Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-01-14

did not let this interfere with his
activities. lie moved to Ind fro
among the mining camps with alb
solute disregard of the growing
hatred against him. Paget came to
him at last with a warning. Whats
that [ hear about you being almost
killed up on Bonanza ?" Peter
wanted to know.
Down in the None Such mine,
you mean? 1t did seem to be rain
ing hammers as I went down the
shaft admitted his friend.
Were the hammers dropped on
purpose?"
Gordon looked at him with a grim
smile. Your guess is just as good
thinlt?"
Peter answered seriously. 81
think it isn't safe for you TO take
the chances you do, Gordon. 1 find
a wrong impression about you pre-
valent among the men. They are
blaming YOU for stirring up all this
trouble on the outside, and they
are worried for fear the mines may
close and they will lose their jobs. I
tell you that they are in a dangerous
mood"
Sorry, but ] can't help that"
You can stay around town and
not go out alone nights
II dare say L can, but I'm not
going to-
II think you had better use a
little sense, Gordon. 1 dare say I
am eXaggerating the danger. But
when you go around with that jaun-
ty devil-may-care way of yours, the
men think you are are looking for
trouble-and you're likely to get It,"
Am II"
IT know what I'm talking about
Nine out of ten of the men think
you tried to murder Macdonald after
you had robbed him and that your
nerve weakened on the job. This
seems to some of the most lawless
to give them a moral right to put
you out of the way. Anyhow, it is
kind of justification, according to
their point of view. Tn not defend
ing 1t, of course. I'm telling Won
so that you can appreciate your
danger"
Peter"
I'll tell you what I told YOU last
time when you warned me. I'm
going through with the job I've been
hlred to do, just as you would stick
II our in my place. l don't think I'm
in much danger Men in general
are law-abiding. They growl. but
they don't go as far as murder"
Deter gave him up.
The next issue of the Kusiall Sun
contained q bitter editorial attack
upon Elliot. The occasion for it was
a press dispatch from Washington TO
the effect that the pressure of pub
lie opinion had become so strong
that Winton, commissioner OF the
general land office, might be forced
to resign his place. This was a blow
TO the coal claimants, and the Sun
charged in vitriolic language that
the reports of Elliot We're to blame.
lie was, the newspaper claimed, an
enemy to all those who had come
to Alaska TO earn an honest living
there. He was a snake in the grass,
and as such every decent man ought
to hold him in scorn
Elliot read this just as he was
leaving for the Willow Creek camp.
lie thrust the paper impatiently into
his coat pocket and swung to the
saddle. Why did they persecute
him? lie had told nothing but the
truth, nothing not required .of him
by the simplest, elemental honesty.
Yet he was treated as an outcast and
a criminal. The injustice of it was
beginning to rankle.
He was temporamentally an. opti-
mist. but depression rode with him
to the gold camp and did not lift
from his spirits till he started back
next day for Kusiak. The news had
been flashed by wire all over the
United States that he was a crook.
His friends and relatives could give
no adequate answer to the fact that
an indictment hung over his head.
In Alaska he was already convicted
by public opinion.
ITO be Continued)