The Red Cloud chief., 1907-11-01

Nv NV H"iN'N w ~ ~ ~ '''
the whole country depended on her"
We'll" continued strive, ITS dead
easy to hire men TO jump claims, and
It's dead easy TO buy their rights after
ward. particularly when they know
! they haven't got any. But what course
do YOU follow when owners so cunning
for youI'
Mcnamara laughed.
"Who did that?"
"A benevolent. silver haired old Tex
an pirate by the name of DeXtry. He's
one-half owner in the Midas and the
| other half mountain lion, as p~eaceable.
| you'd imagine, as a benediction, but
| with the temperament of Il Geronimo.
I sent Galloway out to relocate the
| claim, and he got his notices up in he
night when they were asleep, but at q
IL. m. he came flying back to my room
| and nearly hammered the door down.
! I've seen fright in varied forms and
! phases. but lie had them all, with some
added starters.
"'IIidc me out. quick! he painted.
whats upE' | asked.
"'I'vc stirred up Il breakfast of griz-
zly bear, smallpox and sudden death,
and ii don't set well on my stuinmick.
Let me in
Il had to keep him hidden three days.
for this gentle hammered old cannibal
! roamcd the streets with a cannon in
his hand. breathing fire and peStilence.'
Anybody else act up" queried Dun
ham.
mo; all the rest are Swedes, and
they haven't got the nerve tn fight.
They couldn't HEX Il spoon If they
, tried. These other men are different,
though. There are two of them-the
old one and n young fellow. I'm II lit
tie afraid 10 mix it up with them, and
II their claim wasn't the best In the
! district I'd say let it alone"
I'll attend to that" said Mcnamara.
Strive resumed:
"Yes, gentlemen. I've been working
| pretty hard and also pretty much in
the dark so far. I'm cropping for light.
When Miss Chester brought in the pa
pers | got busy iustanter. | cloudcd
the title to the richest placcrs in the
region, but I'm blamed if | quite see
the use OF il. We'd he thrown out of
any court in the land If we took them
to law. What's the game-blackmailT'
"Humph." calculated Mcnamara.
What do you take me for:"
well. 1t 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-
~cisiye, his glance Keen and alert, while
about him chung such a breath of
power and confidence that 1t compelled
belief even in the face of this astound-
ing speech.
lawyer, rake and gentlemanly adven-
turer, 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 n 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, were incorporated-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 l want you to be satisfied who's
behind me-"
Lord, I'm satisfied" said Strive,
laughing ~nervously. Durham 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 1t. But,
say, suppose anything went wrong
with the company and 1t leaked out
who those stockholders are?"
There's no danger. | 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 a light of
admiration grew and shone in the
reckless face Of Strive.