The Knoxville independent. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1918-04-06

Wally stumbled ON nelpleSSly.
They got of here. Course I
didn't know whether you'd sent for
her or not, so stopped and kinder
gave her the glad hand just to size
things up"
EYES,"
"She had the address Of Miss O'Nelll,
that Irish girl staying at the Pagets'.
the one that came in"
s"Go on" snapped his chief.
$50 I directed her how she could
get there and"
Wally found himself lifted from the
chair and hammered down into it
again. His soft flesh quaked like a
jelly. AS he stared pop-eyed at the
furious face above him, the fat chin
of the little man dropped.
"My God, Mac, don't do thatl" no,
whined.
Macdonald wheeled abruptly away.
crossed the room in long strides, and
came back.
"What's the use?" he said aloud
you're nothing but a spineless put
terer. Haven't you enough sense evens
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 monkey7"
"If I had known"
dye think you've got sense enough
to take plain. straight message as.
far as the hotel7 Because IL you have.
I'VE got one to send"
| Wal4y caressed tenderly his bruised
| flesh. He had a childlike desire to.
weep, but he was afraid Macdonald
would kick him out of the oAce.
"'Course TIL do whatever -ou say.
Mac" he answered. humbly.
The Scotch-C Canadian brushed this
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.
$50 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 man alive I'd
stand 1t 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 forid.
face of Wally. He moistened his lips
to speak. Heavens, Mac, you can't
do that. He'll go out and report"
LET him say what he likes. Put this
to him straight: that he and can't
stay in this town-and both Of us
i've"
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 1t. 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 humble.
10 course I'll do whatever you say
he added second time.
"See you do" advised his chief, an
ugly look In his eyes. 'Ten 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 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 chill anger. The dictator Of
affairs at Kusiak might think what he
pleased for oil 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 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 yetT he asked.
"Found job and lost 1t 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