The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1907-12-10

have not yet becoii, intelligent snc
competent enough to be free, then
and not until then did / abandon the
hopeless struggle.
And | did not go over to the ban
dts; | simply resumed my OWE neg
lected personal affairs and mal9 Vile
Week at least a personal triumph.
There is nothing of the spectacular
In my makeup. ! have no belief In
the value of martyrs and martyrdom.
Causes are not won-and In my hum
BILE opinion never have been won-in
the g%raveyards. Alive and afoot and
armed, and true to my cause, | am
the dreaded menace TO systematic and
respectable robbery. What possible
good could have come of mobs killing
me and the bandits dividing my
estate?
But why should l seek to 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 d%eliverer; now,
they look up to me because they false
ly believe me guilty of an infamy.
My guards expected to be recalled
on Tuesday. But Melville heard
what Crawford had done about me,
and straightway Used his influence to
have me detained until the new grip
of the old gang was secure. Saturday
afternoon we put in at Newport for
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. 1--WE 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 l. 81 prefer to land my guests
where l shipped them"
AS we steamed slowly westward |
read the papers. The country vas
rapidly readjusting itself, was return.
ing to the conditions before the up
heaval. The "financiers'-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.
r set milking-stool was righted, and the
mixer was seated again nd busy, the
good old COW standing without so
much as shake of horn or switch of
tail. "Mulholland," said l, what do
you think of this business of living?"
"Tll tell you, Mr.. Blackjack" said
he. 81 used to fuss and fret a good
deal about 1t. But 1 don't any more.
I've got a house up in the Bronx, and
a bit of land round 1t. And there's
Mrs. Mulholland and four little Mulhol
lands and me-that's my country and
my party and my religion. The resi-
is off my beat, and | don't give a
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 best
: any man en- do is to mind his OWE
business"
, "Mulholland-Mrs. Mulholland-foul
little Mulhollands," said l, refectively
\ That's about as much as one maj
could attend to properly. And-yol
are on the level aren't you?"
Some say honesty's the best pol
ICY" replied he. Some say it isn't
1 don't know, and l don't care, wheth
er it is or it isn't. It's my policy
And we six seem to have got alonl
on it so far"
1 sent my guests" ashore the mex
morning.
mo, I'll stay aboard" said 1 t
M~ulholland, as he stood aside for M
to precede him down the gangwa,
from the launch. l went into tn
watch-pocket of my trousers and dreV
out the folded two 81, 000-bills l Away
carried-ft was a habit formed in m
youthful, gambling days. 1 handle
him n of the bills. He hesitated.
For the four little Mulhollands,"
urged.
He put 1t in his. pocket. 1 watche
him and his men depart with a heav
heart. I felt alone, horribly alone
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. anu power. AumlrduOu an
envy lurked even in sneer at m
INSCRIPTIONS plotting" Since I ha
wealth, plenty of wealth, 1 did nj
need character. OF what use wa
character in such a world except
a commodity to exchange for wealth
amy orders, sir?" interrupted N
captain.
1 looked round that vast and vivi
Nv scene Of sea and land activities.
looked along the city's titanic sky-liI
o. the mighty fortresses of trade ar
commerce piercing the heavens ar
ID finging to the wind their black ba
ners of defiance. l felt that 1 w'
under the walls of hell itself.
RS ITO get away from this" replied
at to the waiting captain. Go baC
IT. down the Sound-to Dawn HILL"
rs, Yes, I would go to the peacefl
soothing country, to my dogs al
We horses and those faithful servan