The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1907-04-15

hara in. II was q blessing In them
without any disguise when the riYalr.
between young Jack Hunt and Sibley
Gawthrop for the hand and the money
and the affections Of Edith AthertoD
became public property. 1t was most
of all a blessing to Gardiner. the
smartest new man on the San Fran
cisco Chronicle, who knew both of the
boys we'll
For how could any STORY fill to
pay dividends when two of the swag
ger "Anglo-Franco-Ca lifornians, the
most beautiful girl on the coast. and
Shanghai Smith, the most scouadrelly
boarding house keeper ON the Pacific
played leading parts In the drama?
And when one reflects that San Fran
cisco, the Pacific itself and the At
lantlc. and the Sailors Home in Wey
street, London, came into the news
paper play quite naturally, it seems
obvious there was meat for any repor
ter's teeth.
Gardiner of course, was not in the
heightened gang to which Hunt and
Gawthrop belonged, but he knew them
both very we'll although he had only
been In California a short year lie
knew every one in San Francisco
from the biggest toughs on Telegraph
Hill, and the political bosses. to the
big pots and their womankind. He
kE W Miss Atherton, too. He wanted
to know her better. Though ne was
Oh the staff of the Chronicle, it was
his own fault. If he could have only
got on with his father in Ne York,
he might have been as rich as Hunt
himself. But the boy who cannot
differ on vital points with his father
before he Is sixteen is no true Ameri-
can and Gardiner was U. s. to his
fingertips.
I'll get there yet" said Gardiner.
His chance was coming. There are
more ways of succeeding than one.
How is it you bow to a reporter
on the Chronicle, my dear?' asked
friend of Edith Atherton's. Il under
stand that is what lie is"
Il do it because he might have
been my brother said Edith Ather-
ton.
What do you mean?"
81 mean that his father nearly mar.
ried my mother" said Edith; but he
was too autocratic and he married an
Englishwoman. don't wonder
George Gardiner could not hit it off
with him. Pood boy; | wish he
could"
Certainly he was far finer-loohlng
than either Hunt or Gawthrop-that
is the way her friend interpreted the
girls sigh
And he's cleverer. too" said the
older woman acutely; 'neyerthe-
less
And nevertheless" was very easy
to interpret
(Which will it be, wonder?" said
her friend.
The solution lay on the knees Of
the gods, and in the hands of Shang
hal Smith,
That night Hunt met Gardiner at
the club by chance and stayed with
him all the evening.
What are you looking so down
about" asked the newspaper man.
You are drinking too much Ease up
on it.
Indeed Hunt was drinking too
much. He drank enough to loosen his
tongue.
Damn that Gawthrop!" he said
"Ah. see cried Gardiner; ia
that it?"
And Hunt nodded sulllily. Then he
wept.
IF he was only out of the way" he
moaned, q believe I could work the
racket with her"
Gardiner shrugged his shoulders,
All well, buck up. Come on. I'm
going to the Office
They walked into Kearney street
and turned east towards the Chronicle
Offices. As they passed Bush street a
very hardlooking citizen nodded to
Gardiner.
Who's that?" asked Hunt.
Don't YOU know him? That's
Shanghai Smith, the biggest scoun-
drel unhuns He's a sailors crimp,
and a daylight robber and a man with
pull.
Certainly Smith had some political
power In 'ie United Sits II is
imposSible to avoid politics and the