Beadle's Half Dime Library No. 898 — page 3: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

LE ee — ee ee — + ‘jowin their places. I told them a oo - Oe A oe Deadwood Dick, Jr.’s, Double Drive. “Which one?” to say, give them a raise of half a dollar un- ‘“Why, McKnight, of course; he is the | til you can see your way out of the woods, one in power.” ‘* And old Zeke Hummingbird is the mayor | by right. Things are ina mighty bad situ- sation here.”’ Just a word in explanation. Zeke Hummingbird, a rough but solid citi- zen of the camp, had been elected to the _ office of mayor for aterm of three years, He had not served quite two years of his term when a certain class of citizens began to find fault with his administration, and they called a public meeting, declaring the office vacant, and elected one Jim McKnight to fill it. This fellow, McKnight, was a sport, com- paratively a new-comer in the camp, but one who had made friends and had a large fol- lowing. Men had been coming and going, constantly, and as a natural result, Zeke Hummingbird’s supporters had thinned out, while a new class of men were taking their places. The solid men of the camp were still in favor of the old mayor, and in sym- pathy with him: but as they were now by far +p the minority, they could do nothing. McKnight had all the bad element of the town behind him. ‘* Yes, he may be mayor by right,” rejoin- ed. Keefer, ‘‘ but he isn’t mayor in fact, and he can do nothing for usin this emergency. McKnight is the mau who has got the people “at his back.” ‘* And the worst half of them by long odds. A good many of his supporters are our miners, you are aware, and what could he do with them? All the solid men of this camp and fully two thirdsof the property holders are in sympathy with Zeke. I tell you we are helpless.”’ ‘* But, that isn’t saying that McKnight wouldn’t do the fair thing in this instance, Mr, Van Bascomb.” ‘‘ Perhaps he would; I do not question that; but, the very men he would have to call to his support are, in part, the very ones who are striking. You see his hands are tied.” ‘‘ No, not of necessity, sir; if you find him disposed to do the right thing, the Humming- bird men would rally to his support and—’ ‘‘ And there is where you reach the criti- cal point,” the manager interrupted. ‘“‘If our class went to bis support his own fol- would desert him instantly and would oust him the sameas they ousted Zeke Hummingbird.” This seemed to give Keefer a new view of the situation, for he scratched his head. ‘‘And, you see,” the manager continued, ‘‘he would not care to risk losing his office and his prestige, and just there the thing would hinge. But, ha! here he comes this minute.” | Another man entered the office. He was a young man, maybe thirty years ‘of age, rather good-looking. with dark hair and mustache, and black eyes, He was sportishly attired, was cool and easy in manner, and was smoking a freshly lighted cigar. There was about his face, or the expression of it, something that was not altogether pleasing. | ‘What's the matter, Van Bascomb?” he asked, ‘‘ Men on a strike?” | “Yes, they are on a strike, and what they demand is altogether out of reason, too,” and ‘the manager explained. » ‘Well, that is putting it strong,” Mc- Knight averred. ‘‘ You can’t give it, of urse.”’ | ‘‘Out of the question.” | _“ And if you don’t, what then?” “No tel ng. They intend to hold the mine, and will not allow any one else to fill to come to the office and get their pay, but they will not do “Tt is serious. T’ll tell you what I would do.” ; “Well?” : | ‘*T would compromise the matter; that is The Marguerite can afford it, and it will be money saved in the end, perhaps.”’ ‘‘ Impossible, as you can readily see, Mc: Knight. -That would be to engender discon- tent in all the other mines, and the first we would know there would be the deuce to pay all around. Besides, they are already getting more than any other mine is paying its men ” ‘* Well, course,”’ “ It should be.” “Why?” ‘* You are mayor of the town,” ‘Oh, am I? Youare one of the men who have insisted that Zeke Hummingbird is mayor. You seem to have changed your mind.” ‘‘ Nota bit of it, sir. I still say that Zeke Hummingbird is the man justly entitled to the office you are usurping. But, you have usurped the place, you Shave the following, and you are the mayor in fact,” ‘* Well, yes; I guess I am.” ‘¢ And, assuch, it is your business to takea hand in this trouble. ! ‘‘ I'm willing to do so, but, you see, meus of the strikers are my own supporters, and doubt if one half would fight against the other, if it came to that,” ‘* We don't want any fighting. We don’t want any trouble, if it can be avoided by fair means.,”’ ‘Your head is level there, sir. They might take it into their heads to fire the property, and then there would be the mis- chief to pay. 1 think you had better con- cede something; it will be cheaper in the long run,’ ‘‘ Itis bad, either way.” ** Mighty bad,” asserted Keefer. | “What I was going to say,” McKnight continued, ‘‘ I am going