Lincoln County times. (Jerome, Idaho) 1911-1919, 1918-06-06
LLIAM MACLEOD RAINE
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Copyright. 1907. by


He used his influence to get Elliot re-
leased, and with a touch Of cyniclsm
quite characteristic went on the bond
OF his rival. An information was filed
against the field agent of the land de-
partment for highway robbery and at
tempted murder. but Gordon went
about his business just as If he were
not under a cloud.
None the less. he walked the streets
q marked man. Women and children
looked at him curiously and whis-
pered as he passed. The sullen. hos
tile eyes Of miners measured him ST.
lently.
In the states the fight between the
coal claimants and their foes was
growing more bitter. The muckrakers
were busy. and the sentiment outside
had settled so definitely against grant
ing the patents that the national ad
ministration might at any time jettlson
Macdonald and his hackers as sop
to public opinion.
1t was not hard for Gordon to guess
how unpopular he was, but he did not
let this interfere with his activities. He
moved to and fro among the mining
camps with absolute disregard of the
growing hatred against him. Paget
came to him at last with warning.
"What's that l hear about you being
almost killed up on Bonanza" Peter
wanted to know.
''Down In the None Such mine, you
meant II did seem to be raining
hammers as ! went down the shaft"
admitted his friend.
"Were 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 thlnkf"
Peter answered seriously. II think
II isn't safe for you to take the chances
you do. Gordon. l find wrong i'm
preston about you prevalent among
the men. They are blaming you for
stirring up all this trouble on the out
eide, and they are worried for fear the
mines may close and they will lose
their Jobs. l tell you that they are in
a dangerous mood"
SORRY. but can't help that"
you can stay around town and not
60 out alone nights"
II dare say can. but I'm not going
to-"
II think you had better use a little
sense, Gordon. l dare say ! am exag-
gerating the danger. But when you
60 around with that jaunty devil-may-
care way Of yours. the men think you
are looking for trouble-snd you're
likely to get IT,"
"Am II"
II 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 &c
some OF the most lawless to give them
moral right to put you out OF tbs
way. Anyhow, II is u kind OF justifica
ton. according to their point OF view
I'm not defending It, Of course. Tn
telling you so that you can appreciat,
your danger"
You have done your duty. then
Peter"
But you don't intend to take my sd
vicef"
"Ill tell you what | told you las
time when you warned me. I'm goini
through with the job I've been hiret
to do. just as you would stick 1t on
In my place. don't think I'm In mucl
danger. Men In general are law-abid
ing. They growl but they don't go a
far az murder"
Peter gave him up.
The next issue of the Kusiak Sui
contained bitter editorial attack upol
Elliot. The occasion for II was
press dispatch from Washington to TIL
effect that the pressure of public opin
ion had become so strong that Win
ton, commissioner of the general Ian
ONCE, might be forced to resign hi
place. This was a blow to the cos
claimants. and the Sun charged |
vitriolic language that the reports @
Elliot were to blame. He was, tn
newspaper claimed, an enemy to n
those who had come to Alaska to ear
an honest living there. Hes was
snake IN the grass. and as such ever
decent man ought to hold him In scori
Elliot read this just as he was lea'
ing for the Willow Creek camp. II
thrust the paper impatiently into HI
coat pocket and swung TO the SADDLE
Why did they prosecute him7 He ha
told nothing but the truth, nothing M
required Of him by the simplest, ell
mental honesty. Yet he was treate
a. an outcast and a criminal. The II
Justice Of 1t was beginning to rankle
He was temperamentally an opt
mist, but depression rode with him
the gold camp and did not lift from n
spirits till he started hack next day Il
Kusiak. The news had been flashed
wire all over the United States that
was a crook. His friends and relative
could give no adequate answer to Il
fact that an Indictment hung over h
head. In Alaska he was already co
victed by public opinion.
In the late afternoon. while Gordc
was still fifteen miles from kusia