Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-05-09
eWLLIAM Macleod RAINE


whined.
Macdonald wheeled abruptly away
crossed the room in long strides, and
came back
whats the use?" he said aloud. /
"You're nothing but 'spineless put /
terer. Haven't you enough sense even 7
to give me Il chance TO decide for /
myself? Why didn't you keep the /
woman with you till you could send /
for me. you daft monkey"
'If had known"
Dye think you've got sense enough
to take a plain. straight message as
far as the hotel? Because If you have
I've got one TO send"
Wally caressed tenderly his bruised
flesh. He had a childlike desire to
weep. but he was afraid Macdonald
would kick him out of the office.
"'Course I'll do whatever you say,
Mac" he answered humbly.
The Scotch-Canadian brushed the
swivel chair and its occupant to one
side. drew up another chair in front
of the desk, and faced Selfridge
squarely The eyes that bazed at the
/ little man were the grimmest he had
ever looked into.
"Go 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 a man alive I'd
stand it 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 florid
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 l can't
stay in this town-and both of US
live"
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 it. 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 overs
The little man never guessed how
close he came to being flung through
the transOm over the door. but his In
sfinct warned him to stop. His OBJ
lection died away in a humble.
90 course I'll do whatever you say
he added a second time.
"See you do" advised his chief. an
ugly look in his eyes. Tell 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
moodily alone on the porch of the
hotel.
In Gordon's pocket. there was a 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 all the explanation he
would get from him.
"Tell your master 1 don't take or
ders from him." he told Wally quietly
''I'll stay till my work here is done.
They had moved a few yards down thu
street. Now Gordon turned, lean
Joined and active, and trod with crisp
confident step back to the hotel. II,
had said all that was necessary to say
Two men standing on the porcl
nodded a good evening to him. Cor
don, about to pass, glanced at tnen
again. They We're Northrup and Ire
iawney, two of the miners who had hat
trouble with Macdonald on the boat.
On impulse he stopped. "Foun,
work YETI" he asked.
, "Found a job and lost it again,
|, Northrup answered sullenly.
''Too bad"
Macdonald passed the word alon
that we weren't to get work. So gu
boss fired us. The whole district i
+ 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 tn
! high-handed methods of. Macdonald
r From his pocket he took a SINAI
Q leather purse and gave piece of COL
to each of them.
7 "Just as loan to carry you for
, couple of days till you get somethin
, to do" he suggested.
q Northrup demurred, but after littl
pressing accepted the accommodation
II pay you soon back" he promised
Trelawney laughed recklessly. II
/, had been drinking.
you bet. Me too"
His companion flashed a look O
A warning at him and explained tina
they were going down the river to lool
@ for work outside of the district.
( Suddenly Trelawney broke loos
and began to curse Macdonald with
bitterness that surprised the govern
ment agent. What struck him mos
i though, was the obvious anxiety O
! --c<struD to Oufat bIa hartman ond .