' :"
laughed the doctor. "Abby's in her ele-
ment; she has 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
great oath:
''The old man is q beast, and 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 go-
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 a lover. I have thanked
the Lord that my wife. is in Spokane,
but I could almost wish. for that poor
child's sake, that she were here; then
j could be father to her myself-till
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 if Jack Dacey, reported shot at
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."
II wish you would wire him to keep
quiet" said Darcie. "Tell him to cable /
my people that I'm all right, and then
to hold his peace
who are you, anyhow, Darcie?
Wnat rackSt are you working Lou
may as well trust me; the doctor
knows everything and says nothing,
you know"
"I'm John Darcie, half owner of the
Black Dwarf, and partner Of Mike Nc
Gowan."
Anything else?''
Nothing else worth mentioning"
st is sometimes safest to mention
things. in times like these, to the right
person.
VERY true, doctor. will mention q |
few things that am not: I'm not q
Pinkerton detective; I'm not a REPORTER
for the press; I've not run away from
my regiment; I've not hypotAacated |
bonds; I'm not raising funds Ser an
Irish rebellion; I'm not ~tfe u.v-tlerer
of Dr Cronin ard I'm not aes. hody's
LOST heir. And I'm going to ant out |
of these Occur d'Alenes as ssten as |
can get a bond on the one tssssssssg here |
that want. = |