The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1918-03-14

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again. His soft flesh quakea like a
jelly AS he stared pop-eyed at the
furious face above him, the fat chin
of the little man dropped.
My God, Mac, don't do that y, he
whined.
Macdonald wheeled abruptly away,
crossed the room in long strides. and
came back.
What's the use?" he said aloud.
You're nothing but a spineless put
terer. Haven't you enough sense even
TO give me chance to decide for
myself? Why didn't you keep the
woman with you till you could send
for me. you daft monkey"
IF I had known"
Dye think you've got sense enough
to take Il 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 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 brushed the
swivel chair and its occupant to one
side, drew up another chair ia front
OF the desk. and faced Se1fridge
squarely. The eyes that blazed 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 toe
far-butted into my affairs once toe
often. There's not man alive re
stand 1t from. Ny 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 fiori6
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 I can't
stay in this town-and both Of W
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 tc
help out with his rough stuff, he re-
Elected fretfully. Take this message,
now. There was no sense In 1t. 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 over"
The little man never guessed how
close he came to being flung through
the transom over the door, but his In.
stinct warned him to stop. His OBJ.
lection died away in humble.
90 course Til do whatever you say
he added a second time.
"See you do" advised his chief, ar
ugly look in his eyes. "Tell him he
gets till the next boat. II he's here
after that, he'd better go heeled, fol
I'll shoot on sight wherever we meet
Selfridge went on his errand with
tagging feet. He found Elliot sitting
modify alone on the porch Of tht
hotel.
In Gordon's pocket there was note
to Macdonald explaining that he hat
nothing to do with the coming Of Ne
teetse. He had expected to send 1t BY
the hotel porter that evening. but thu
curt order to leave town filed hin
with chill anger. The dictator o.
affairs at Kusiak might think what h
| pleased for all the explanation h
would get from him.
'Tell your master I don't take or
ders from him." he told Wally quietly
'I'll stay till my work here is done.
They had moved few yards down thu
street. Now Cord turned, lean
Joined and active, and trod with crisp
confident step back to the hotel. III
had said all that was necessary to say
Two men standing on the porcl
nodded good evening to him. Cor
don, about to pass, glanced at then
again. They were Northrup and Ire
lawney, two Of the miners who had ha,
trouble with Macdonald on the boat.
On impulse he stopped. ''Foun,
work yet?' he asked.
"Found job and lost it again,
Northrup answered sullenly.
sToo bad.''
Macdonald passed the word alon
that we weren't to get work. So GU
boss fred us. The whole district
closed to us. We been blacklisted,
explained Trelawney.
"And we're busted" added his mate
Elliot was always free-handed. PEI
haps he felt just now unusually SYN
pathetic toward these victims of tn
high-handed methods Of Macdonald
From his pocket be took a SINAI
leather purse and gave piece Of gol
to each of them.
"Just as loan to carry you for
couple Of days till you get something
to do" he suggested.
Northrup demurred. but after a Mttl
pressing accepted the accommodation
II pay you soon back" he promised
Trelawney laughed recklessly. 81
had been drinking.
"You bet. Me too"
His companion flashed q look q
warning at him and explained tina
they were going down the river to Loo
for work outside of the district.
Suddenly Trelawney broke, loos
and began to curse Macdonald with
bitterness that surprised the govern
u1opf orout What o3p1,rEy him moe