Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-08-15
BY REX E. BEACH.
Strive resumed:


| the dark so far I'm cropping for light.
When Miss Chester brought in the pa
pers | got busy instanter. l clouded
the title to the richest placers IN the
region, but I'm blamed if ! quite see
| the use Of it. We'd be thrown out of
any court in the land if we took them
to law. What's the game blackmail? r
"Humphr' calculated Mcnamara.
What do you take me for?"
.sWell, it does seem small for Alec
Mcnamara, but can't see what else
you're up to."
"Within a week I'll be running every
good mine in the Nome district"
McNamara's voice was calm, but de-
-cisive, his glance keen and alert, while
about him chung such breath of
power and confidence that it compelled
belief even in the face Of this astound-
ing speech.
| In spite of himself Wilton Strive,
lawyer, rake and gentlemanly adven-
surer, felt his heart leap at what the
others daring implied. The PROPOSE
ton was utterly past belief, and yet,
looking into the mans purposeful eyes,
| he believed.
That's big-awful big-too big" the
younger man murmured. why, man,
It means you'll handle $4,000 a day!''
| Durham shifted his feet in the ST.
lence and licked his dry lips.
"Of course it's big, but Mr.. McNa-
mara's the biggest man that ever came
to Alaska,, he said.
And I've got the biggest scheme
| that ever came north, backed by the
biggest men in Washington" continued
the politician. Look here!" He dis
played a typewriter sheet bearing
| parallel lists of names and figures.
Strive gasped incredulously.
Those are my stockholders, and
that is their share in the venture. oh,
yes, we're ncorporated-under the
laws of Arizona; secret, of course. 1t
would never do for the names to get
out. I'm showing you this only be-
cause / want you to be satisfied who's
behind me-
Lord, Tn satisfied" said Struve,
laughing nervously. "Dunham was
with you when you figured the scheme
out, and he met some of your friends
in Washington and New York. If he
says it's all right, that settles it, But,
say, suppose anything went wrong
with the company and it leaked out
who those stockholders are?''
There's no danger l have the
books where they will be burned at the
first sign We'd have had our own
land laws passed but for Sturtevant Of
Nevada, curse him. He blocked us
in the senate. However. my plan is
this" He rapidly outlined his PROPOSE.
ton to the listeners, while light of
admiration grew and shone in the
reckless face of Strive.
by heavens. you're wonders" he
cried at the close. "And I'm with you
body and soul. It's that's
why l like it."
.Dangerous?" Mcnamara shrugged
his shoulders. "Bahl Where is the
danger? We've got the law, or, rather.
we are the law. Now, let's get to
work.
IT seemed that the boss of North
Dakota was no sluggard. He discard
ed coat and waistcoat and tackled the
documents which Strive laid before
him. going through them like whirl.
wind Gradually he infected the 9th
ers with his energy, and soon behind
| the locked doors of Durham s. Strive
there were only haste and fever and
| plot and intrigue.
AS Helen Chester led the judge to.
ward the fiamboyant. three stored no
| tel she prattled to him light heartedly.
| The fascination of a new land already
| held her fast, and now she felt, In adj
| dition, security and relief. Glenister
saw them from distance and strobe
| forward to greet them.
He beheld man of perhaps three
score years. benign of aspect save for
the eyes, which were neither clear mol
| steady, but had the trick of looking
/ past one Glenister thought the mouth,
| too, rather weak and yacillating, but
the clean shaven face was dignified by
learning and acumen and was wrin-
killed. in pleasant fashion.
my niece has just told me of your
service to her." the old gentleman be
gan. Il am happy to know you, SIR
Besides being brave knight and
assisting ladies in distress, Mr.. Clients
ter is a very great and wonderful
man, Helen explained lightly He
owns the Midas"
"Indeedlv said the old man, his
shifting eyes now resting full on the
other with a fash of unmistakable in.
terest Il hear that is wonderful
mine. Have you begun work YETI"
mo. Wen commence sluicing day
after tomorrow 1t has been a late
spring, The snow in the gulch was
deep and the ground thaws slowly.
We've been building houses and doing
| dead work, but we've got our men on
the ground waiting"
II am greatly interested. Won't you