The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1902-09-25

other Skipper Ireson, didn't you,
when we went on and left you? I
saw you waving, but the young la
dies were a little nervous and l
thought I'd better land them and
come back after you. Can you make
it from that Logo"
Griffin could make it and did; and
a moment afterward the cat-boat
shot out from the island shelter, put
her lee gunwale under and showed
her bottom strake to the setting sun.
Griffin crawled aft and balanced him
self on the uplifted weather rail be-
side the helmsman.
"You have the courage of your con-
victions," he remarked, nodding up
ing sail. II looked to see you reef
before you put out again."
II know the boat" was Griswold's
rejoinder. And: II hope you are
not nervous
mot at all; I've sailed little my
SELF"
"Good. Well get it decently fresh
when we are out in the open, but
we'll make it all right"
The prophecy was fulfilled in both
halves, but the detective held his
breath more than once before the
cat-boat had thrashed it's way
through the perilous middle passage
of the open lake to the calmer water
in Wahaska bay. At the pier he
helped his rescuer make fast and
stow the sail, and they walked up
town together. At the hotel en-
trance Griffin introduced himself by
name and made shift to thank the
man whom he meant to bring to JUS
tice
Il owe you one, Mr.. Griswold," he
said, at the hand-grasp, land I'm
afraid I shall never be able to pay
it in kind"
Griswold laughed. 1T is not very
heavy obligation. At the worst you
might have had an uncomfortable
night of it,
"Perhaps it wouldn't have been any
worse than that. Well, maybe I can
save you an uncomfortable night
sometime. Won't you come in and
smoke a cigar?"'
Griswold thought at first that he
would not, and then changed his
mind. He was invited to dinner at
DR.. Farnham's, but it was yet early.
Now there is nothing like good to-
bacco for speeding an acquaintance
between two men, and Grifin's single
extravaganza ran to fine brands of
cigars. So the chat in the hotel Of
fee went hither and yon, and finally
came down to the topic which was
at that moment engrossing the town
the strike at the iron works.
"They are a hard-headed lot of
FOOLS" said Griswold, not without
warmth, when he came to speak of
the strikers. ''They are just, like
all the rest; they don't know when
they are we'll off. We meant to go
into the profit-sharing with them
next year, but the way they are act
ing now you would think that Ray
mer and are their sworn enemies"
"Violence?" queried the detective.
"Threats of it; plenty of them"
"What will you do?"
1--WE haven't decided yet, but my
idea is to import what labor we need
and go on"
''That will be pretty sure to make
trouble. won't it?"
"Oh, I suppose SO. But we've got
to fight it out sooner or later"
mo chance for a compromise, eh?"
"Not in the least, now; in fact.
there never was any. Their demands
were most unreasonable
$50 I Think" said Griffin, coolly.
Griswold looked at his companion
curiously. II thought you were a
newcomer" he said.
II am; but I was here before the
strike began. and I've looked into it
little-just for idle curiosity's sake,
you know. There's a good-sized mig
ger in the woodpile, and I've been
wondering if you and Raymer knew
about it,
Griswold glanced around to make
sure that no one else was within
AA>eAii AC IlCH were SC1rr0u uD
to it, you mean?"
Griffin nodded.
"Raymer said as much, but 1
couldn't believe it,"
Its fact" said the detective,
with the same air of assurance: "a
fact susceptible of proof"
Griswold came awake to the posi-
| bilities in flash.
"Could you prove it?" he asked.
"Perhaps; if 1 wanted to.
The defender of the rights of man
pulled thoughtfully at the good CT
gar for moment. Then he said:
"Who are you, anyway, Mr.. Grifin?"
The detectives smile was no more
than grimace. "Perhaps I am the
walking delegate of the Amalgamat-
ed Ironworkers," he suggested.
'Perhaps you are, but I don't be-
lieve it, Griswold rejoined. And
then he apologized. Il had no right
to ask the question, and I beg your
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