Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-04-19

ABOUT the Guttencnllu crown puttihS
over a big steal on the public that the
party leaders are scared stiff."
81 understand that, Wally. What i
don't get is how you came to let them
slip this over on you without even
a guess that 1t was going to happen.
That phase Of the subject Selfridge
did not want to discuss.
"Bet you hat I've guessed 1t right
just a grand-stand play Of the admin
istration to fool the dear people. This
fellow has got his orders to give us
clean bill Of health. Sure. That
must be it. I suppose it's this man
Elliot that came up on the boat
with u.s."
"Yes."
"Well. that's easy. If he hasn't been
seen we can see him."
Macdonald looked his man Friday
over with a scarcely yelled contempt.
you've about as much vision as a
breed trader. Unless l miss my guess.
Elliot isn't that kind. He'll go through
to n finish. If he sees straight we're
all right. but If he is narrow cOnser-
walton fanatic he might 60 ahead and
queer the whole game"
You wouldn't stand for that" The
quick glance of Selfridge asked a ques-
ton.
The lips Of the Scotsman were like
steel traps and his eyes points Of steel.
We'll cross that bridge IL we come to
1t. Our first move is to try to win him
to see this thing our way. I'll have
casual talk with him before he leaves
for Kamatlah and feel him out"
whats he doing here ut ALI II
he's investigating the Kamatlah claims.
why does he go hundreds of miles out
Of his way to come In to KusiakT
asked Selfridge.
Macdonald smiled sardonically. Hes
doing this job right. Elliot as good as
told me that he's on the Job to look up
my record thoroughly. So he comes to
Kusiak first. In few days he'll leave
for Kamatlah. That's where you come
in, Wally."
"HOw do you mean2"
you're going to start for Kamatlah
tomorrow. You'll arrange the stage
before he gets there-see all the men
and the foremen. Line them up so
they'll come through with the proper
talk. II you have any doubts about
whether you can trust someone, don't
take any chances. Fire him out of the
camp. Offer Elliot the company hos
pitality. Load him down with favors.
Take him everywhere. Show him ev-
erything. But don't let him get any
proofs that the claims are being
worked under the same management"
But he'll suspect It,"
"YOu can't help his suspicious. Don't
let him get proof. Cover all the tracks
that show company control"
II can fix that" he said. But what
about Holt? You know how bitter he
is-and crazy. He ought to b. locked
away with the flitter-mice."
"You mustn't let Elliot meet Holt"
"HOw the deuce can 1 help It? No
chance to keep them apart In that
little hole. 1t can't be DONE"
Cant itT'
| Something In the quiet voice rang
bell of alarm In the timid heart
Of Selfridge.
you mean"
"a man who works for me as my
lieutenant must have nerve. Wally.
Have you got that? Will you take
orders and go through with themT"
Wally nodded. His lips were dry.
go to 1t. What am I to do?"
Get Holt out of the way while FL
lot is Mt Kamatlah. 1t isn't doing
Holt any good to sit tight clamped to
that claim Of his. He needs q change.
Besides. l want him away so that we
can contest his claim. Run him up
into the hills. Or send him across to
Siberia on a whaler. Or. better still.
have him arrested for insanity and
send him to Nome. I'll get Judge Lam
dor to hold him awhile"
leave ii to me. The old man is
going on a vacation, though he doesn't
know it yet"
Good enough, Wally. I'll trust you.
But remember, this fight has reached
The devil of it is we never seem to
land the knockout punch. We've
beaten this bunch Of reform idiots be-
fore Winton. before the secretary of
the interior. before the president and
before congress. Now they're begin
ming all over again. Where is it to
end?"
This is their last kick. Probably
Guttenchild agreed to 1t so as to let
the party go before the people at the
next election without any apologies
Entirely formal investigation, l should
say"
This might be true, or It might not
Macdonald knew that just now the
American people. always impulsive in
its thinking, was supporting strongly
the movement for conservation. A
searchlight had been turned upon the
Kamatlah coal fields.
The trouble had originated in a de.
partment row, but 1t had spread until
the Macdonald claims had become q
party issue. The officials Of the land
office. as well as the national admin
istratiOn. were friendly to the claim
ants. They had no desire to offend one
of the two largest money groups In the
country. But neither did they want tC
come to wreck on account of the Gut
tenchilds. They found it impossible tC
| hn oho ho h. II