Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-07-13

A1I1SC1I enthusiastically
welcomed. the newcomer sat down
suddenly as if some one had tripped
him.
Been washing you for ten minutes"
Washing me?"
mo, washing you. Couldn't make
you out; eyesight's getting bad. Too
many bright lights in this town. Ha!
Joke! Let's have a gill"
Thank you, no"
Must have a little dram for old
times sake. You're the only one of
the North pass crowd I'll drink with"
Mr.. Bulker gestured comprehensively
at a group of walters, and Murray
yielded. "You were my friend. O'Neil.
You always treated me right"
What are you doing now?" asked
O'Neil, with the interest he could not
refuse to any n who had ever worked
with him.. He remembered the fellow
perfectly. He had come on from the
east as auditor and had appeared to be
capable, although somewhat given to
drink.
I'm a broker. Wall streets my hab-
1tat. Fine time to buy stocks, Misser
O'Neil." Bulker assumed an express
sion Of great wisdom. Like to have a
tip? No? Good! You're a wise man.
They fired me from the North Pass.
Wha'd you know about that? Fired
me for drinking! Greatest injustice 1
ever heard of, but 1 hit running, like a
turkey. That wasn't the reason they
let me go, though. Not on your life"
He winked portentously and, strangely
enough, his eyelid failed to resume it's
normal position. 1t continued to droop,
giving the appearance Of a waggish
leer. Il knew too mush! Isn't healthy
to know too mush, is it,"
GIVE never had a chance to find OUT"
smiled Murray.
"Oh, don't be an ingenue; you saw
We'd more than anybody on the job.
I'll admit l took a nip now and then,
but l never got picked. Say! Who
d'you s'pose l saw today? Old man
| Illisr'
ONeill became suddenly intent. He
had been trying to get in touch with
P%oultney Hills for more than a fort
night, but his cables to London had
brought no response.
when did he arrive?"
Just lately. He's a game old roost-
er, amt he? Gee, he's sore!"
Sore about what?"
Bulker Winked again, with the same
lack of muscular control.
about that North Pass deal, Of
course He was blackmailed out Of a
cold million. The agreements about
up now, and I figure he's over here to
renew it."
YOU'RE talking Greek" said O'Neil,
but his eagerness was manifest.
Il s'posed you knew. The North
Pass has been paying blackmail to the
Yukon steamboat companies for three
years. When you built the line it prac-
tically put EN- out Of the Dawson mar
ket, underestimate"
"Of course"
Now that Mr.. Bulker's mind was
running along well worn grooves his
intoxication became less apparent.
Those Frisco steamboat men got to-
gether and started a rate war against
the railroad. They hauled freight to
Dawson by way of st. Michaels at a
loss. OF course Hills and his crowd
had to meet competition, and it nearly
broke EN- the first two seasons. Gee,
they We're the mad ones. Finally they
fixed up an agreement-had to or go
husband Of course the Native Sons
put it over our English cousins. They
agreed to restore the old rate, and
each side promised to pay the other a
royalty Of $40 a ton On all the freight
it hauled to Dawson and up river
points. You can guess the result, can't
you? The steamboat companies let
Ills haul all the freight and sat back
on their launches and took their prof
It. For every ton be hauled he slipped
EN- ten round American dollars, stamp
ed with the Goddess of Liberty. Oh, it
was soft! When they had him fairly
tied up they d%rydocked their steam
boats, to say wear and tear. He
paid 'em a thousand dollars a day for
three years. If that amt blackmail
it's q first cousin to it by marriage"
didn't the interstate commerce COM
mission get wise?"
Certainly not. It looks wise, but it
never gets wise. Oh, believe me, Poult-
ney Ills is hopping mad! I s'pose he's
over here now to renew the arrange
ment for another three years on behalf
of his stockholders. Let's have a
dram" Bulker sat back and stared
as through a mist at his companion,
enjoying the effect Of his disclosure.
O'Neil was indeed impressed, more
deeply than his informant dreamed.
Out Of the lips Of a drunken man had
come a hint which set his nerves to
tingling. He knew Hills we'll, he knew
the caliber Of the Englishman, and a
plan was already leaping inzhis brain
whereby hemightsagethesSsR . and N.
| 1t. lackedsan hpnrAbfsiaidnight when
o'Neil escaped from Bulker and reach