The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-12-07

pede!'
Murray stared at the speaker as If
doubling his own senses.
There's no gold around here" he
said at last.
1.-TWO men came in last night. They
have been prospecting over in the
White river and report rich quartz.
They've got samples with 'em and say
there are placer indications every
where"
The significance Of the incidents
which had troubled him earlier in the
day flashed upon O'Neil; it vas plain
enough now why his men had been
gossiping and buying dogs and fur
robes.
who are these prospectors?" he in
quired CURLY.
Nobody seems to know. Their
names are Thorn and Baker. That
gang from Omar has gone ON and our
people will follow in the morning.
Those who can't scrape up an outfit
here are going into town to equip. We
won't have fifty men on the job by to-
morrow night"
What made Baker and Thorn stop
here?"
Gray shrugged. Tired out, perhaps.
We've got to do something quick, Muir
ray. Thank God, we don't have 10 sell
EN- grub or haul EN- to Omar. That
will check things for a day or two. If
they ever start for the interior we're
lost, but the cataract isn't frozen over
and there's only one sled trail past 1t.
We don't need more than six good men
to do the trick"
I'VE can't stop a stampede that
way"
DR.. Gray's face fell into harsh lines.
IN bend a Winchester over the first
man who tries to pass. Appleton held
the place last summer; I'll guarantee
to do it now
mo. The men have a right to quit,
Stanley. We can't force them to work.
We can't build this bridge with a chain
gang"
"Humph! l can beat up these W
prospectors and ship 'em in to the hos
pital until things cool down"
That won't do, either. I'll talk with
them and if their story is right-well,
III throw open the commissary and
outfit every one"
Eliza gasped; Gray stammered.
You're crazy" exclaimed the doctor.
IF it's a real stampede they'll go
anyhow. so we may as well take our
uNnlia;ha with a rood rrnan Tho loss
Of ever a hundred men would Grip
pie us"
The camp is seething. It's all Mel
len can do to keep the day shift at
work. If you talk to EN- maybe they'll
listen TO you"
Argument won't sway them. This
isn't a strike: it's a gold rush" He
turned toward the town.
Eliza was ]spcechless with dismay as
she hurried along beside him; Gray was
scowlinG darkly and muttering anathe-
mas; O'Neil himself was lost in
thought. The gravity Of this final ca
tastrophe left nothing to be said.
Stanley lost little time il bringing
the two miners to the office. and there
FOR a half hour Murray talked with
them. When they perceived that he
was disposed TO treat them courteous
ly they told their story in detail and
answered his questions with apparent
honesty. They willingly showed him
their quartz samples and retailed the
hardships they had suffered.
Gray listened impatiently and once
or twice undertook to interpolate some
question, but at a glance from his
chief he deSisted. Nevertheless his
long fingers itched to lay hold of the
strangers and put an end to this tale
which threatened ruin. His anger
grew when Murray dismissed them
with every evidence of a full belief in
their words.
"Now that the news is out and my
men are determined to quit | want ev-
erybody to have an equal chance"
O'Neil announced as they rose to go.
There's bound to be a great rush and
a lot of suffering. maybe some deaths.
so I'm going to call the boys together
and have you talk to them"
Thorn and Baker agreed and depart
ed. AS the door closed behind them
Gray exploded. but Murray checked
him quickly, saying with an abrupt
change of manner: Wait! Those fell
lows are lying!'
Selling the telephone, he ran up
Dan Appleton and swiftly made known
the situation. Stanley could hear the
engineers startled exclamation.
Get the cable to Cortez as quickly
as you can," O'Neil was saying. you
have friends there. haven't you? Good.
He's just the man. for he'll have Cor
dOn's payroll. Find out If Joe Thorn
and Henry Baker are known and. If
so, who they are and what they've
been doing lately. Get it quick, under
stand. Then phone me-" He slammed
the receiver upon its hook. That's
not Alaskan quartz" he said shortly.
ut came from Nevada. or I'm greatly
mistaken. Every hard rock miner car
rieS specimens like those in his kit"