Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-01-10

gasped Boyd to the reporter.
" mo. SIR Alton Clyde! 81
was pretty talkative the night I say
him." The reporter laughed meaning
ly.
Drunk. do you meanT
"Oh. not exactly drunk, but prett
wet He knew what he was saying
however. Can't you give me some
thing moreY'
Nothing" Boyd hurried to his hote
q prey to mingled anger and contrltior
So Fraser had told the truth. after all
and with kind of sullen loyalty ha,
chosen to remain under cloud himsel
rather than inform on friend 1t wa
quite In keeping with the fellows pc
culiar temperament AS II happened
Boyd found the two men together ant
lost no time In acquainting them witt
his discovery.
"I've come to apologize to you." h
said to Fraser, who grinned broadl.
and was seized with a sudden abash
ment which stilled his tongue. Emer
son turned to Clyde "Why did yo'
permit me to do this injusticeY'
IL didn't mean to give out an.
secrets-I don't remember doing It.
Alton apologized lamely. "You know
I can't drink much. don't remembe
a thing about 1t. honestly" Boyd re
garded him coldly. but the youn,
mans penitence seemed so genuine, h'
looked so weak. so pitifully incompe
tent. that the other lacked heart t
chastise him. 1t requires resistance t.
develop heat. and against the absence
Of character II Is impossible to create
any sort Of emotion.
"When you got drunk that night yot
not only worked great hardship OF
all of us. but afterward you allowed
ME to misjudge a very faithful man.
declared Boyd "If you can't keep s
close mouth and do as you are tolt
you'd better go back to Chicago"
Don't climb any higher" admon
ished "Fingerless" Fraser. Hes al
futfed up new. I'll lay you 8 to | ht
don't make another break Of the kind.
mo: was so com-cussed-pletel!
picked that forgot | even spoke
about the salmon canning business. III
break my corkscrew and seal my flask
and from this moment until we come
out next fall the demon rum and ! art
divorced. Is that good news?"
Everything is Joke to you. ISM,
itY' said Boyd. "If this trip doesn't
make a man of you. you'll never grow
up"
AS If billiards conversion had mark
ed the turning point Of their luck. the
partners now entered upon period oi
almost uninterrupted success Boyd
signed his charter. securing tramp
steamer then dlscharging at Tacoma
Bait closed his contracts for Chinese
labor. and the scattered carloads oi
material which had been lost en- route
or mysteriously laid out on sidlngs be
gan to come In as II Of their own &C
cord.
A brigade of orientals and minia
ture army Of fishermen had appeared
as If by magic and were quartered ir
the lower part of the city awaiting
shipment At the dock one throbbine
April evening the Bedford Castle
berthed. ready to receive her cargo
and the two men made their way to
ward their hotel. weary. but glowing
with the grateful sense Of an arduous
duty well performed. The following
morning would find the wharf swarm
ing with stevedores and echoing to the
rattle of trucks. the clank OF hoists
and the shrill whistles Of the signal
men.
Looks like they couldn't stop US
now," said Balt-
1T does" agreed Emerson. 1--WE
ought to clear in four days-thatl be
the 18th"
at smells like an early spring, too,
The fisherman observed. shifting the air
IF II Is we'll be in Kalvik the 6rst
week In May"
"Im of to tell Cherry" said Boyd.
His course took him past Hilliard':
bank. and when abreast Of 1t he nearly
collided with a man who came hurry
ing forth. In the we'll groomed. fiery
haired. plump figured man Emerson
recognized the manager Of the Nortt
American Packers association.
Good evening, Mr.. Marsh"
Marsh whirled about "Eh? All
Why. yes, It's Emerson"
Marsh informed Boyd Of the anger
of Mildred's father at his canning en-
terprise and also that Mildred ant
Mr.. Wayland were to visit Kalvik OF
a yachting tour Emerson was great
ly amazed at this Information: also ht
realized that Marsh had arrived OIL
the spot because Hilliard had granted
his opponents their needed loan. Tht
men separated.
The next morning Bait rushed In OF
Emerson with news that the laborer:
loading the Bedford Castle had gone
on q strike because the captain, Peas
ley, rightly refused demand Of 5000
by the union.
ats Marsh again" said Big George.
"Yes," Emerson answered; Its
holdup pure and simple" A look o.
intense anxiety came into his eyes.
When Boyd returned some two hours
later he found the dock deserted saw
for Big George, who prowled watchful
ly about the freight piles.
"Well, did you fx 1t upT the fisher
man inquired.
mo-" exclaimed Boyd. Its a ranl
frame-up, and refused to be bled."
"Good for you"
There are some things fellow
manhood won't stand for. I'll carr!
that freight aboard with my owl
hands before I'll be robbed by labo
union at the bidding Of Willis Marsh
Say, will you let me load this shil
my wayT George asked.
"Can you do it?"
Balt's thick lips drew back from hi
yellow teeth in that smile which Emer
son had come to recognize as a har
binger of the violent acts that rejoice'
his lawless soul
Listen" said he. with a chuckle
"Dowp the street yondsr I've got
hundred fishermen. Half Of them ar
drunk at this minute and the rest ar
half drunk"
"Then they are Of no use to u.s."
IT don't reckon you ever seen her
L ~ Kolvil 6aharman ont Of n lob. 0t