Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1907-09-12

respectable robbery. What possible
good could lave come Of mobs killing
Eie and the bandits dividing my
estate?
But why should l seek 20 justify
myself? | care not a rap for the
opinion OF my fellow men, They
sought my life when they should have
been hailing me as a ~deliverer; now,
they look up to me because they false
ly believe mc guilty OF sn infamy.
lily guarss expected 10 be recalled
on Tuesday. But Melville heard
what crawford had done about me.
and s~traightway used his influence to
have me detained until the new grip
of the old gang was secure. Saturday
afternoon we put in at Newport foe
the daily communication with the shore,
When the launch returned, Mulholland
brought the papers to me, lounging
aft in a mass of cushions under the
awning. I'VE are going ashore" said
he. "The order has come"
l had a sudden sense of loneliness
I'll take you down to New York"
said I. II prefer to land my guests
where l shipped them"
As we steamed slowly westward !
read the papers. The country was
rapidly ~readjusting itself, was return
ing to the conditions before the up
heaval. The "fnanclers"-the same
old gang, except for a few of the
weaker brethren ruined and a few
strong outsiders, who had slipped in
during the confusion-were employing
all the old, familiar devices for deceiv-
ing and robbing the people, The up
set milking-stool was righted, and the
mixer was seated again nd busy, the
good old COY standing without so
much as shake of horn or switch OF
tail. "Mulholland," said l, what do
you think of this business of living?'
"I1l tell you, Mr.. Blackjack" said
he. 81 used to fuss and fret a good
deal about it. But I don't any more
|, I've got a house up in the Bronx, and
q bit of land round It. And there'S
, Mrs. Mulholland and four little Mulhol
, lands and me-that's my country and
my party and my religion. The res
is off my beat, and | don't give q
damn for 1t. l don't care which fakil
gets to be president, or which swim
dler gets to be rich. Everything
works out somehow, and the bes
any man en- do is to mind his OWL
business"
"Mulholland-Mrs. Mulholland-fou
little Mulhollands," said l, refectively
That's about as much as one mai
could attend to properly. And-yo1
are ON the level aren't you?"
Some say honesty's the best pol
Icy" replied he. Some say it isn't
l don't know, and l don't care, wheth
err it is or it isn't. It's my policy
And we six seem to have got aloni
. on it so far"
1 Sent my guests" ashore the mex
morning.
\ mo, I'll stay aboard" said l t
Mulholland, as he stood aside for m
to precede him down the gangwa
from the launch. ! went into tn
watch-pocket of my trousers and Dire
out the folded two $1,O00-bills l Away
carried-it was a habit formed in m
youthful, gambling days. handle
him one Of the bills. He hesitated.
For the four little Mulhollands."
urged.
. He put 1t In his pocket. / watche
him and his men depart with a heav
heart. | felt alone, horribly alon
without a tie or an interest. Som
of the morning papers spoke respec
fully of me as one of the strong me
who had ridden the flood and ha
been landed by it on the heights {
wealth and power. Admiration an
envy lurked even In sneers at n
"unscrupulous plotting" Since I ha
wealth, plenty of wealth, l did nj
need character. OF what use ws
character in such a world except
a commodity to exchange for wealth
ANY orders, sir?" interrupted n
captain.
/ looked round that vast and WV
scene of sea and land activities.
looked along the city's titanic sky-lil
the mighty fortresses of trade al
commerce piercing the heavens al
flinging to the wind their black ba
ners of defiance. I felt that l WI
under the walls of hell itself.
ITO get away from this" replied
to the waiting captain. Go ba'
down the Sound-to Dawn HILL"
Yes, / would go to the peacef,
soothing country, to my dogs a.
as horses and those faithful servan
er- bound to me by our common love f
he the same animals. Men to Gro
ey swords with, to amuse oneself with
nd unused; but dogs and horses
en- live with" l pictured myself at t
he kennels-the joyful uproar the insta
instinct warned the dogs of my co.
In ing; how they would leap and ba
eg. and tremble in a very ecstasy of {
lid light as l stood among them; be
jealous all the others would be, as
lar selected one to caress.
in Send her ahead as fast as she
m. 60" I called to the captain.
M Ito be Continued.)