The San Francisco call., 1906-04-01
CHAPTER XVIII.
Men of Iron Nerve.

lie next morning JACK, IuSn1nE
breathlessly Into Waldron's office. found
Messrs- Bishop and Suttsr in comfort
able possession. each man tilted back in
an easy chair against the wall on oppo-
site sides OF the room complacently
pulling away at cigars at once con-
spicuous for their size and color.
Has Mister Bill been here this morn
ing, or do you expect him soon? he in
quired, with dificulty suppresslng the
excitement under which he was labor
ing.
Mister Bill amt showed up yet-lia-
BILE to roll in any minute 1 reckon.
young 'un," said Dave with careless
good nature. between pulls at his weed.
"Anythin special?" he inquired, noting
Jacks impatience.
Very much, Mr. Bishop. / have it
pretty straight that they are going to
hammer Consolidated Properties this
morning, and l came UP TO tell Mister
Bill so tnat he might not be taken un-
awares."
Show, They be goin' to hammer old
Consolidated-be they? 1 lowed that
when you driv UP, young un, said
Dave, with the most refreshing tndif-
ference, scanning the young man
through the blue haze in which he had
elNeIOpcQ HlIuoclA-
Yes and it's nine-thirty now. I
think he would surely be hero il he
knew that they were going to make the
drive this morning 1t would be very
unfortunate If he were not aware OF
their intentions. Guess had better
look him up" he suggested
The heeting seconds while awaiting q
reply to his suggestion seemed TO the
excited youth like a waste Of precious
time, and he could hardly control his
impatience while Dave Bishop, with the
most exasperating GOODNESS, removed
the cigar from his mouth, slowly and
even more deliberately delivered him
self of a prodigious volume of blue
smoke, carefully blowing away the hst
vestige, before he was finally moved TO
speech.
IT reckon, young 'un, as how Joe
Sutter over there, and Dave Bishop
right here, stand to lose as much as the
next man in this ere stampede. and we
amt worryin'. Cause why? Cause Mister
Bill is p'intin' the gun, and when he
gets ready to let go. we amt no kind or
doubt but the game he's aimin' at is
goin' to drop all right enough"
''Yes-yesT said Jack, impatiently.
I'VE don't know nothin' about this
ere roundup, and what's more we
don't want to know nothin' about tit
amt in our line. Joe and me are jest
here on a little pleasure trip and We
amt botherin' our heads about no busi-
ness. What's the use? We're tender
feet and we've sense enough to know
1t"
II understand, Mr.. Bishop 1 will see
if I can find Mister BILL" said Jack,
now thoroughly convinced that it was
high time for him to act.
You see, young 'un,' continued Dave,
"the chaps that stake the color (gold)
and keep the works a-hummin' amt
the ones that put the pictures on paper
and raise 4 great hullabaloo and get
the crowd to fghtin' and tumblin' over
themselves like a pack Of varmints to
get hold OF the pesky stuff. They tend
to their works same as we tend to
ours. and keep 'em goin' their own way
mostly, low, by throwin' the pack
somethin' to gnaw on once in a while
Jest to keep their courage up TO stickin
pint, when they amt stirrinSem up
with a long pole and maxim 'em Jump
sideways to get out Of their own way
Yes, yesp cried Jack In sheer desper-
alton. Something must surely be
wrong
You see. young 'un." continued the
imperturbable Dave. I'VE use them and
they use US even il one is bad ticker to
tother. and there's no more friction than
Is material to a couple Of man-eaters
that's bound to bite and scratch each
other when t'other amt lookin. But
there's sight Of trouble soon as chap
takes the notion he can run both claims,
and gets the idee that he's the lone pine all
by himself. He may stand up straight
and stif like for maybe some time, but
he's jest DARN the whole crowd to take
a fall out OF him. Where there's only one
likely (piece of timber to whack. there's
a sight of axes Jest itchin' to get at it,
and first one and then another gets in a
lick-and maybe some feller two or three
and purity soon old tree gets kind OF
top heavy. and down he comes all in a
heap. Then again, it's a mighty likely
mark for chain lightnin'. and when old
Jove lashes out kick at the big butt
no difference how solid-down comes Mis-
ter Tree. A man amt no harder to
bring down, and kick where it'n do the
most good amt no bad way to do it.
neither. He has a long ways the
best of the tree at that. seein
as how he can pick himself up
and go about his business again. May
be sort OF stiff and used up like. but he
knows more and is a hanged sight more
decent to live with.