Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-08-31
CHAPTER X.

had talked long at the mouth of
the mine, Kelly and Raymond
- left the house and walked out
along the ridge toward Skytown,
which was built where the ground rose
from pine clad plateau to rocky
point overlooking the valley to the
north. 1t had but one business street,
which repeated in implanted lumber
all the shoddy architecture of prairie
town, whose flaming battlements pre-
tend to a dignity which they do not
fulfill.
The chief business of the street was
gambling. Next in order stood rum
selling, with assaying close third.
The street was swarming, as usual, but
the talk was directed for the moment
to one topic. A convention of miners
had been called to meet in the Golden
Horn saloon, and several who knew
Kelly called out, "Hello, Matt; we're
going to make you president of the
union"
Kelly smiled as if all this were
joke and introduced his friend and
partner. Raymond shook hands with
each man heartily, well knowing that
IL he We're to remain in the camp it
would be well to be on friendly terms
with all. Following the lead Of others,
they We're soon wedged into throng
which filled the largest saloon Of the
street, a huge gambling establishment
called the Golden Horn, of which Mar
vim Hanley, celebrated gambler, was
proprietor.
For the first time since the opening
Of the Golden Horns door gambling
was suspended and the machines of
chance set aside. The proprietor,
pale man with close clipped yellow
hair, man who looked like Catholic
priest, mounted box at one end Of
the room and called the house to order.
"You know the purposes Of this meet.
Ing" he said. Now, who will you
have for chairman"
..Kelly! Kelly!" cried q dozen men.
".Munro! shouted those farther up
the hall.
showed and seconded that Munro be
chairman" said the smooth faced man.
"All who favor say 'Aye!" "A shout Of
many mingled voices answered. "Op-
posed, No." Only an obvious minori-
ty voted mo" Munro is elected.
Jack, get up here!'
AS the new chairman's head rose
above the throng Raymond experience
ed shock. II know that man." he
said under his breath. Munro was
clean shaven, boyish fellow, with black
hair pushed back from his face. He
was young and handsome and began
speaking in clear, musical and most
persuasive voice. It was plain he was
on good terms with his audience and
quite certain Of himself.
IT don't know why should be made
chairman Of this meeting" he said aft
er some local illusions, "unless it be to
open the way for the rea! speaker and
nan of the hour-the man who has
message for you-Tom Larned of Dead
Pine"
While the crowd applauded Larned
climbed to his place and began to
speak. He was short man, with
forward thrust Of the chin. His high
forehead was smooth and pale, its
calm lines In vivid contrast with his
burning blue eyes. He ignored all of
Munro's joking and thrust his way in
to the middle Of bis contention.
II hear some men say we don't need
q union here, but tell you you do.
You're going the way Of all mining
camps. AS soon as the claims are all
taken consultations begin and wages
will be cut. A big mining camp must
be run by union labor. The work has
got to be done by men bred to the
mine. and they must be organized. II
they're not, they'll work for nothing.
This camp is about to decline''-
moi Nor shouted dozen men.
The speaker held up hand. "Wait
a moment! mean to say that this
swarm of easy going tramps scratch
ing the surface looking for mine will
begin to melt away. 1t is already melt
ing away. These men on horseback,
these grub stakers, these burro punch
ers. will not dig gold for other men,"
[''You bet they won't!' shouted big
lunged fellow.l 1.-THE real miners have
got to get underground and stay there!
You understand? Stay there! And
they will want somebody on top to
look after their interests. They'll want
& union Il you don'ti but, tell you,
you short term miners will want a
union before February is out"
In such wise he argued, and even
Kelly admitted the truth Of what he
said. Others spoke, grizzled old fell
lows from other districts, men who had
given up all hope Of discovering lead
FOR themselves; men with families to
feed and educate, who had fallen to
eontentmeht with good wage and
steady job. But in some of the
speeches a note of bitterness toward
Valley Springs made itself heard. Sky
town had begun to hate the valley as
the home of those who lived on the Ia
Dor of others, and some Of those In the
valley, as Raymond well knew, ex-
pressed their contempt Of those who
dwelt in the Sky by calling them fred
necks," in allusion to their tanned or
drink infiamed faces. Politically the
two towns We're already as wide apart
as the poles, and references to this d.
vision We're numerous during the even
Ing. The county was divided against
itself and hopelessly imbittered, and
Bozle was eager to be free from the
valley.
Kelly, weary of the wrangle, touched
Raymond on the arm and turned to-