Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1909-05-19
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get something for his stomach trou-
bic"
AT Stark's he found Il large crowd
of the new men, who welcomed him
heartily, plying him with countless
questions and barking to his maudlin
tales of this new country which to him
was old. He had followed the muddy
river from Crater lake to the delta.
searching the bars and creek beds in a
tireless quest till lie knew each stream
ard tributary. ard. like Gale, he had
lived these many years ahead of the
law, where each man was his own
court of appeals and where crime was
unknown.
"Oh, there's lots of countries worse'n
this" lie declared. I've may not be
very handsome to the naked eye, and
we may not wear our handk'chiefs In
our shirt cuffs. but there amt no wild
ders and orphans dom our washin',
and a man can walk away from his
house, stay n menth and find it there
when lie comes back"
"Those days are past" said Stark.
There's too many new people coming
IN for all to be honest"
They'd better be-" said Lee ag-
gressively. 1--WE amt got no room for
stealers. Why, had hand in maxim
the bylaws of this camp myself, long
with John Gale. and they stiplates
that any person caught robbin' cache
is to be publicly whipped in front of
the tradin' post; then, If It's winter
time. he's to be turned loose on the ice
barefooted. or. If It's summer. he's to
be set adrift on log with hfs shirt
off,"
"Either would mean certain DEATH"
said a stranger--"fros in winter, mos
quitoes in summer!"
"That's all right" another bystander
declared. "a mans life depends on
his grub up here, and I'd be in favor of
enforcing that punishment to the let
ter"
"All the same, take no chances"
said Stark. There's too many stran.
gers here. Just TO show you how
stand, I've put Ru,,nion on guard over
my pile of stuff, and I'll be glad when
it's under cover. 1t isn't the severity
of punishment that keeps man from
going wrong; it's the certainty Of it,
"Well, he'd sure get it. and get it
| proper, in this camp" declared Lee,
and at that moment, rs if his words
had been challenge, the flaps of the
great tent were thrust aside, and Run.
MON half led, half threw man into
the open space before the bar.
| Lets have a look at you," he pant.
ed. ''Wcll, if it amt nigger!'
whats up?" cried the men crowd.
ing about the prisoner, who crouched
terror stricken, in the trampled mud
and moss, while those playing roulette
and "banll" left tile tables, followed
by the dealers.
Hes thief" said Runnion, mop
ping the sweat from his brow. 81
caught him after your grub pile, Stark.
He dropped crate of hams when ]
came upon him and tried to run, but
dropped him." A trickle of blood
from the negroes head showed how he
had been fclled.
"Why didn't you shoot% growled
| Stark angrily, ut which the negro half
arose and broke into excited deninls
of his guilt. Runiion kicked him saw
agely, while the crowd murmured ap-
prevail.
ing his way through the others. Fix
ing his one eye upon the wretch. lie
spoke impressively.
| You're the first downright thief
ever seen. Was you hungryT
mo; he's got plenty" answered one
of the tenderfeet. He's got bigger
outfit than have"
"TLcn / reckon it's q divine manffeS-
tation," said mo Creek" Lee tcarfully.
"This black party is goin' to furnish
an example as viii elevate the moral
tone of our community for a year.
"What y'all aim to dog whined the
thief.
"We're goin' to try you" announced
the. one eyed miner, land If you're
found guilty, rs you certainly are goin
to be, you'll be 1ogged. after which
pcrdicament you'll have a nice ride
downstream on saw log without
your laundry"
"But the mosquitoes"-
100 bad you didn't think of then
before. Let's get ut this. boys, ant
have it over with"
A miners meeting was called on Thu
spot and Il messenger sent hurryins
to the post for the book in which wa:
recorded the laws of tile men who hat
made the camp. The crowd was de
termiLed that this should be done lie
gally and as prescribed by ancient Gus
tom up and down the river. There
was no defense for the culprit, and Il,
offered none. being too scared TO d,
more than plead. The proceeding
We're quiet and grim and were wei
nigh over when Lieutenant Burrel
walked into the saloon. He had beer
in his quarters all day, fighting flgh
with himself, and in the late evening
rebelling against his war with his con
science he had sailed out and, draw
by the crowd in Stark's place, had eli
tered. -
A man replied to his whispered qnes
4 lloll, Iib lli- nm VIC lol LLls
meeting was under Lees domination
and the miners maintained an orderl,
and Dusinesslike procedure. The mat
ter of fact. relentless expedition of thu
affair shocked Burrell incXpresslbly
and. seeing Poleon and Gale near by,;hi
edged toward them, thinking that they
surely could not be in sympathy will
this Larbarous procedure.
You don't understand. lieutenant
said Gale in a low voice. This niggel
is thicf!'
Gentlemen" announced Burrell
standing near the ashen gray wretcl
and facing the tentful of men, "thI
man is a thief, but you can't kill hint
Stark. leaned across the bar, hi
eyes blazing. and touched the lieuten
ant on the shoulder.
"Do you mean to take IL hand in al
of my affairs?"
"This isn't your affair. It's mine,
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