The new era., 1911-06-08

-. ~S~'
HD up. Docw asked
Il want the 'elp of a man az al
the nerve to do an ugly Job before
daylight" he whispered sententiously.
Murder" tried to smile.
"Mayhapl" he quietly replied. to my
amazement. in-
That lets me out. Doc. I'm OF
for my bunk"
mo 1t doesn't" he hissed. 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 a gun
and who have no talent for talk
afterward-wels, it's we two for the
perfawmence. I'm dead serious, l am.
and you'll stand by-I'm certain OF
that. Come, the tides Just a-turnin'.
Well have to be movin' with it. Every
moment we're nearer stampede and
a panic in camp. Get your gun and
sneak to my hut right away. Not a
peep to them gents from Boston. nor
to any one else. We're going for
bear, understan'. plain brown bear
tomorrow"
That Alaskan night was of the foul
est! 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 f1tful 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 l kicked the snow from
my boots before the doctors cabin.
and his hound uttered long, low
9rowl within. 1t seemed but mo-
ment when our pipes were loaded, the
'-whuskey" on the rude table beside US.
and the fire roaring In the Doctors lit
tie rusty stove.
Turning suddenly and bringing his
fist to the level of my face, the little
man unpacked himself brusquely:
Am l 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, as
he placed foot on the hounds thick
neck and recharged his glass, Il hope
nothing will interfere with your leav-
In; but I can't see the horizon OF a
little mess down near the Indian quar-
ters behind the mill, You see, can't
say anything to those timid city direc-
tors about 1t. fearin' of their indis-
erection and tangle with the health
oficer at the port O. entry. Them d.
reotors hate me! Now you've appealed
to me as man of the woods. You've
been about some where mans got
% be several times !. man. This
id Indian must be handled
nightly rough tonight. At least we
can't weep over him. He sneaked in
night before last without permission,
and It'll explode any minute"
When the doctor rummaged for two
black shroud-like gowns and careless.
ly threw them across the bed, sus-
pected that we were either to lynch
somebody, commit corpse to the sea
or participate in some ghoulish cere-
mony OF pagan belief amongst the
Siwash across the bay. Finally
blurted: DOC, what are these black
hmonas for? Looks like hanging. "
ut might better be a hangin'." he
retorted. paving amongst his apothe
cary stores, from which he occasion.
ally set aside package. Its small
pox! That's what 1t is-in camp
of panicky miners ready to bolt on the
nrst whiff. Smallpox-fourteen-d day
stage. and pest house harboring the
id case. Do you understand!
Smallpox" M
Then with toss of the head and
one of those sudden turns upon his
auditor which characterized all his In
tense utterances. he growled: Come
along now, we've got to move that
case out Of camp before dawn or. well
you'll see the company's boat in the
hands Of mutinous miners. and its
creditors dividin' its assets in bank
ruptcy, and me a-goin' to the coop fol
violatin' the law"
We skulked along the beach as fal
as possible from the glare of the
smelter. Black buzzards, sheltering ir
4 wood pile. chartered raucously.
The doctor whispered: Our plan
remember. II the buck shows fight
do your part; I'll do mine. Wei
avoid a rough-and-tumble as long al
possible. Hear that sea racing past
me Inlet! Cad! what a night fol
women and children! This bread ant
bacon WON'T be needed. I'm believin'