up there, and it is quite likely that the crowd will listen to any- thing L suggest. Now, if you will say you will confer with their leaders, I think that will make everything peaceful for a few hours at any rate,” ‘‘ T'll do that,” agreed the mine-manager, promptly, ‘‘ Tell them, to give me a little time to consider it, and I will meet their leaders here in the office at this same hour to morrow morning, They ought to be willing to do that.” ‘Yes, sir, I think they will fall in with the plan,” : it’s none of my business, of CHAPTER Ill. A PEEP BEHIND THE SCENES, — THe leading saloon at this camp of Hard- scrabble bore the rather top-heavy cognomen of Cosmopolitan Hall. There were saloons a-plenty, but the Cos- mopolitan Hall was the resort of thetown, the place where the “elephant” was on exhibition day and night, continuously, it was, perbaps, the only resort that ran night and day, unless we except the leading hotel, the Hardscrabble Inn—so called, and there it. was only the office that was kept open all night, When McKnight left the office of the Mar- guerite he glanced across the street in the direction of the Cosmopolitan Hall, The doors were wide open, and he could see inside. , At this hour of the day business was dull- est, in the saloon, and only a few persons were to be seen, The excitement up at the Marguerite had 3 about depopulated the camp proper, for | ri and the main street was | the time being, almost deserted. saw the woman, | She was sittin big room, opposite the doors and facing the et. he Nevertheless, McKnight person for whom he looked—a 4 ° ’ ii street —— him, let him look out, that’s all,” | | | ‘‘Good for you, men!” cried the mayor, I haven't a doubt but you'll come out all | low ‘ at one of the tables in the | and ] i pe Mosk ; it 4 I Nas A woman of considerable claim to good looks, about twenty five years of age, and about her the air of a sport. Her dress, too, suggested this. , She saw McKnight as he looked in that di- rection and gave him a signal of recognition, & signal which he promptly answered, and each seemed to understand the other well 3 enough. The woman leaned back in her chair and sipped her soda, while McKouight went on. - In a few minutes the mayor was at the mines, ‘‘ Well, boys, what’s the matter here this morning?” he made inquiry. He was given an understanding of the situation by one of the strikers, and he said: ‘‘T think you are asking too much, boys. Ihave just secn Mr. Van Bascom», and I think he will be willing to meet you half way in the matter of a compromise,” ‘* Nary a compromise!” cried one. _ “Not a cent!” another. ‘‘The hull hog or none!”’ ‘* You had better be reasonable,” the mav- or advised. ‘‘ You cannot afford to be out of work, and the company cannot afford to have the mine stopped. Now, I'll tell you what the manager says.” | ** What’s he say? He said too much when he was hyer.” ‘‘ He asks that you give him a little time to consider the matter, and says he will meet your leaders at the office at this hour to-mor- row morning. Now, if you take my advice you will go to work to-day, and keép on working, and let your leaders make terms with Van Bascomb.”’ ‘‘Ther time to strike is while ther iron is hot,’”’ one fellow intimated, “That may be true, but, you must be willing to deal fairly if you expect the same kind of dealing, Van Bascomb is not a hard man, as you all know, and what he says goes, We don’t want trouble here at Hard- scrabble if we can help it, and the easiest way is the best way. So, go to work, every mun of you; earn your day’s wages and save the company from loss. You won't lose anything by it.” The men looked at one another, and Mayor Hummingbird, who was still there, looked at his rival asif he could not believe he had heard aright, McKnight noticedit. : ‘Am I not right, Hummingbird?” he de- manded, | Ys ‘*Thar’s a solid chunk of hoss sense in what you have said, anyhow,” the old man answered. . ‘* What do ye say, boys?” asked the man who was perhaps the ringleader of the strik- ers, one Sam Claflinger by name. ‘‘ Shall we do what Jimmie McKnight says, an’ see how et will come out?” ei _ There was silence for a moment, then one fellow responded, yf | ‘You ar’ ther leader, Sam,” , ‘Yes, but I’m only one of ye,” was the rejoinder, | yer feelin’ is about et. Now, all that’s in favor of doin’ accordin’ to what Mayor Mc- Knight has said, let ’em say ’ { opposed, let’em answer no. Which is et?” The vote was prompt, and it wasin the affirmative, — ' “That settles et,” said Claffinger. ‘‘ We'll ' take yer advice, mayor, an’ we'll wait on ther boss to-morrow. But, ef he ain’t willin’ to do what's right, after we’ve done white by ht, now. Go to your work and make u : lost hour before noon!” sie he “13 suggested. | The cheers were given with ah ‘Three cheers fer ther mayor!” some fel- ty will, the noise brought Van Bascomb and ? ad ‘Tl put et to vote, an’ see what — es; all what's — Keefer out of the office to see what was go-- ing on. + >" ae * DIPS Ser ‘TY ells 4 ~— a 4 ' : : - ut - ALS a a” P - ~~, x