, 1906-07-04

{ 11h9 III hitNA ~ -
ways and means.
She checked herself. you must go.
They are waiting for you below. We
will see you at luncheonf'
Eyes, | may not start till dark to-
night"
You have my best Wishes"
The men assembled in the library
were IA grim lot. Mackay was no less
square jawed THAI Banker Moore, and
the squat, coarse featured, scowling
sheriff resembled Il bulldog. Don Bar
nett alone seemed not a part of the gen.
eral nlassing of prejudice and passion,
and yet he was one of the most pitiless
of them all. The mayor. a large man
with ii plump and smiling face, seemed
the only man likely to side with a
peace messenger.
After general introductions Raymond
took Il seat and at Don's request reit-
Grated his appeal for "A stay of the adj
vancing hordes.
you think they'll fight?" asked the
mayor.
Il know they'll fight
How many men does this man Num-
ro'-
Raymond raised a warning hand.
Nov, your honor AMI gentlemen, | am
here merely as Il peace envoy. | do not
intend to utter one word which could
by any force be twisted into revealing
the camp secrets. Ii | betrayed these
men my life wouldn't be worth a tooth
pick. They would quite properly mob
me-
The mayor smiled as if it were all a
Joke. ''Quite right, Mr.. Raymond. l
see the propriety of your attitude"
u don't" said Mackay. Raymond
and Kelly have elected themselves into
onlookers. If they had taken prompt
action with us in this whole matter
trouble would nave been ayerted.'
The mayor resumed his questions.
who sent you? Whom do you repre-
sent?"
Munro sent me-"
"Who is MunroY'
"He is the adviser of the president
of the union"
lies the whole thing isn't. hep"
asked the mayor.
THAT | cannot answer. He has the
confidence of the committee"
II don't suppose it will do airy good
to ask about the buried dynamite and
the Notifications on the hill?'
"None whatever"
"Then what did you hope to accom-
plish?'
Raymond fired a little. Il came here
to tell You that if You think You can
oyerawe this camp with LOCO men or
1000 men you are mistaken. Since
this trouble began hundreds of the
most reckless and dangerous charac-
4s.aa In ,l.e5--..-A is.--~4
support of the miners. These recruits
are accustomed to tie sound of guns.
Furthermore, Bozle itself-in fact. the
whole western end of tie county-is
tired of the domination of the eastern
end. and they will aid and abet the
miners. Your party is in a minority in
the state, and you cannot safely look
for support to the militia. Therefore,
for all these reasons and because |
know Munro and his men, l advise,
plead with you, to stay where you are.
There is one other consideration: The
party which | r~epresent-the free min
ers and prospectorS. like Kelly and
Bingham ana Reese-have stood aside
from this quarrel. We have had no
share in 1t. We have kept our men
out of it, but if you march against the
hill many of our fellows will join
Munro. An | want to tell you, gen
tlemen. that ont of these free miners
these rangers of the hills-is more dan
gerous tlan twenty little dagoes. A
hundred of them would stand Off 800 of
your men,
His deep earnestness impressed them
all, and n silence followed his last
words. AT last Don said:
Gentlemen. Raymond is not merely
an acquaintance; he was in my employ
for some years, and he is my friend.
l am forced to give his words great
weight. | suggest that we try to ar
range Il meeting between the miners
and ourselves and the governor and
reach some peaceful solution"
The sheriff leaped to his feet. THAT
would make us the laughingstoek of
the whole country"
Better be that than a melancholy
example of foolish pride and obsti-
Macy" Raymond interiected.
At this point the argument stuck.
Mackay, the county attorney, and the
sheriff stood for war; the mayor and
Barnett, being for the moment under
the power of Raymond's earnest
glance, pleaded rather spiritlessly for
or laact u ctav In pr~aooaJinrS