The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1911-06-24

Il want the 'elp of man as as
the nerve to do an ugly job before
daylight" he whispered sententiously.
Murder" / tried to smile.
"Mayhap." he quietly replied. to my
amazement
That let's me out. Doc. I'm on
Yor my bunk"
mo II doesn't" he Missed. follow
ing my hesitant retreat. What brings
me ere late at night In storm Is
more important to the company and
| its hundred and sixty-two hands In
camp, than to you and me. This Jobs
goin' for-ard tonight, come what may.
And you who are handy with gun
and I who have no talent for talk
afterward-wels, it's we two for the
perfawmence. I'm dead serious. am,
and you'll stand by-Im certain of
that. Come, the tides just a-turnin'.
Wen have to be movin' with 1t. Every
moment we're nearer stampede and
panic in camp. Get your gun and
sneak to my hut right away. Not
peep to them gents from Boston, nor
ID any one else. We're going for
tear, understan'. plain brown bear
tomorrow"
That Alaskan night was Of the foul
ost! A fretful kamook bayed dismal
ly on the opposite shore where Haida
Indians sometimes dwell on their
canoe voyages among the Prince Of
Wales. Islands The Coplan Copper
company's smelter cast fitful patterns
of light and shadow upon the freezing
bay. The wild voice of the hills smote
the sea beyond with hiss and roar.
January was in angry mood In the
wilderness as kicked the snow from
my boots before the doctors cabin.
and his hound uttered long, low
growl within. 1t seemed but a mo-
ment when our pipes were loaded, the
''whuskey' on the rude table beside US,
: and the IRE roaring In the doctors lit.
tie rusty stove.
Turning suddenly and bringing his
nst to the level of my face. the little
; lnan unpacked himself brusquely:
"Am correctly informed that
you're leaving camp for the east on
the next boat?"
That's my intention unless this
storm detains me-"
well, sir" continued the doctor. az
he placed foot on the hounds thich
neck and recharged his glass. Il hope
nothing will interfere with your leav
In; but l can't see the horizon Of 9
! little mess down near the Indian quar-
ters behind the mill. You see. cam
say anything to those timid city direc
tors about 1t, fearin' Of their indis
cretion and tangle with the health
omcer at the port o. entry Them di
rectors hate me! Now you've appealed
to me as a man of the woods. You've
been about some where a mans go
, 10 be several times man. Thi
!. id Indian must be handle,
nightly rough tonight. At least W,
can't weep over him. He sneaked Il
night before last without permission
= and it'll explode any minute"
= When the doctor rummaged for tw
q black shroud-like gowns and careless
!. ly threw them across the bed. SUI
1. pected that we were either to lyme
somebody, commit corpse to the Sc
or participate In some ghoulish cers
% mony of pagan belief amongst tn
= Siwash across the bay. Finally
n blurted: DOC. what are these blac
% kimonas for? Looks like hanging
Ia TT might better be a hangin'." b
=. retorted, paving amongst his apoth,
n cary stores, from which he occasion
IN ally set aside package. IT'S small
"a pox! That's what 1t is-in a cam
,e Of panicky miners ready to bolt on tn
.. first whiff Smallpox-fourteen-d
stage, and a pest house harboring tn
At I'D case. Do you understand
ID Smallpox"
III Then with a toss Of the head an
at one Of those sudden turns upon h
10 auditor which characterized all his 4
tense utterances. he growled: Con
d, along now, we've got to move tn,
ne case out of camp before dawn or. we
of you'll see the. company's boat in IL
rt hands of mutinous miners. and /
ch creditors dividin' its assets In ban
te. ruptcy, and me a-goin' to the coop #
ce violatin the law"
h We skulked along the beach as r
so as possible from the glare of Il
ng smelter Black buzzards, sheltering
wood pile, chartered raucously
ok The doctor whispered: Our pla
Ia remember. II the buck shows fgl
O., do your part; I'll do mine We
avoid a rough-and-tumble as long
te possible. Hear that sea racing pa
?. the inlet Cad, what a night I
~ omen and children, This bread a
IA aeon won't be needed. I'm believi