The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1907-12-20
Continued from last week.
CHAPTER XII.

During the last month he hadchafed
and fretted like an animal in leash
for word of Wheaton This uncertainty,
this impotent waiting with folded
hands, was maddening TO one of his
spirit. He could apply himself to no
fixed duty, for the sense Of his wrong
preyed on him fiercely, and he found
himself haunting the vicinity of the
Midas, gazing at it from afar, grasp
ing hungrily for such scraps OF news
as CHANGED to reach him. Mcnamara
allowed access TO none but his min
Ions, so the partners knew but vague
ly of what happened on their prop
erty, even though under fiction OF the
law, it was being worked for their
protection.
No steps regarding speedy hearing
Of the case were allowed. and the col
fusion between Judge Stillman and the
receiver had become so generally rec
ogniZed that there were uneasy NUT
terings and threats in many quarters.
Yet, although the politician had 10y
now virtually absorbed all the richest
properties in the district and worked
them through his hirellngs, the people
Of Nome, as whole, did not grasp the
full turpitude Of the scheme nor the
systems perfect working.
Strange to say, Dextry, the fire eater,
had assumed an oriental patience quite
foreign to his peppery disposition and
spent much of his time in the hills
prospecting.
On this day, as the clouds broke
about noon, close down on the angry
horizon a drift of smoke appeared,
shortly resolving itself into steamer.
She lay to in the offing. and through
his glasses Glenister saw that 1t was
the Roanoke. AS the hours passed and
no boat put off, he tried to hire a crew,
but the longshoremen spat wisely and
shook their heats as they watched the
surf.
''There's the devil of an undertow
eettin along this beach," they told
him, "and the waters too cold TO
drownd in comfortable" So he laid
firm hands upon his impatiehce.
Every day meant many dollars to
the watcher. and yet it seemed that
nature was resOlute In thwarting him.
for that night the wind freshened, and
daylight saw the ship hugging the lee
OF Sledge island, miles to the west
ward, while the surf, white as boiling
milk, doomed and Numbered against
the shore.
Word had gone through the street
that Bill Wheaton was aboard with
writ or subpoena or an alibi or what
ever was necessary to put the "kibosh"
on Mcnamara, so public excitement
grew. Mcnamara boarded his gold in
the Alaska bank, and ii was taken for
granted that there would lie the scene
Of the struggle. No one supposed for
an instant that the usurper would part
with the treasure peaceably.
On the third morning the ship lay
abreast of the town again, and n life
boat was seen to make off from her,
whereupon the idle population stream
ed toward the beach.
She'll make it TO the surf all right.
but then watch out"
"We'd better make ready to haul 'em
out" said another. Its mighty dan
gerous." And, sure enough, as the
skiff came rushing in through the
breakers she was caught.
She had made it past the first line,
soaring over the bar on foamy roller
crest ike a storm driven gull winging
in toward the land. The wiry figure
of Bill Wheaton crouched in the stern,
while two sailors fought with their
oars. AS they gathered for their rush
through the last zone of froth Il great
comber rose out Of the sea behind
them, rearing high above their heads.
The crowd on the surfs edge shouted.
The boat wavered, sucked back into
the oceans ANGRY nav, and with a
crash the deluge engulfed them. There
remained nothing but a swirling flood
through which the lifeboat ,emerged
bottom up, amid tangle of oars, graf
ings and gear.
Men rushed into the water, and the
next roller pounded them back upon
the marble hard sand. There came the
sound of splitting wood, and then a
group swarmed in waist deep and bore
out dripping figure. 1t was hemp
en- headed seaman, who shook the wa
ter from his name and grinned when
his breath had come.
A step farther down the beach the
bystanders seized limp form which
the tide rolled to them. 1t was the
second sailor. his scalp split from a
blow of the gunwale. Nowhere was
Wheaton.
Glenister had plunged to the rescue
first, a heaving line about his middle.
and, although buffeted about, he had
reached the wreck, only to miss sight
Of the lawyer utterly. He had time
for but glance when he was drawn
outward by the undertow till the line
ut his waist grew taut, then the water
surged over him and he was hurled
high up on the beach again. He stag
gered dizzily back TO the struggle.
when suddenly wave lifted the cap
sized cutter and righted II, and out
from beneath shot the form Of Whea-
ton, grimly clutching the life ropes.
They brought him in choking and
- III q A.