Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1915-09-16

not avoid action. The starving men
We're in no humor for words. They
demanded food and wages.
At last he saw that he must do
something Immediately. He called
some of the leaders into the office and
with apparent f%rankness told them he
had known nothing of the situation
n that he felt sure Wilkerson was
unaware of it.
''What are you going to do?" came
the demand.
"This," replied Drake, writing rap
idly. He showed them the message:
Harry Wilkerson. Los Angeles, Cal:
Come to mine at once. Trouble is brew
ing. RAKE.
evil that bring him." demanded
one of them coldly.
cit will. Now who will take it and
send it,"
Two men volunteered to take old
= Tom4Kane's burros and make the trip.
"And while you're in Silent Valley"
Drake said, yielding to a sudden in
spiration, take this $50 and get some
grub for the camp"
"There's still some locked up in the
cook house," said another. cts old
Tom Kane's lookout, so we didn't ex-
actly feel like taking it."
Drake turned to Tubbs quickly.
distribute the food as far as it will
CO." he said.
Tubbs looked suddenly serious. Il
guess you better leave that to me-" he
said in a low voice. 81 know where
it will do the most good" He winked
slyly.
# u * IL X
Meantime John Dorr, Everett and
Tom Kane were spending long hours
in discussing what was to be done to
v the Master Key" to Ruth. Tom
once more went over the exact situa-
ton at the mine and asserted that IN
less prompt measures were taken not
only would there be actual distress.
but likely rioting.
"You know, some of the worst ones
hang with Wilkerson," he said grim
ly, "and they might at any time take
it into their heads to do a little dyna-
hitting. Dynamiting is mighty dan
gerous stuff around several thousand
dollars worth Of machinery. and if
they blew up the workings there
wouldn't be any mine left, you see"
"I see," said Everett at last. Not
having the papers, can't put this deal
through the way ! want to eventually.
But something must be done on the
spot
"In the way of money!" added Kane
harshly.
PRECISELY" Everett assented with all
cheerfuiness. Now I'm going to loan
John Dorr here $1,000 today for the
Master Key mine. Then
John shook his head. THAT isn't
business-like," he protested.
Everett fixed his keen eyes on him.
'Any reason why l shouldn't loan
money to Miss Ruth Gallons manager
and guardian? Any reason why you.
looking after her interests, should re-
fuse help in fixing up her affairs%"
Dorr flushed. Il didn't mean it that
way. 1t seems as if l kind of messed
things up myself. and IL thought l
might get 'em set right by myself"
You called on me, and I'm the doc
tor" said Everett authoritative!y. He
pulled out his wallet and commenced
counting out bills. Il came prepared
for this, for I thought there might be
an emergency"
But who will take charge of it?
Who will go to the mine"
The broker laughed at him. Not
you. You'd be in a fight in three min
utes, specially if Wilkerson turned up.
Tom Kane is our man." He turned on
the old man abruptly. will you take
%his money and gow
The old cook stared at the crisp bills
and then at Dorr. II amt handled
paper worth that much lately" he re-
marked. But if you want me to go
in there and feed them people and get
'em back to work and keep things go
ing till John can fix things up here I'll
go"
On his way to the mine Harry Will
kerson's courage, newly fired by a last
conversation with Jean Darnell, COM
menced to ebb.
Drake and Tubbs received him with
unaffected relief. A few words suf-
feed to make the status Of affairs
plain. Tubbs looked at his superior
with strained anxiety in his bleared
eyes. Dull and sodden with liquor as
he was. he understood perfectly that
everything depended on the next few
days. The engineer had lived in min
ing camps and on the desert all his
a life. and he knew the passions engen-
dered by the arid mountains and the
remorseless desert. What would VIII
kerson do? Was he strong enough to
handle these men who were ready for
anything, eve to bloodshed if aroused?
Wilkerson had lost his sense of fear
oddly enough. As he had come into