Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-02-27

my God, Mac, don't do that" he
whined.
Macdonald wheeled abruptly away,
crossed the room in long strides, and
came back.
"Whats the use?" he said aloud.
you're nothing but spineless put
terer. Haven't you enough sense even
to give me a chance to decide for
myself? Why didn't you keep the
woman with you till you could send
for me, you daft monkey2"
eff had known"
"D'ye think you've got sense enough
to take a plain, straight message as
far as the hotel? Because If you have,
I've got one to send"
Wally caressed tenderly his bruised
flesh. He had childlike desire to
weep, but he was afraid Macdonald
would kick him out of the office.
"Course I'll do whatever you say,
Mac" he answered humbly.
The Scotch Canadian brushed the
swivel chair and it's occupant to one
side, drew up another chair in front
Of the desk, and faced Selfridge
squarely. The eyes that blaZed at the
little man were the grimmest he had
ever looked into.
eco to the hotel and see this man
Elliot alone. Tell him he's gone too
far-butted into my affairs once too
often. There's not a man alive Ia
stand it from. My orders are for him
to get out on the next boat. If he's
here after that, I'll kill him on sight"
The color ebbed out of the ford
face Of Wally. He moistened his lips
to speak. "Heavens, Mac, you can't
do that. He'll 60 out and report
"Let him say what he likes. Put this
to him straight: that he and ! CAM
stay in this town-and both of us
live"
Wally had Tapped up too many high
balls in the past ten years to relish
this kind of mission. His nerve was
gone. He had not the punch any more.
Yet Mac was always expecting him to
help out with his rough stuff, he re-
Elected fretfully. Take this message,
now. There was no sense in it. Self
ridge plucked up his courage to say so.
"That won't buy US anything but
trouble, Mac. In the old days you
could put over"
The little man never guessed how
close he came to being flung through
the transom over the door, but his in
stinct warned him to stop. His OBJ
lection died away in a humble.
90 course I'll do whatever you say"
he added second time.
"See you do" advised his chief, an
ugly look in his eyes. "Tell him he
gets till the next boat. If he's here
after that, he'd better go heeled, for
I'll shoot on sight wherever we meet"
Selfridge went on his errand with
tagging feet. He found Elliot sitting
modify alone on the porch Of the
hotel.
! In Gordon's pocket there was a note
to Macdonald explaining that he had
nothing to do with the coming Of Me-
teetse. He had expected to send 1t by
the hotel porter that evening. but the
curt order to leave town filed him
with q chill anger. The dictator Of
affairs at Kusiak might think what he
pleased for all the explanation he
would get from him.
"Tell your master I don't take Or
ders from him." he told Wally quietly.
"I'll stay till my work here is DONE"
They had moved a few yards down the
street. Now Gordon turned, lean
Joined and active, and trod with crisp,
confident step back to the hotel. He
had said all that was necessary to say.
Two men standing on the porch
nodded good evening to him. Cor
don, about to pass, glanced at them
again. They were Northrup and Ire
lawney, two Of the miners who had had
trouble with Macdonald on the boat.
On impulse he stopped. "Found
work YETI" he asked.
"Found a Job and lost it again."
Northrup answered sullenly.
"Too bad"
Macdonald passed the word along
that we weren't to get work. So our
boss fired US. The whole district is
closed to us. We been blacklisted,"
explained Trelawney.
"And we're busted" added his mate.
Elliot was always free-handed. Per-
haps he felt just now unusually SYM
pathetic toward these victims Of the
high-handed methods Of Macdonald.
From his pocket he took a small
leather purse and gave a piece Of gold
to each Of them.
"Just as loan to carry you for
couple Of days till you get something
to do" he suggested.
Northrup demurred, but after little
pressing accepted the accommodation.
II pay you soon back" he promised.
Trelawney laughed recklessly. He
had been drinking.
"You bet. Me too"
His companion flashed a look of
warning at him and explained that
they were going down the river to look
for work outside Of the district.
Suddenly Trelawney broke loose
and began to curse Macdonald with a
bitterness that surprised the govern
ment agent. What struck him most,
though, was the obvious anxiety of
NOrthrup to quiet his partner and to
gloss over what he had said.
Elliot bought an automatic revolver
next morning and box of cartridges.
He was not looking for trouble, but he