Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1909-01-29
Illustrated by
| DENMAN FINK
CHAPTER VIII THE Knife.

] members of society came around the cab
/ in and let fall their packs, greeting the
occupants boisterously.
well. well!' said Lee. coming to the
door. You're travelin' kind OF early,
. amt your
! ''Yes-early and late" one of them
/ laughed, while the other two sprawled
| about as IL to rest.
/ How far are you goin'T'
! Not far" the spokesm answered.
/ Now in the north there is one formali-
/ ty that must be observed with friend or
| enemy, and. though Lee knew these men
+ for what they were, he said:
aBetter have some breakfast, anyhow"
I'VE lust ate" There was an uncom-
: Portable pause, then the speaker contin-
ued: Look here. It's no use to flush
| around. We want piece OF this creek.
What are you goin' TO do with it?'
"Cut that out, Lee. We're on
who wised you up to this?' inquired
the miner. angrily, for he had other
| friends besides those present whom he
wished to profit by this strike, and he
had hoped to keep out Thu scum.
Never mind who put us Jerry.
We're here. amt we?"
Stark spoke up. You can't keep news
OF a gold strike when the wind blows,
Lee. It travels on the breeze"
The harm was done, and there was no
use In concealment, so Lee reluctantly
I told them OF his discovery and warned
/ them Of the stakes already placed.
And see here, you fellers," he con-
cluded. 1--WE been forty years at this
game and never hal creek named after
me, but this one Is goin' to be called
mo Creek Lee creek or I fight
Does IT GOT"
sure. that's a good name. and Wen
vote for It."
Then go as far as you like" said the
miner, dismissing them curtly.
'T'u stay along with the boys and show
them where our upper stakes are" vol
unteered Stark. and Runnion offered to do
the same. adding that il ere best to
make sure Of no conflict so early in the
game. The five disappeared into the
woods. leaving the others at the cabin
to make preparations for the homeward
trip.
THAT man who did the talking is. tin
horn gambler who drifted in a month
ago. the same as Runnion, and the 9TH
ers amt much better" said Gale, when
they had gone Seems like the crooks
+ always beat the straight men in
Never knowed it to fall" Lee agreed.
! There's a dozen good men in camp I'd
like to see in on this find. but it IL be
too late gin we get back"
Dose bum an saloon Teller got all de
bes' claims at Klondike," said Poleon.
II guess it's goin' be de same here"
IT don't like the look OF this" OBJ
served the lieutenant, thoughtfully. I'm
afraid there's some kind Of job on
foot"
There's nothing they can do" Gale
answered.
We've got our ground stal1ed out. and
it's up to them to choose what's left"
1 They were nearly ready TO set out for
Flambeau when the FIVE men returned.
Before you CO." said Stark, II think
/ we'd better organize our mining district.
There are enough present to do it."
I'VE can make the kind OF laws we
| want before the gang comes along"
Runnion chimed in, land elect a recorder
who will give us a square deal"
'Tn agree If we give Lee the Job, !"
said Gale. ats coming 20 him as the
diseoverer and reckon the money will
be handy. seeing the hard luck he's
played in" 80
That's agreeable to me-" Stark re-
piled, ard proceeded forthwith to call a
miners meeting, being himself straight
way nominated as chairman by one Of
the strangers There was no objection,
so he went in, as did Lee. who was
made secretarEs with instructions to
write out the business Of the meeting,
together with the bylaws as they were
passed.
The group assembled in the cleared
space before the cabin to make rules
and regulations governing the district
for IL is a custom in all mining sections
removed from authority for the prop
erty holders thus to make local laws
governing the size of claims, the amount
Of assessment work, the size Of the re-
corder's fees, the character OF those who
may hold mines, and such other ques-
} - 1,saf- No
OF property interests. In the days prior
to the establishment OF courts and the
adoption of a code Of laws for Alaska
the entire country was governed in this
way, even to the adjudication Of Grim
inaI actions 1t was the primitive ma
i jority rule that prevails in every new
| land, and the courts later recognized and
\ approved the laws so made and admin
listered. even when they differed In every
district, and even when these statutes
were often grotesque and ridiculous. As
whole, however, they were direct in
their effect and worked no hardship; In
fact, government by miners meeting is
. looked upon 10 this day, by those who
lived under II. as vastly superior to the
complicated machinery which later took
J its place.
The law permits six or more people
to organize a mining district and adopt
| arIlCleS OF government SO THIS AhSNdAASS
was quite ordinary and proper. Scr
Lee had come by his learning slowly
and he wrote after the fashion Of 9
school boy, who views his characters
from every angle and follows their in
tricacies with corresponding movements
Of the tongue, hence the business Of the
meeting progressed slowly.
L. was of wondrous interest to Necis
TO be an integral part OF such important
matters, and she took pride in voting or
} every question; but Burrell, who OBJ
served the proceedings from neutral
ground, could not shake OF the notion
that all was not right. Things moved
too smoothly. 1t looked as If there hac
been a rehearsal. Poleon and the trader
Z however, seemed not to notice IL, ano
Lee was wallowing to the waist in his
! own troubles, so the young man kept his
eyes open and waited.
r The surprise came when they had com
r pleted the organization OF the distric
} and had nearly finished adopting by
: laws. II was so boldly attempted anC
/ so crude in its working-out that /
! seemed almost laughable to the soldier
until he saw these men were In deadli
[ earnest and animated by the cruelest o.
E motives. Moreover, IL showed the frs
j, glimpse Of Stark's spite against tn
: trader, which the Lieutenant had dt
D vined.
Runnion moved the adoption OF ruiz