Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1911-01-13

The
SILVER
HORDE;
By REX BEACH,
Autlsos Of Tho Spoken" asd
The Barrier"
} Copyright l9o9. b. 0aspss . Dssshsss 1
CHAPTER XVIII.
Copysisht 80. b. oaspes Q Dsothsss

chance to rest his tired limbs.
Il have great deal to say to you
SIR" Emerson began. land ! woul'
like you to hear me through"
Go ahead"
II am going to tell you some thing
about Mr.. Marsh that l dare say 80,
will disbelieve. but ! can verify m!
statements. think you are jus
man, and don't believe you know o.
would approve the methods he ha
used against me-"
III this is to he an arraignment O
Mr.. Marsh ! suggest that you wal
until he can be present. He has gon,
ashore with the women folks"
II prefer to talk to you first. We car
call him in later If you wish"
Before we begin may inquire wha
you expect Of me?"
II expect relief"
"You remember our agreement"
Il don't want assistance: ! want re
lief"
"Whatever the distinction in the
words. understand that you are ask
ing favor?"
II don't consider It So"
Every we'll. Proceed"
when you sent me out three years
ago to make fortune for Mildred II
was understood that there should be
fair play on both Sides
"Have you played fair?" quickly in.
terposed the old man.
II have. When I came to Chicago l
had no idea that you were interested
in the Pacific coast fisheries. had
raised the money before I discovered
| that you even knew Willis Marsh.
Then 1t was too late to retreat. When
l reached Seattle all sorts of unexpect-
ed obstacles came up. lost the ship
! had chartered: machinery houses re-
fused deliveries: shipments went
! astray: my bank finally refused its
loan. and every other bank in the
northwest followed suit. was har-
assed in every possible way. And 1t
wasn't chance that caused 1t: it was
Willis Marsh. He set spies upon me:
he melted a dock strike that resulted
in riot and the death Of at least one
man: moreover. he tried to have me
killed"
"How do you know he did thatT'
II have no legal proof. but l know
1t just the same"
Mr.. Wayland smiled. THAT is not
very definite charge. You surely
don't hold him responsible for the
death Of that striker?"
II do. and for the action Of the 20
lice in trying to fix the crime upon me.
You know. perhaps. how got away
from Seattle. When Marsh arrived at
Kalvik he first tried to sink my boil
ers: failing in that. he ruined my iron
ChinLs: then he 'corkcd' my fish trap,
not because he needed more fish. but
purely to spoil my catch. The day
the run started he bribed my fisher
men to break their contracts. leaving
me short handed. He didn't need more
men. but did that simply to cripple me.
got Indians to replace the white
men. but he won them away by mis-
cradle trick and by threats that have
no doubt he would make good II the
poor devils dared to stand out.
Ills men won't allow my fellows to
work. We have had our nets cut and
our fish thrown out. Last night we
had bad time on the banks. and
number Of people were hurt. The stu
alton is growing worse every hour.
and there will be bloodshed unless
this persecution stops. All want Is
fair chance. There are fish enough
for us all in the Kalvik. but that man
has used the power Of your organiza-
ton to ruin me not for business rea-
sons. but for personal spite. have
played the game squarely. Mr.. Way.
land. but unless this ceases I'm
through"
you are through
Eyes. The run is nearly n week old.
and haven't begun t. 4s"k my salm-
on. have less than half a boat crew.
and Of those half are laid up"
The president of the trust stirred
for the first time since Boyd had be-
gun his recital The grim lines about
his mouth set themselves deeper. and.
staring with cold gray eyes at the
speaker, he said:
"Well. sir. what you have told me
confirms my judgment that Willis
Marsh is the right man In the right
place."
Completely taken back by this un-
expected reply. Boyd exclaimed:
"You don't mean to say that you up
prove Of what he has done?"
"Yes. Of what know he has done.
Mr. Marsh is pursuing definite poll
cy laid down by his board of directors.
You have shown me that he has done
his work we'll. You knew before you |
left the east that we intended to crush
all opposition"
Emerson's voice was sharp as he
cried. 81 understand all that. but am
to understand also that the directors
Of the N. A. p. A. instructed him to
kill me?"
tut. tut! Don't talk nonsense. You
admit that you have no proof Of VIII
lis connection with the attempt upon
your life. You put yourself in the
way Of danger when you hired scab
labor to break that strike. think you
got off very easily"
IF Marsh was instructed to crush
he independents. why has he centered
Ill his efforts on me alone? Why has
81