Beadle's Dime Library No. 305 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

— —_ ‘‘ It is all in the desk, Mr. Bunker.” ‘““Very well; you may tell Dave Bond, to- night, that we don’t want him any longer.” ‘ What?” ejaculated the astonished superin- tendent. Bunker repeated his statement. ‘* Discharge Bond—our best man? For what reason?” ‘“ Becausa I see fit to dispense with his ser- vices,” sharply answered the mine-owner, ‘‘I am tired of seeing that mountain of flesh around; set him adrift, I say.” ‘*Haven’t you a definite reason to give, sir?” ‘“Isn’t it reason enough that I don’t want him?’ demanded Bunker, growing angry, as men will when they feel that their cause is not good. ‘‘I reckon /am the owner of the Eigh- teen-Carat, Mr. Alvord.” The superintendent mildly suggested that, as such, he ought to study the best interests of the mine, but Bunker had worked himself up to a point where he would not listen to reason even if he dared to, and the subject was soon dropped. Alvord resumed work, but Bunker, watching him, perceived that his views did not change, and both men saw the hour for paying draw near with uncomfortable feelings. It came at last, and, according to the system at the Highteen-Carat, the superintendent pre- pared to pay, while Bunker sat by and watched. The miners came toward the office in a body. They had finished a day’s work and were eager to handle their money, and as a discharge had not occurred for months,no one anticipated any- thing of the kind then. As chance would have it, David Bond was third in the line which then formed, His face wore an unusually light expression, for, while he was once a spendthrift, he had been saving his earnings judiciously of late, and it was his ambition to some day be more than a com- mon miner. When he approached the desk Alvord handed him his pay, ,but without meeting bis gaze as usual, ‘‘T am directed to say that you will not be needed at the mive any longer,” the superin- tendent observed. ‘Eh?’ said Giant Dave, while the money nearly dropped from bis hand, The unwelcome statement was repeated. “Do ye mean I’m discharged?’ Dave slowly asked, ‘* Yes; that’s the amount of it,” nervously ad- mitted Alvord. ‘* Discharged! Wal, I didn’t think that,” said the giant, his troubled gaze wandering to Bun- ker and back to Alvord. “I don’t justly un- derstand. What’ve I did outer ther way?” ‘‘T have no fault to find, but we are unable to give you work any longer.” The superintendent made a secret gesture, which he hoped would have the effect of sending the miner away, but the latter was not accus- tomed to that way of getting an idea, and he did not move. The line of miners behind him stood still, all staring blankly at the unexpected announce- ment, ‘ve tried ter do my duty in all cases,” Dave slowly said, as though scanning the past, ‘‘ an’ I s’posed from ther fact that no fault had been found with me that I was gittin’ along a)l right.” ‘*T have told you I have no fault whatever to find,” kindly answered Alvord. ‘Men ain’t usually discharged without a rea- son. Mebbe ef you was ter tell me wharin I’ve failed, it’d help me in ther futur’.” Bunker had been listening with growing anger. He knew he was wrong and hated Bon for questioning bis decision, and his pent-up passion now broke loose. ‘te ! **Confound you!” he shouted, arising from his chair, ‘‘it is none of your business why you are discharged; this is not an intelligence office. It’s enough that I don’t want you, and, what’s more, I won’t have you. You've got your pay, haven't you?” ‘Yes, sir,” said Dave, meekly. “Then get out of this office! You are no longer in my employ, and if I find you hanging around V’ll have you arrested. Clear oul, at once!” The color deepened in Dave’s face and he opened his lips to speak, but, after a visible struggle, be closed them again and went slowly out. He was not a weak man, but the loss of his situation was a serious one; it was the first. he had held since his effort toliveasa man should live, and he had felt until now that for- tune was rewarding him. At one blow, how- ever, he had fallen from his position. As the pene of a vessel disturbs the water around it, so his discharge spread further than had been expected, however. He had often been rallied by his associates, and some of them considered him a man without nerve, but, de- spite that, they had liked him, and there were sullen faces and wondering whispers along the line which followed him. He would have gone at once to his cabin, but the other men stopped him and a long conversa- tion followed. Bunker saw it