Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-08-11
SILVER HoRDE:
By REX BEACH,

Copyright, 1909, By Harper s Brothers

with new light or curiosity IN MS
eyes.
II know him we'll"
s'Ah! | congratulate you. Perhaps
this is-er, Wayland money behind
your"
"That am not at liberty to discuss"
the younger man replied evasively.
sHowever, just to make your loan alb
solutely sure, / have taken steps to
sell my seasons output in advance.
The commission men will be in town
shortly, and shall contract for the
entire catch at a stipulated price. Is
that satisfactory?
entirely So" declared Mr.. Hilliard,
heartily go ahead and order your
machinery and supplies" AS Boyd
rose to go, he added, "By the way.
what do you know of the mineral pos
sibilities Of the region back of Kal.
WIKI"
"Not much; the country is new.
There is woman at Kalvilx who has
some men out prospecting"
CHERRY Malotte?"
"Do you know herr" asked Boyd
with establishment.
"Very we'll, indeed. 1 have had some
ly.'' Then, noting Boyd's evident curl
osity, he went on: "You see, have
made number of mining investments
in the North-entirely on my own &C
count" he FASTENED to explain. or
course, the bank could not do such a
thing. My operations have turned out
so we'll that l keep several men just
to follow new strikes.
elias Miss Malotte made striker
"Not exactly, but she has uncovered
some promising copper prospects,"
Him! That is news to me. 1t Is
rather a small country, after all, isn't
it," He would have. liked to ask the
banker certain further questions, but
resisted the temptation, and shortly
after plunged into his work so vigor-
ously that the subject faded wholly
from his mind.
Now it was that George Bait made
his Importance felt. In the days which
followed he and Boyd toiled early and
late, for thousand things needed do
ing at once. Promptness was, above
ali things, the essence of this enter
prise, and the lumber merchants, coal
dealers, machinery statesmen and ship
chambers with whom they dealt
vowed they never had met men who
reached their decisions so quickly and
labored not only with such consuming
haste, but with such unerring GER
tainty. There was no haggling over
prices, no loss of time ins seeking com
petitive' bids; and because. George
always knew precisely what he wanted
their task Of selection became COM
paratively easy With every detail of
the business he was familiar, from
long experience. There was no piece
of machinery that he did not know bet
ter than its makers. There was never
any hesitancy as between rival types
or loading down with superfuous gear.
His main concern was for dates OF
delivery.
Three weeks passed quickly in
strenuous effort, and then one morn
ing the partners awoke to the realiza-
ton that there was little more for
them to do Orders were in. shipments
had started. They had wellnigh COM
pleted the charter of ship, and a
sailing date had been set. There were
numerous details yet to be arranged.
but the enterprise was in motion and
what remained was simple. Despite
their desperate hurry they had made
no mistakes, and for this the credit
lay largely with Big George.
Through it all Clyde had lent them
enthusiastic if feeble assistance; and
now that the strain was off, he gave
fitting expression to his delight by
getting drunk. Being temperamental to
degree. he craved company; and.
knowing full well the opposition he
would encounter from his friends, he
annexed a bibulous following Of loaf
ers whose time hung heavy and who
were at all times eager to applaud o
loose tongue so long as it was accom-
panied by loose purse. Towards mid
night "Fingerless" Fraser cruising in
a nocturnel search for adventure and
profit, found him in semi-maudlin
state, descanting vigorously to his
train; and, upon catching mention Of
the Kalvik fisheries. snatched him
homeward and put him to bed, after
which he locked him into his room.
threw the key over the transom and
stood guard outside until assured that
he slept.
At an early hour the adventurer
was peremptorily reused to find Elmer
son hammering at his door in fine
fury.
"What is this?" demanded Boyd,
thrusting a morning paper before Fra
ser's sleepy eyes.
"It is newspaper" yawned the
other-"a regular newspaper"
Where did this story come from?'
With menacing finger Boyd indicated
a front column, headed:
NEW ENEMY OF THE SALMON
TRUST!
FIRST GUN FIRED IN BATTLE FOR
FISHERIES!