Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1916-10-05


but he felt no fatigue. and he
laughed from the pure JOY OF Nv
Ing. for his dream seemed coming true.
Meanwhile there were strenuous hap
penings In Omar. The story spread
that O'Neil was broke. The workers
demanded their money. With all avail
able funds exhausted aud crisis at
hand Dan and Eliza contributed $4,000,
their hfe savings, and checked a walk
out. The following morning there was
great JOY at the receipt Of a cablegram
announcing that ONeil and Ills had
formed a working agreement Natalie.
who had been sent by Gordon TO Omar
to watch Developments, returned with
the news OF O'Neil's latest secret ALI.
ance whereat Gordon declared that
O'Neil had the luck Of the devil
O'Neils return 10 Omar was tri-
umphal. All his lieutenants gathered
10 meet him at the pier. and the SINGER
ity OF their welcome stirred him deeply
His arrangements with His had taken
time he had been delayed at Seattle by
bridge details and the placing OF steel
contracts He had worked swiftly and
with such absorption that he had paid
little heed 10 the rumors OF Gordon's
latest activities or the new venture
which his own success had inspired he
knew only the bare outline. lie had
learned enough, however. 10 arouse his
curiosity, and IA soon as the first con
fusion OF his arrival at the front was
over he ask for news.
Haven't you read the papers ?" in
quired Happy Tom. He had attached
himself 20 O'Neil at the moment OF his
stepping ashore. and now followed him
to headquarters with an air OF melan
choly satisfaction In mere physical
nearnesS 10 his chief
Barely" O'Nell confessed. I've
been working twenty hours day get
ting that steel under motion"
DR.. Gray said with convictions. Cor
don is IL remarkable man. It's pity
he's crooked
II think It's right lucky" declared
rom. Hes smarter than us. and 81
he wasn't handicapped 10y "A total lack
OF decency he'd beat us.
After the STORM" explained Gray
he moved back to Hope, and we
thought he'd made his last bow. but
in some way he got The idea that the
trust was back OF us
so Judged from the little read"
We'll. we didn't undeceive him. OF
course. His first move was an attac',
through the press in the shape or a
broadsde against the Hedlemanns II
fairly took our breaths. II appeared
in the Cortez Courier and all over the
states. we hear--a letter or defiance to
Herman Heidlemann. 1t declared that
the trust was up TO its old tricks here
in Alaska-had gobbled the copper
had the coal tied up under secret agree
ments and was trying TO get posses
sion Of all the coast range passes and
defiles-the old story. But the man
can write. That article caused stir -
II saw it."
Naturally the Cortez people ate II
up. They're sore at the trust for leav
ing their town and at us for building
Omar. Then Gordon called mass
meeting. and some of us went mp 10
watch the fireworks. I've never seen
anything quite like that meeting
Every man. woman and child in the
city was there. and they Kissed us
when we came I'm. Gordon knew what
he was about. and he was I'm fine voice
He told them CorteZ was the logical
point OF entry 10 the interior OF Alaska
and ought to have all the traffic. He
fired their anlmosity toward the trust
and accused W. OF basely selling out to
IL. Then he preached project 10
build. by local subscription. "A narrow
gauge electric line from Cortez. utiliz
ing the waterfalls for power The
idea caught on and went like wildfre
The people cheered themselves hsarse
and pledged him over 100000 that
night Since then they have subscrib
cd as much more. and the town Is
crazy. Work has actually begun, and
they hope to reach the first summit by
Christmas"
Slater broke I'm: Hes a speilbinder,
all right He made me hate the Hell
dlemanns and detest myself for Ave
nfnutss. I want even sure I lRsd
vu Mupvav-
Continued next wssk)
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