Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-02-21

The new passenger looked across
the huge, sprawling body at the group
of miners facing him. They glared In
savage hate. All they needed was
leader to send them driving at him
with the force of an avalanche. The
man at whom they ragged did not give
an inch. He leaned forward slightly.
his weight resting on the balls Of his
feet. alert to the finger tips.
"Next," he tainted.
Then the mate got busy. He hustled
his stevedores forward In front of the
miners and shook his fist In their faces
as he stormed up and down. II they
wanted trouble, by Jove 1t was walt
Ing for 'em, he swore In apoplectic
fury. The Hannah was a river boat
and not dive of wharf rats
The man with the suitcase did not
wait to hear out his TRADE. He fol-
lowed the purser to his stateroom.
dropped his baggage beside the berth,
and joined the Kusiak group on the
upper deck.
They greeted him eagerly, a little
effusively. as If they were anxious to
prove themselves on good terms with
him.
what was the matterf" asked Self
ridge. How did the trouble start?"
The big man shrugged his shoulders.
1T didn't start Some Of the outfit
thought they We're looking for row,
but they baked on the Job when Ire
lawney got his"
Gordon. as he watched from a little
distance. corrected earlier impressions.
This man had passed the thirties. He
had the thick neck and solid trunk of
middle life, but he carried himself so
superbly that his whole bearing denied
that years could touch his splendid
physique
Strong had stepped to the wharf
to talk with an old acquaintance, but
when the boat threw out a warning
signal he made a hurried goodby and
came on board. He rejolned Elliot.
well, what d'you think Of him?
Was 1 rightr
The young man had already guessed
who this imperious stranger was. 81
never saw anybody get away with a
hard Job as easily as he did that one.
You could see with half an eye that
those fellows meant fight. They were
all primed for it-and he bluffed them
out"
"Bluffed them-huhl was where !
could see just what happened. Colby
Macdonald wasn't even looking at Ire.
lawney, but you bet he saw him start.
That suitcase Travelled like a streak of
light You'd "a thought 1t weighed
about two pounds. That amt all. ell
Their. Mac used his brains. Guess what
was in that grip"
The usual thing. I suppose"
You've got another guess-packed
In among his socks and underwear was
ABOUT twenty pounds Of ore SAMPLES.
The purser told me- 1t was that quartz
that put Trelawney to sleep so thor
ough that he'd just begun to wake up
when passed minute ago."
The young man turned his eyes
again upon the big Canadian Scots.
man. He was talking with Mrs. Nal
Tory, who was leaning back luxuri.
ously In a steamer chair she had
brought aboard at st. Michaers. II
would have been hard to conceive a
contrast greater than the one between
this pampered heiress of the ages and
the modern business berserk who
looked down into her hooking eyes.
He was the embodiment Of the domi-
nant male-ef1cient to the last inch of
his straight SIX feet. What he wanted
ne mad always taken, by the sheer
strength that was In him. Back OF her
smiling insolence lay a silken force
to match his own. She too had taken
what she wanted from life. but she
mad won 1t by indirection. Manifestly
she was Of those women who conceive
that charm and beauty are tools tn
bend men to their wills.
The dusky young woman with the
magazine was the first Of those on the
upper deck to retire for the night. She
nitted so quietly that Gordon did not
notice until she had gone. Mrs. Self.
ridge and her friends disappeared with
their men folks, calling gay good
nights to one another as they left
Macdonald and Mrs. Mallory talked
After time she too vanished.
The big promoter leaned against tbe
deck rail, where he was Joined by Self
ridge. For long time they talked In
low voices. The little man had most 70
say. His chief listened, but occasion
ally interrupted to ask sharp, incisive
question.
1lliot, sitting farther forward with
Strong, judged that Selfridge was max.
ing report Of his trip. Once he
caught fragment Of their talk enouob
10 confirm this impression.
did Winton tell you that himself,n
demanded the Scotsman.
The answer Of his employee came in
murmur 70 low that the words were
lost. But the name used told Gordon
good deal. The Commissioner of the
general land ONCE at Washington
signed his letters Harold B. Winton.
Strong tossed the stub of his c,vs-
tette overheard and nodded good nielrt
A 4l1uce at his watch told Elliot tbot |
II was past two o'clock. He rose
stretcned and sauntered back IN his |