Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1916-07-27
Copyright, 1918, by Harper G. Brothers.

THAT affair with the shift bosses
wasn't anything" said Dan hastily,
land it was Eliza's idea. I refused at
first, but when she started to pay them
herself I Weakened" He suffered
awkwardly. for bis sister was notion
ing him desperately to be silent. But
he ran on: "Oh, he ought to know the
whole truth and how miserably 1 .acted,
sis! I deserve to be discharged"
please don't make this any harder
for ne than it u.s." Murray smiled.
I'm terribly embarrassed, for I'm not
used to apologies. I can't afford to be
unjust. I have SO few friends that I
want to cherish them. I'm sorry you
saw me in such a temper. Anger is a
t%reacherous thing, and it always be-
trays me. Let's forget that 1 was
here before and pretend that 1 just
came to thank you for what you did"
He drew Dan into the shelter Of his
other arm and pressed the two young
people to him. 81 didn't realize how
deeply you kids care for each other
and for me-"
The same ship which had brought
the omlnous news to O'Neil also
brought Curtis Gordon north. He had
remained in Seattle only long enough
to see the Ills story in print, and then
had fastened back to the front. But
his satisfaction over the mischief he
had done received a rude jolt when at
his first moment Of leisure he looked
over the late magazines which he had
bought before taking leave. In one
which had appeared on the newsstands
that very day he found to his amaze
ment an article by Miss Eliza Apple
ton, in which his w picture appeared.
He pounced upon it eagerly, and then
as he read his eyes narrowed and his
jaw stiffened. There, spread out to
the public gaze, was his w record in
full, including his initial venture into
the Kyak coal fields, his abandonment
OF that project in favor of Hope Con-
solidated and an account of his con-
nection with the latter enterprise.
Eliza had not hesitated to call the mine
worthless, and she showed how he,
knowing its w~orthlessness from the
first, had used it as a lure to investors.
Then followed the story Of his efforts
to gain a foothold in the railroad strug-
gle, bis defeat at the Salmon river can
yon, his rout at the delta crossing and
his final deathblow at Kyak. His ca
reer stood out boldly in all it's fraudu-
lent colors; failure was written across
D-o ,e H.. -. ~,
naked facts showed him visionary, in
competent, INSCRIPTIONS.
Thus far he had succeeded in keeping
a large part of his stockholders in ig-
norance of the true condition Of Hope
Consolidated, but he quailed at the in
evitable result of this article, which
had been flung far and wide into every
city and village in the land. He dared
no think of it's effect upon his present
enterprise, now so auspiciously launch
ed. lie had made a ringing appeal to
the public, and it's support would hinge
upon it's confidence in him as a man of
affairs. Once that trust was destroyed
the Cortez Home railway would crum-
bic as swiftly as had all his other
schemes.
The worst of it was that he knew
himself shut off from the world for five
days as effectually as if he were locked
in a dungeon. There was no wireless
equipment on the ship, he could not
start the machinery of his press bu-
reau, and with every hour this damna-
bic story was bound to gain momen-
tum. He cursed the luck which had
set him on this quest for vengeance
and bound his hands.
Meanwhile Dan was struggling with
his problem in his own way. The DOS
slbility that Natalie had voluntarily
betrayed him was a racking torture,
and the remembrance of Eliza's words
added to his suffering. He tried to
gain some hint of his chiefs feeling,
but Murray's frank and friendly atti-
tude bafled him.
When at last he received a brief
note from Natalie asking him to call
he raced to Hope afraid, yet eager to
hear what she might say. She met
him on the dock as he left the S. R.
and N. motorboat and led him directly
to the house.
Natalie went straight to the point.
I'm in dreadful trouble she said,
land I sent for you to tell you that I
had no idea of betraying condolences"
Dan uttered some inane platitude,
but. his eyes lighted with relief.
when I saw in the papers what a
stir that North Pass and Yukon story
had made / was afraid I had done
something dreadful. Tell me, is it so?
Did I make trouble?"
"You certainly did. O'Neil was furi-
Gus, and nobody knows yet what the
result will be. lit nearly cost me
my head"
docs he blame me?"
"N-no! He says you're on Gordon's
side now He blames me or did until
he generously took 1t on himself"
what does it all mean? I'm near
ly distracted" Natalie's eyes were
pleading. did you think I spied on