Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1906-10-05

| by any force be twisted into revealing
the camp secrets. If betrayed these
men my life wouldn't be worth tooth.
pick. They would quite properly mob
| me-"
The mayor smiled as if 1t were all
joke. "Quite right, Mr.. Raymond. 1
see the propriety of your attitude"
II 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 have been averted."
The mayor resumed his questions.
"Who sent you? Whom do you repre-
sent?"
Munro sent me-"
who Is Munro2'
'He is the adviser of the president
Of the union"
Hes the whole thing isn't he2"
asked the mayor.
"That cannot answer. He has the
confidence Of the committee"
II don't suppose it will do any good
to ask about the buried dynamite and
the Notifications on the hill?"
"None whatever"
"Then what did you hope to accom-
plish?"
Raymond fred little. II came here
to tell you that If you think you can
overawe this camp with 1000 men or
1000 men you are mistaken. Since
this trouble began hundreds of the
most reckless and dangerous charac-
| tiers in the west have fiocked to Sky in
support Of the miners. These recruits
are accustomed to the sound of guns.
Furthermore, BoZle itself-in fact, the
whole western end of the county-is
tired Of the domination Of the eastern
end, and they will aid and abet the
miners. Your party Is in q minority in
the state, and you cannot safely look
for support to the militia. Therefore,
for all these reasons and because I
know Munro and his men, advise, !
plead with you, to stay where you are.
There is one other considerations: The
party which represent-the free min
ers and prospectors, like Kelly and
| Bingham and 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. And I want to tell you, gen.
| tlemen, that one Of these free miners
these rangers Of the hills-is more dam
gerous than twenty little dagoes. A
hundred of them would stand of 500 of
| your men,"
his deep earnestness impressed them
all, and a silence followed his last
words. At last Don said:
SGentlemen, Raymond is not merely
an acquaintance; he was in my employ
for some years, and he Is my friend.
I am forced to give his words great
| weight. suggest that we try to ar
range a meeting between the miners
and ourselves and the governor and
reach some peaceful solution"
The sheriff leaped to his feet 'sThat
! would make us the laughingstock of
the whole country
Better be that than a melancholy
example Of foolish pride and ehsti-
macy" Raymond ipterjeoted.
At this point the argument stuck.
l
sheriff stood for war; the mayor and
Barnett, being for the moment under
the power of Raymond's earnest
glance, pleaded rather spiritlessly for
| at least q stay in proceedings.
| ~ think 1t all ruse to gain time"
said Mackay. 81 think we ought to
hold this man here and march Mt once.
He is known to be q friend OF Munro.
Il we allow him to go back he will in
form"-
Raymond smiled grimly. my serv-
Ices as spy are not needed. Every
movement you make will be watched
by hundred eyes. and back of the
eyes will be a gun"
The mayor rose. "Well, gentlemen,
! don't see that we can decide any
thing here. We have Mr.. Raymond's
opinion that our attack on the hill will
result in disaster. The sheriff is conf
dent he can win practically without a
struggle. This is no place to take a
vote on SO momentous a subject"
Here he looked at his watch. "And it
/ Is lunchtime. I suggest that we go to
lunch and meet at o'clock in the
committee ROOM" - :"
After they ware wen cut of the
house Barnett said; "You see how it is.
They are MEMORABLE"
"May come in?" asked Mrs. Bar
nett at the door, Luncheon is wait
Ing"
Certainly said Don. "The council
is over"
"feu Welrs all Very quiet. expected
| to hear loud voices and tho sound of
blows" She came toward Raymond.
her race sweet With kindly interest.
Elbow do you do, Robert? It's good to
see you. How well you look" AS
they moved toward the door she added
In low voiee, Il want to talk with
you about-you know Who"
She put him at her left hand and Ann
next him, an arrangement which pleas.
ed him. The table was filed, as usual,
with people ION their way to Califor-
nia," and Raymond felt himself to be
the object of comment both above and
below board, and it irritated him a
little.
This is y long way from Sky" he
aaid to Ann as his eyes absorbed the
shining. flower decked table and its
tasteful service. "You left Just In
time 1t is white with snow up there
| today, and bleak and cold, Have YOU