The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1918-04-11

sWere the hammers dropped on pur-
poser"
Gordon looked at him with a grim
smile. 'Your guess is just as good as
mine, Peter. What do you think?'
Peter answered seriously. ST think
it isn't safe for you TO take the chances
you do, Gordon. 1 find a wrong i'm
preston about you prevalent among
the men. They are blaming you for
stirring up all this trouble on the out
side, and they are worried for fear the
mines may close and they viii lose
their jobs. I tell you that they are in
a dangerous mood
"Sorry, but can't help that"
FYou can stay around town and not
go out alone nights"
81 dare say can, but I'm not going
to-"
81 think you had better use a little
sense, Gordon. I dare say 1 am exag-
gerating the danger. But when you
go around with that jaunty devil-may-
care way of yours. the men think you
are looking for trouble-and you're
likely to get it,
"Am I?''
ST 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 a kind OF justiflca-
ton, according to their point OF view.
I'm not defending it, OF course. I'm
telling you so that you can appreciate
your danger"
"You have done your duty, then.
Peter"
"But you don't intend to take my ad-
| vice?"
'sPn tell you what I told you last
time when you warned me. I'm going
through with the job I've been hired
| to do, just as you would stick 1t out
in my place. don't think I'm in much
danger. Men in general are law-abid-
ing. They growl, but they don't go as
far as murder"
Peter gave him up.
The next issue of the Kusiak Sun
contained a bitter editorial attack upon
Elliot The occasion for it was a
press dispatch from Washington to the
effect that the pressure of public opin-
| ion had become so strong that Win
/ ton, 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 were TO blame. He 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 leav-
ing for the Willow Creek camp. He
thrust the paper impatiently into his
coat pocket and swung to the saddle.
Why did they prosecute him? He had
told nothing but the truth, nothing not
required OF him by the simplest, ele-
mental honesty. Yet he was treated
as an outcast and a criminal. The in
justice Of it was beginning to rankle.
He was temperamentally an opd-
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 con
victed by public opinion.
In the late afternoon, while Gordon
was still fifteen miles from Kusiak
his horse fell lame. He led it HmpinG
to the cabin of some miners.
There were three of them, and they
| AoI Iii 1r1r
of whisky left earlier in the day b!
the stage-driver. Gordon was in two
minds whether to accept their surl!
permission to stay for the night, bu
the lameness of his horse decided him
Not caring TO invite their hostility
he gave his name as Gordon instead o.
Elliot. He was TO learn within TIT
hour that this was mistake numbe
two.
From a pocket Of the coat he hat
thrown on a bed protruded the news
: paper Gordon had brought from Ku
siak. One of the men, a big red-head
ed fellow, pulled it out and began su1k
lily to read.
While he read the other two bick
cred and drank and snarled at eacl
other. All three of the men were 4
that stage of drunkenness when
J. quarrel is likely to flare up at a me
: ment's notice.
4 Listen here" demanded the ma
] with the newspaper. 'Tell you whaf
i boys, I'm going to wiring the neck q
: that pussyfooting spy Elliot il I eve
: get a chanel"
t He read aloud the editorial in tn
e Sun. After he had finished, the otf
ers Joined him in a chorus of curse.
s ST always did hate a spy-and thi
q ones a murderer too. Why don't som
: one fill his hide with lead?' one Of th
: men wanted to know.
/ Redhead was sitting at the table. b
thumped a heavy fist so hard that th
e tin cups jumped. "Gimme a crack 6
s him and I'll show your
s A shadow fell across the room.
e the doorway stood a newcomer. Go
+ don had a sensation as If lump Of ic
/ had been drawn down his spine. FC
a the man who had just come in was b
o Bill Macy. and he was looking at th
field agent with eyes In which amaz
8 ment, anger and triumph blazed.