Gilpin observer., 1917-07-05
TENTH EPISODE

dollar" Holmes was In q dilemma
At the rate of construction just re
ported to him by Jim Behrens, his
chief Of crooked diplomacy, the lumber
road, for construction Of which he had
been compelled to issue notes aggre-
eating more than a quarter Of million
dollars, would be completed to Shady
creek by the sixteenth Of the month
This state Of affairs did not suit the
scheming miilionaire's book Mt all, for
so far as actual ready cash was con-
cerned, he had not the money. and he
was well aware that the Dawsons,
holding his paper. would demand Inn
mediate payment.
With quick, nervous gesture. for
eign to his usually taciturn habit,
Holmes turned in his chair and pushed
an electric button.
"Find Behrens," he snapped, as the
expresslonless face of his secretary
appeared in the doorway. "Get him
here quick"
The lumber chief was still nibbling
savagely at the cold butt Of his black
Agar when Behrens slouched in.
I've had enough of this four-flush-
ng over the Shady creek construc-
hon." snarled Holmes. Its got to stop,
Eye hear me-got to stop without any
preliminary monkeying. Now. what's
he answer"
'Well, II you know any way to stop
hat gang working double shifts under
Dawson and his gang of bosses, with
hat internal girl, Helen Dawson, lee
turing the shifts as they go out for
speed, why, just give orders and Wen
carry 'em out. AS for me, don't
see what's to be DONE"
"Done," roared Holmes, rising from
his chair, kicking it back against the
ofiice wall and stamping up and dowr
The floor like an angry bear. 'Done
you say? Why, work up strike
get that bunch off the grade by hool
or crook"
''Now, see here, Mr.. Holiness" inter
posed Behrens, and there was some
thing In his manner that indicated !,
contempt for the slave-driving lumbe
baron which had only lately become
part of his equipment, "we've done nj
your dirty work for four or five year
and not a man in the crowd has bee
overpaid. Civillty costs nothing. Re
member we're all In the same boat. j
II wasn't for that, you and I'd ,par
company right now, guess"
Holmes face became livid with rag,
he had recognized for some time
growing tendency on the part @
Behrens and his gang OF thugs to r,
sent his treatment of them, but so II
grained was his habit of abuse that h
With difficulty restrained himse
nom attacking the foreman who stoo
glaring at him defantly.
Enough Of th,s." growled the ma,
nate. 81 tell you we've got to get thi
gang off the work. Here's n piece {
news that will probably do the tricl
I've just received wire that they,
struck gold up on Eleven Mile Ben
and all kinds OF hoboes are chasing
there with packs from fifty mil,
around. All you've got to do is ,
spread the news In Dawson's shacl
and he won't have n bakers dozen q
the work next morning"
So It came about that within twent
four hours Dawson's work shacl
buzzed with excitement. An exagge
ated version Of the gold strike {
Eleven Mile had been circulated amor
them, and the uneasiness Of the m,
presaged trouble. In vain Dawson ar
his son Tom. with Helen eagerly a
sisting, tried to stem the tide. /
twos and threes. then by dozens. al
lastly in scores, the graders thre
down their tools and started up Il
river.
'That settles It." growled Dnwso
as the last half dozen Of his shiftle
band started away with their pay
their pockets and somewhat sham