when he came out, and started to order the crowd to disperse, but he thought better of it and returned at once to the village. , Not so Superintendent Alvord. He liked Giant Dave and was indignant at his discharge, and he bad resolved to speak to the men about it. His position with Bunker was one for which he no longer cared, since. he had money of bis own, and he bad decided to risk it in behalf of the miner. As a result, he had a talk with the miners, and, despite the fact that Dave opposed the de- cision at which they soon arrived, a plan was formed by which they proposed to show Bunker that he bad made a mistake in assailing an honest man without cause. CHAPTER XXXIL BUNKER’S BOOMERANG. JosePH DANFORTH congratulated himself that his scheme had been a perfect success, He had not failed to learn whether Bunker kept his word, and when he knew that Dave Bond was really discharged, he felt at ease on that point. Doubtless the fellow would soon wander away from Bowlder Bar and disappear entirely from view. On other points the postmaster was less at ease. Lois Orme was strangely missing, and there were unpleasant investigations in regard to the Red Summit affair. His mind wandered persistently to the man they had left on the mountain, Was Silver- Plated Sol still alive, or bad be succumbed to the tax on his system and died of fatigue? Or, as Burbank suggested, bad he died at the hands of the grizzlies? The originator of the scheme had expressed the belief that the animals would endeavor to get. at him both from the log and from the limb, and, succeeding, tear him to pieces. Yet, he might escape all these dangers, Danforth’s mind hovered on the subject de- spite all his efforts to forget it. At times he had a vision of a still, lifeless body suspended in mid-air; again, he thought of grim and horrible grizzlies fighting overa feast of human flesb, and shivered, Despite all his hardihood, there was some- thing about tbe affair which was too horrible for bis coolness, At times the guilty man thought of fleeing forever from the Bar and those who knew him, but a magnet held him to the point of danger. He had steeped his soul in sin for Lois Orme, and he wasresolyed to win her if such a thing was possible, uke Burbank was troubled by remorse, |. It he gave no sign. He pursued the even tenor of his way, and one would have thought his conscience was wholly at ease. aeelly 26 Was playing a deeper game than even Danforth new, and he meant to snatch victory from the jaws of danger, to change an old expression. The following day was an important one in the bistory of Bowlder Bar. Mr. Bunker, owner of the Eightéen-Carat Mine, had just sat down to his abundant break- fast when a messenger arrived and said there was trouble at the mine, and that he was want- ed by Mr. Alvord. He put on his hat and hastened that way, wondering if an accident bad occurred, He did not want any miners killed, for he owned the houses in which the greater part of them lived, and it would make a difference in his receipts when rent-day again arrived, When he reached the LHighteen-Carat, he found the men collected in a group, with Alvord standing a little at one side. ** What’s the matter?” he abruptly asked. ghee a strike,” the superintendent calmly said, “A strike!” “Yes.” ie ras more pay? This is the first ve heard of it. One of the foremost men stepped forward, re- moved his hatand faced his employer. He was a stout man with a face which, if not very intel- ligent, was firm and impressive, and he was well fitted to be the spokesman. ** Tt ain’t fur more pay, Mr. Bunker,” he said. **No? What then?” “We hev discussed ther matter, an’ we want ter see Dave Bond at work with usag’in.” “You never will see him at work again!” hotly declared the mine-owner. “Then we don’t go ter work ag’in ourselves,” firmly, but calmly, replied the other, “You infernal villain! do you think you can dictate to me?” “It'll be jest ez wal ter use fair words,” said the miner, a momentary gleam in his eyes. ** But that ain’t hyar nur thar. What we want ter speak on is ther strike, It has been brought about by your dischargin’ Dave Bond without areasou. We don’t approve on’t—” ‘What in perdition do I care whether you approve of it or not?” shouted Bunker, ‘**'You may care a good deal, for not a stroke o’ work will we do till Dave is put back at bis A short silence followed. Bunker was angry and excited; the eed ee, cool and de- termined. Alvord watched with secret amuse- 4 Silver-Plated Sol, the Montana Rover. do as you see fit. ment, and he was anticipating much from seeing the man