Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1918-02-06

the SOOu IL ulu hin. he COnSulteu INV
yers at Dawson. Finally he got so
discouraged that he plumb went to
pieces-got on long bat and stayed
there till his money ran out. Then
one bitter night he starts up to Bo-
nanza to have it out with Mac. The
mercury was so low it had run into
the ground foot. Farrell slept in
q deserted cabin without fire and
not enough bedding. He caught pneu-
mony. BY the time he reached the
claim he was mighty sick man. Next
week he died. That's all Mac done
to O'Neill. Not thing that wasn't
legal, either"
Gordon thought of Sheba O'Neill as
she sat listening to the tales Of Mac
donald in DANES parlor and his gorge
rose at the man.
"But Mac had fell on his feet all
right" continued Holt. HE got his
start off that claim. Now he's mil
lionaire two or three times over, I
reckon" ..-
They reached the outskirts Of Ka-
matlah about noon Of the third day.
Gordon left Holt at his cabin after
they had eaten and went in alone to
look the ground over. He met Self
ridge at the post Office. That gentle
man was effusive in his greeting.
'This is a pleasant surprise, Mr.. FL
lot. When did you get in? I'm down
on business, of course. No need to tell
you that-nobody would come to this
hole for any other reason. Rowland
and his wife are the only possible
people here. Of course you'll stop
with u.s."
Elliot answered genially. pleasant
time we had on the river, didn't we?
Thanks awfully for your invitation,
but I've already made arrangements
for putting up" ............ .-.
"Where? There's no decent place
In camp except at Howland's."
81 couldn't think of troubling him."
countered Gordon.
mo trouble at all. Wen send for
your things. Where are they?"
The land agent let him have It be-
tween the eyes. "At Gideon Hollis
I'm staying with him on his claim"
Wally had struck match to light a
cigarette, but this simple statement
petrified him. His jaw dropped and
his eyes bulged. Not till the flame
burned his fingers did he come to life.
"Did~ you say you were staying
with Gid Holt?" he floundered.
eyes. He offered to board me-" an
swered the young man blandly.
"But-I didn't know he was here
seems to me had heard-somewhere
that he was away. Seems to me l
heard he went prospecting"
HE did. Up Wild Goose creek.
with Big Bill Macy and two other men.
But I asked him to come back with
me-and he did,"
Feebly Wally CROPPED for the clue
without finding it. Had Big Bill sold
him out? And how had Elliot got into
touch with him?
"Just so, Mr.. Elliot. But really, you
know, Rowland can make you great
deal more comfortable than Holt. His
wife is. famous cook. I'll have a
man 60 get your traps"
TITS very good Of you, but I think
I won't move"
"Oh, but you must. Hollis nutty-
nobody at home, you know. Every
body knows that"
us he? The old man struck me as
being remarkably clear-headed. BY
the way, I want to thank you for send
Ing relief party out to find me, Mr..
Selfrldge. Except for your help I
would have died in the hills"
This was another facer for Wally.
What the devil did the fellow mean?
The deuce Of it was that he knew all
the facts and Wally did not. One
thing stood out to Selfridge like sore
thumb. His plans had come tumblfng
down like house Of cards. Either
Big Bill had Numbered amazingly, or
he had played traitor. In either case
Wally could guess pretty shrewdly
whose hide Macdonald would tan fos
the failure. The chief wanted results
He did not ask of his subOrdinates how
they got them. And this was the sec
ond time in succession that Selfridge
had come to grief.