Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-06-04

q ElScllIlC, lnSu ildl, Witi-
keen, closest eyes, and that indie.
finable easy movement and polish
bearing that come from confidence,
health, and travel Unlike the others,
he did not daily on the beach nor dis
play much interest in his surround
ings, but, with purposeful frown strobe
through the press, UP into the heart Of
the city. His companion was Strives
partner, Durham, a niddle-aged, POM
pous man. They went directly to the
Offices of Durham & Strive, where
they found the white-haired junior
partner.
Mighty glad to meet you. Mr.. Nc
| Namara," said Strive. "Yonr name
is household word in my part Of the
country My people were mixed up
| in Dakota politics somewhat, so I've
always had great admiration for you
and I'm glad you've come to Alaska.
This is big country and we need big
men,"
did you have any trouble?" Dun
ham inquired when the three had adj
5ourned to a private room.
Trouble" said Strive. ruefully;
| well, wonder if | did Miss Chester
brought me your instructions O. X.
and l got busy right off. But, tell mo
this = how did you get the girl to
act as messenger"
| There was no one else to send"
answered Mcnamara. Durham IN
tended sailing in the first boat, but
| Re was detained in Washington viii
me, and the Judge had to wait for us
at Seattle. We were afraid to trust
a stranger for fear he might get cur
ious and examine the papers. That
would have meant" He moved his
| hand eloquentlJ.
Strive nodded. Il see Does she
know what was in the documents?"
DECIDEDLY not. Women and business
don't mix. hope you didn't tell her
anything"
mo; I haven't had a chance. She
seemed to take dislike to me for
some reason. haven't seen her since
the day after she got here
| "The Judge told her it had some
thing to do with preparing the way
for his court said Durham, land
that If the papers we're not delivered
before he arrived it might cause a lot
of trouble litigation, riots, blood
shed, and all that. He filled her up
on generalities till the girl was fright
ened to death and thought the safety
of her uncle and the whole country de-
pended on her"
CHAPTER v-(Continued)
! 'Well," continued Strive, tits
dead easy to hire men to jump
claims and it's dead easy to buy their
rights afterwards, pu.;ic ularly when
they know they haven't got any-but
what course do you follow when own
ers so cunning for you?"
| McNmara laughed.
who did that?"
| "A benevolent, silver-haired old
Texan pirate by the name of Dextry.
| He's one half owner in the Midas and
the other half mountain-lion; as peace
able, you'd imagine, as benediction,
but with the temperament Of a Geroni-
mo- sent Galloway out to relocate
the claim, and he got his notices up
in the night when they were asleep,
but at 6 a. m. he came flying back to
my room and nearly hammered the
door down. I've seen fright in varied
forms and phases, but he had them all.
with some added starters.
Hide me out, quick!" he painted.
What's up?' asked.
\
grizzly bear, smallpox, and sudden
death and 1t don't set well on my
stummtck Let me in
| II had to keep him hidden three
days, for this gentle-mannered old can
nibal roamed the streets with can
non in his hand, breathing fire and
pestilence."
Anybody else act up?" queried
Durham.
mo; all the rest are swedes and
they haven't got the nerve to fight.
They couldn't lick spoon If they
tried. These other men are different,
though. There are two of them, the
old one and young fellow. I'm a
little afraid to mix it up with them,
and if their claim wasn't the best in
the district, I'd say let it alone"
"I'll attend to that" said Mcnamara.
Struve resumed:
Eyes, 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 papers ! got busy instanter
clouded the title to the richest placers
| in the region, but I'm blamed If I
quite see the use of it. We'd be thrown
out of court in the land If we took
them to law. What's the game
black-mail?"
"Humph!" calculated Mcnamara.
What do you take me for?"
well, it does seem small for Alec
Mcnamara, but l can't see what else
you're up to-"
within week I'll be running
every good mine in the Nome dis
trict"
McNamara's voice was calm but
decisive, his glance keen and ebert,
while about him chung such a breath
of power and confidence that 1t COM
PEELED belief even in the face Of this
astounding speech.
In spite of himself, Wilton Strive,
lawyer, rake, end 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