Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1918-04-20
ELLIOT TO INVESTIGATE
MACDONALD COAL CLAIMS

ELLIOT TO INVESTIGATE
MACDONALD COAL CLAIMS
The reopening of the controversy as
to the Macdonald claims which had
been clear-lsted for patent by Harold
b. Winton, the Commissioner of the
General Land Office, takes on another
phase with the appointment of Gordon
Elliot as special field agent to examine
the validity Of the holdings. The new
field agent won a reputation by his
work in unearthing the Oklahoma
Gold Brick" land frauds.
Elliot leaves Seattle In the Queen
City Thursday for the North. where
he will make a thorough investigation
OF the whole situation with view 20
clearing up the matter definitely liz
his report is favorable to the claimants
the patents win be granted without
further delay.
This was too good to keep. Holt
pulled on his boots and went out to
twlt such of the enemy as he might
meet. II CHANGED that the first OF them
was Selfridge, whom he had not seen
since his arrival, though he knew the
little man was In camp.
GLOW goes it, Holt? Fine and
dandy, chr" inquired Wally with the
professional geniality he affected.
The old miner shook his head dole
fully. 81 done bust my laig, Mr.. Sci
fish," he groaned. 1t was one OF his
pleasant ways to affect difficulty Of
hearing and dulness of understand
ing, so that he could legitimately cal
people by distorted versions of theil
names. 1.-THE old man don't amount tt
much nowadays"
"Nothing to that, Gid. You're young
err than you ever were, judging by your
looks"
"Then my looks lie to beat the devil
Mr.. Selfish"
my name is Selfridge," explained
Wally, trifie irritated.
Holt put cupped hand to hi0 eaI
anxiously. "Shellfish, did you say
Tha' IS right. How come | to forget
The old mans going pretty fast, Mr.
Shellflsh. No more memory than
jackrabbit. Say, Mr.. Sheilfish, what's
the idee of all this here baek-to-the
people movement, as the old sayin' ISL
II don't know what you mean. Ant
my name Is Selfridge, tell you,
snapped the owner of that name.
"'Course / amt got no more sens
than the law allows. I'm a buzzart
haid but me kinder got to millin' |
over and in respect to these here loca
improvements, as you might say, Tn
doggoned If | sabe the whyfor."
"Just some business changes"
Holt showed his tobacco-stainet
teeth in grin splenetic. "0h. That's
all. / didn't know but what yol
might be expecting visitor"
Selfridge flashed a sharp sideloni
glance at him. what do you mean;
visitor?"
II just got a notion mebbe you nigh
be looking for one, MIR. Pelfrich Like
as not you Amt fixing up for this Cor
don Elliot a-tall."
Wally had no comeback, unless i
was one to retort In ironic admiration
you're wonder, Holt. Pity you dom
start a detective bureau"
The old man went away cackling.
If Selfridge had held any doubts be
fore, he discarded them now. Hol
would wreck the whole enterprise
were he given q chance. 1t would never
do to let Elliot meet and talk with him
He knew too much, and he was eager
to tell all he knew.
Macdonald's lieutenant got busy al
once with plans to abduct Holt. "We'll
send the old man Off on a prospecting
trip with some of the boys" explained
Selfridge to Rowland. "That way Wen
kill two birds, He's back on his as,
sessment work. The time limit will be
up before he returns and wen start a
contest for the claim"
Rowland made no comment. He was
an engineer and not a politician. Ia
his position 1t was impossible for him
not to know that a good deal about
the legal status of the Macdonald
claims was irregular. But he was
o firm believer In q wide-open Alaska,
in the use Of the territory by those
who had settled 1t.
Better arrange 1t with Big Bill,
then, but don't tell me anything about
It. | don't want to know the Details"
he told Selfridge,
Big BIZ Macy accepted the Job with
grin. He had never liked old Holt
anyhow. Besides, they were not going
to do him any harm.
Holt was baking match Of sour
dough bread that evening when there
came d knock at the cabin door. At
sight Of Big Bill and his two compan-
ions the prospector closed the oven
and Strengthened with alert suspicion
He was not ON visiting terms with any
Of these men. Why had they come to
see him2
"We're going prospecting up wild
Hoaoa oraak and we Wnnf Won tn on