The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1900-06-28


Eoitb colored holly at the word. "Ye
need not fear me, Miss Bingham. I've
mao taste OF rnelr language myself.
I'm 'thraitor,' 'wage-slave. I'm
.bought an sold for the bread that
roes into me children's mouths. I'm
an excreshence on healthy laborin
community, to be sloughed OF ike the
foulness of disease. I'm as fond OF the
Miners union that's bossin' this coun-
try as Mike McGowan is, and they II
make as much out of me, just, il they
come askin' me questions. Now We
leave me to watch out for the boys,
and I'll tell them anything at all We
want"
Thank you, Mr.. Casson; trust you
perfectly, but l cannot let you do 1t.
They stood by me, and will stay by
them. 1t may be the one thing l am
here to do; and you have your wife
and children"
They're not meddlin with women
and children. Ye had better leave the
men to me-"
II couldn't, Mr.. Casson," said the
girl, with sad persistence. She was
distressed by his questioning regard,
and blushed for her own disingenuous-
ness. I'VE have had a fearful time at
the mine," she went on, leading him
away from the tenderer subject. did
you hear about our poor Chinaman|
II did, miss; and wonder they left
the life in him so long. Sole an lone
he was, the only Chinyman in the Cor
de Lane, so hear; and only for Abby
Steers not wantin' to do her own work
he'd have been fired, they say, the same
as all the rest, before he'd barely set
foot in it; for what that woman says
is law with the union boys"
"Oh, she's terror!" exclaimed Faith.
The times have brought her out. But
we have some very bad men at the mine,
and they are the ones who seem to
have all to say. | suppose it would no,
be safe to discharge them now. My
father simply has to endure the things
they do, until he can get support for his
own authority" Outwardly, Faith was
stu on the defensive in regard to her
fathers position. Did you hear about
the shooting?" she asked, in a low voice
II did," said Casson, shortly. He did
not admit her plea for the martyred
authority of Manager Bingham; he
conceived him quite as did the rest of
The mining community, in his mixed
character of the bat in the fable, pois-
ing between bird and beast till the out
come of battle should decide to which
kingdom it was safest to belong.
bat he was, and nothing but bat, and
neither birds nor beasts would own
him.
"One of the men | am watching for
is he-the one who was wounded" said
Faith, averting her face. II don't know
what state he may be in, after such
journey. 1t would be hard upon a well
man last night, through the timber
across those wild divides, and around
Sunset peak before it was light; and
to-day, in the hot sun, coming down
Beaver canyon; and then in some sort
of boat on the river! Do you think that
Mike MCGOWAN can row?"
They'd be polin', not rowin', in
dugout, whilst the river is shallow;
and below they'll come fast enough
with the current, just keepin' her head
downstream. Ye wouldn't maybe like
TO have Mrs. Casson bide here with We?
Shed be as good as doctor for him
and I'm loath to leave We wanderin'
here fly yourself"
In reply to this fatherly suggestion
Faith only blushed miserably, and
shook her head.
Il hope we shall all be together,
crossing the lake tonight" she said
AL of US whom the Occur d'Alene has
no use for" But she did not move
from her post.
WELL" said Mr.. Casson, who saw that
she was bent on having her own way
with her friends, 81 wish them safe out
of this, and all of us the same. But
don't you let that child's prattle be run
MN in your head. It's not thing any
one could believe-not even of them"
Not of the men who blew up Frisco
mill?' asked Faith, with a woman's
partisan relentlessness.
Mr.. Casson would not admit the
thought, or pretended he would not
Think of it!' said he. Think how
massacre would sound in print We're
not quite bad enough for that, union or
non union; men has their feeIin's
they'd draw the line at promiscuous
shootin' at unarmed men"
L think dynamite and giant powder
are tolerably promiscuous." bitterly
argued Faith. But she was comforted.
nevertheless, by Mr.. Casson's pretense
of unbelief.
de walked toward the landing to
watch for the sight of boat. Once he
looked back at her and seemed to hest.
tate, but then he walked on. "They'd
never touch a woman" he said to him
self.
FAITH continued to pace the short
grass under the trees watching for her
friends.