The Alaska citizen., 1910-12-05
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George Randolph Chester
 In Saturday Evening Post.

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 ~Youm tel me when you're going .o do it. won't you2' he asked ban tertugly. and. full head taller rhau Mir. Bates. siared down at h.n a moment in contempt. Then he laughed. I'll give you ten to one the lights will flicker he offer ea to bet. T wouldn't stop such a cunning chance for exercises for real money" and. whirling upon his heel Mr. Ripley started upon his usual preliminary examination of dyuamoE and engines and boil eGs-
 Quite nonchalanrly Mr Bates, putting at a particularly villainous -tor'c and with his hands resting 'diy in his pockets swung after Mir. Ripley. keeping within almost pre- aisely four feet of him. In the boil cr room. Ripley. finding Biff still at his heels. said 10 the fireman, with jerk of his thumb over his shoul- der.
 -Rocksey. be sure you keep good head of steam on tonight if you're a friend of mine This is MT. Assistant Works back here, and he's come to knock my block off if the lights flicker"
 "Rocksey." a lean man with gray 1eard.bristles like pins and with muscles iu astounding humps upon his grimy arms surveyed Mir. Bates with a grin.
 Ring q bell when it starts, will you Con?" he requested.
 To this Bin paid not the slightest attention. gazing stolidly at the red fir where it ~hone through the holes
 f he furnace doors; but when Mir. Ripley moved away Bin moved also. Ripley introduced Eff in much the same terms to tau man who was niiiug he big. old-fashionel Corliss. and a sudden gleam came into the -all mans eyes as he recognized Mr Bates, but he turned back to his
 fling without smile or comment. Ripley eyed him sharply.
 "NouH hold the sponge and water bottle for me. won't you. Daly?" he asked with an evident attempt at ionia! conciliation
 Daly deliberately wiped the slend- or nose of his oil can and went on fling
 What's the matter?" asked Ripley with a trown. Got a erouch again?'
 Yes, have" admitted Daly with nut looking up. and shrugged his shoulders
 Then cut il out" said Ripley.
 and look real unpeeved when some
 odE hands you tickets 10 the cir. .uS"
 From that moment Mr Ripley
 ecm to take keen delight in goa9ing Ar Bates. He took a sud len dash halfway down the length 9f tEe long room. as if going to he extreme other end of the plant. | n suddenly whirled and retraced his steps 10 meet Biff coming after him; made an equally sudden dart Tor the mysterious switchboard and seized q lever as if 10 throw it, but
 suddenly changed his mind. appar- emily. and went away. leaving Mr. Rat's to infer that the throwing Cf hat particular leaver would leave hem all in darkness; later. with Bif ready to spring upon him. he 'hreW that switch to show that it had no important function to per form at all. To all these and many more ingenious tricks to humliate him. MT. Bates paid not the slight
 st attention, but, as calmly and as impassively as Fate kept as nearly IS he could to the fOur-fOot distance he had promised
 It was about 10 o'clock when Biff interested for a moment in the switchboard, suddenly missed Ripley and looked about him hastily he saw the fireman standing in the door If the hoiler-room grinning at him. while the other w0rkmen-all of whom were of he old regime were also enjoying his discomfort: but Dalv. catching his eve. nodded significantly toward the sido-door which led upon the street. It was an almost impercentible nod, but fl was enough for Bff and he dashed out of that door. Half a block ahead he saw Ripley hurrying, and took after him with that cat-like run which was the height of effort less and noiseless speed Ripley. looking back hastily. hurried into T saloon, and he had scarcely clos ed the door when Riff entered after him in time to sec the man stand ing al the telephone. receiver in hand. It was the work of but an instant to grab Ripley by the arm and jerk him away from the phone. | Quickly recovering his balance. with lunge of his whole body Rip ley shot swift fist at the man who had interfered with him. but Biff. without shifting his position, jerk ed his head to one side and the fist shot harmlessly by. Before an- other blow could be struck or par ried, the bartender, brawny giant. had rushed between them
 Let us alone, Jeff" panted Rip ley I've got all I can stand for from this rat"
 "Ourside," said Jeff with cold fin 9lity. You can beat him to a pulp in the street, Con, but therell be no Scrimmage in this place without me having hand in it.
 Ripley considered this ultimatum for moment in silence. and then. Q Bif's surprise, suddenly ran out nf the door. It was a tight race to he plant, and there. with Biff not more than two arms length behind him, Ripley jerked at lever hither- 10 untouched, and instantly the place was plunged into complete darkness.