humbled. Bunker, however, had no intention of yield- ing. He was a stubborn fellow at all times, and the idea that his men should dare to dic- tate to him, aroused all his anger, He resolved to beat them if work was never resumed in the Eighteen-Carat. “T reckon [ own this mine,” be finally said, **and I propose to run it, I will not submit to dictation from any one, and those who try it will have cause for repentance. You are at liberty to work or play, as you see fit, but I warn you that you can never resume except on my terms. Dave Bond is forever done with this mine!” ** Are 73 willin’ ther mine sbould lay idle?” Jones asked, argumentatively. * Untill can get new men—yes!” ** Miners ain’t plenty, right ‘round hyar.” **That’s my business, not yours. I’m not go- ing to be bullied by you or your fellows, and you can consult your own wishes. Bond shall never do another day’s work here, andif you see fit to hang off, you can do so.” * You hev already heerd our decision, but it don’t seem ter me you should be willin’ ter shet up ther mine jest ter keep Dave out. He’sa good an’ faithful man, an’—” “That "Il do; you have said enough so that I see that you hang together, but it will be all the worse for you, [am going to run this mat- ter myself, and I wish to remind you that it will be a bad affair for you in the end. Two- thirds of you are married men; three fourths of you live in houses and cabins owned by me. Unless you go to work at noon, every one of you can look for quarters elsewhere; not a man can sleep under a roof owned by me to- night unless he goes to work!” There was a deep silence after this assertion. None of the strikers had considered the possi- bility of such a roe, ee that; in their vigor- ous defense of Giant Dave they had forgotten the hold Bunker had upon them. Facilities for building were not good in Bowlder Bar, and there were no vacant houses, nor could tbey be erected readily. Bunker had furnished house-room for nearly all his men, and it was clear that if he drove them out, great inconvenience, to say the least, would result. His threat caused a momentary wavering, but the indignation of the miners quickly arose and they declared as one that they were not to be beaten thus, ‘*So be it,” Bunker answered. ‘IT am not going to stay here and talk to you, but you can Bear one thing in mind, however; unless you resume work before the day ends, every man leaves my dwellings to- night. This is my ultimatum.” 6 wheeled, towed a scowling glance upon Mr, Alvord, and then strode toward the age. He was in an extremely ugly mood. Ho did not like the idea of closing the mine, even tem- rarily, and he saw that his unjust attack on iant Dave was recoiling on bim, boomerang fashion, but he was ugly and stubborn when he undertook to do a thing, and he was resolved to fight the matter out. Unless the strikers yee he would expe! all from their houses, an this was no slight matter. He left the miners in a mood far from a contented, for they had expected him to yiel to their demands, and the probable sequence of the affair bade fair to leave them not only out of work but homeless. Alvord was disappointed and chagrined, As has been said, he was so situated that he could afford to defy Bunker, and his position was not a necessary thing, but with the miners it was different. With their own interests at stake, he now advised them to submit and goto work. They bad done what they could for Dave Bond, but it was not wise to sacrifice themselves when they could not aid him, All this he explained, but it was not easy to quell the storm be bad raised. Bunker bad never been a favorite, and they now took the ground that they were ill-used, and declared that they would persist and cripple him, even if they suffered privations themselves in doing i Some of them even went so far as to say that if he brought new men to open the gala they would not allow them to wor The true strikers’ spirit was rampant. But, before they dispersed, Giant Dave him- self appeared on the scene. “Tve heerd what you've said, boyees,” he observed, mildly, ‘tan’ I’ve come ter ask you ter change your minds. "Tain’t right you should sacrifice yourselves fur me, an’ I adv you ter go a work an’ lose no more time,’ **That is best,” Alvord agreed, “No, it ain’t!” said Jones, sturdily. ‘Ef we war in ther Teante or ef old Bunker could find a word o’ fault wita Dave, we should hev noth- in’ more ter say; but, ez “tis, we’re goin’ stick ter our colors an’ either make or break.” He believed Bunker would give way,. to those who had families _ (Eo payicel orev) KS (E(@) =|