The Iron Trail

by Rex Beach

  VIII

  IN WHICH WE COME TO OMAR

  "Miss Appleton," said the editor of The Review, "would you like to takea vacation?"

  "Is that your delicate way of telling me I'm discharged?" inquiredEliza.

  "You know very well we wouldn't fire you. But you haven't had avacation for three years, and you need a rest."

  "I thought I was looking extremely well, for me."

  "We're going to send you on an assignment--to Alaska--if you'll go."

  "I'm thinking of quitting newspaper-work for good. The magazines paybetter, and I'm writing a book."

  "I know. Perhaps this will just fit in with your plans, for it has todo with your pet topic of conservation. Those forestry stories of yoursand the article on the Water Power Combination made a hit, didn't they?"

  "I judge so. Anyhow the magazine people want more."

  "Good! Here's your chance to do something big for yourself and for us.Those Alaskan coal claimants have been making a great effort inWashington to rush their patents through, and there seems to be somepossibility of their succeeding unless the public wakes up. We want toshow up the whole fraudulent affair, show how the entries were illegal,and how the agents of the Trust are trying to put over the greateststeal of the century. It's the Heidlemanns that are back of it--and afew fellows like Murray O'Neil."

  "O'Neil!"

  "You know him, don't you?"

  "Yes. I interviewed him a year ago last spring, when he started hisrailroad."

  "He's fighting for one of the biggest and richest groups of claims.He's backed by some Eastern people. It's the psychological moment toexpose both the railroad and the coal situation, for the thieves arefighting among themselves--Gordon, O'Neil, and the Heidlemanns."

  "Mr. O'Neil is no thief," said the girl, shortly.

  "Of course not. He's merely trying to snatch control of an empire, andto grab ten million dollars' worth of coal, for nothing. That's nottheft, it's financial genius! Fortunately, however, the public isrousing itself--coming to regard its natural resources as its own andnot the property of the first financier who lays hold of them. Call itwhat you will, but give us the true story of the Kyak coal and, aboveall, the story of the railroad battle. Things are growing bitter upthere already, and they're bound to get rapidly worse. Give us the newsand we'll play it up big through our Eastern syndicate. You can handlethe magazine articles in a more dignified way, if you choose. A fewgood vigorous, fearless, newspaper stories, written by some one on theground, will give Congress such a jolt that no coal patents will beissued this season and no Government aid will be given to therailroads. You get the idea?"

  "Certainly! But it will take time to do all that."

  "Spend a year at it if necessary. The Review is fighting for aprinciple; it will back you to any extent. Isn't it worth a year, twoyears, of hard labor, to awaken the American people to the knowledgethat they are being robbed of their birthright? I have several men whomI could send, but I chose you because your work along this line hasgiven you a standing. This is your chance, Eliza--to make a bigreputation and to perform a real service to the country. It's a chancethat may never come your way again. Will you go?"

  "Of course I'll go."

  "I knew you would. You're all business, and that's what makes a hit inthis office. You're up against a tough proposition, but I can trust youto make good on it. You can't fail if you play one interest against theother, for they're all fighting like Kilkenny cats. The Heidlemanns area bunch of bandits; Gordon is a brilliant, unscrupulous promoter;O'Neil is a cold, shrewd schemer with more brains and daring than anyof the others--he showed that when he walked in there and seized theSalmon River canon. He broke up all their plans and set the CopperTrust by the ears, but I understand they've got him bottled up at last.Here's your transportation--on Saturday's steamer." The editor shookMiss Appleton's hand warmly as she rose. "Good luck, Eliza! Remember,we won't balk, no matter how lively your stuff is. The hotter thebetter--and that's what the magazines want, too. If I were you, I'dgum-shoe it. They're a rotten crowd and they might send you back ifthey got wise."

  "I think not," said Eliza, quietly.

  The town of Omar lay drenched in mist as the steamer bearing therepresentative of The Review drew in at the dock. The whole region wassodden and rain-soaked, verdant with a lush growth. No summer sun shonehere, to bake sprouting leaves or sear tender grasses. Beneath thesheltering firs a blanket of moss extended over hill and vale,knee-deep and treacherous to the foot. The mountain crests were white,and down every gully streamed water from the melting snows. The countryitself lay on end, as if crumpled by some giant hand, and presented atropical blend of colors. There was the gray of fog and low-sweptclouds, the dense, dark green of the spruces, underlaid with thericher, lighter shades where the summer vegetation rioted. And runningthrough it all were the shimmering, silent reaches of the sound.

  Omar itself was a mushroom city, sprung up by magic, as if the dampnessat its roots had caused it to rise overnight. A sawmill shriekedcomplainingly; a noisy switch-engine shunted rows of flat cars back andforth, tooting lustily; the rattle of steam-winches and the cries ofstevedores from a discharging freighter echoed against the hillsides.Close huddled at the water-front lay the old cannery buildings, greatlyexpanded and multiplied now and glistening with fresh paint. Back ofthem again lay the town, its stumpy, half-graded streets terminating inthe forest like the warty feelers of a stranded octopus. Everywhere washurry and confusion, and over all was the ever-present shroud of mistwhich thickened into showers or parted reluctantly to let the sun peepthrough.

  Dan Appleton, his clothing dewy from the fog, his cheeks bronzed byexposure, was over the rail before the ship had made fast, and hadEliza in his arms, crushing her with the hug of a bear.

  "Come up to the house, Sis, quick!" he cried, when the first frenzy ofgreeting was over--"your house and mine!" His eyes were dancing, hisface was alight with eagerness.

  "But, Danny," she laughed, squeezing his arm tenderly, "you live withMr. O'Neil and all those other men in a horrible, crawling bunk-house."

  "Oh, do I? I'll have you know that our bunk-houses don't crawl. Andbesides--But wait! It's a s'prise."

  "A s'prise?" she queried, eagerly. "For me?"

  He nodded.

  "Tell me what it is, quick! You know I never could wait for s'prises."

  "Well, it's a brand-new ultra-stylish residence for just you and me.When the chief heard you were coming he had a cottage built."

  "Danny! It was only five days ago that I cabled you!"

  "That's really ten days for us, for you see we never sleep. It isfinished and waiting, and your room is in white, and the paint will bedry to-morrow. He's a wonder!"

  Remembering the nature of her mission, Eliza demurred. "I'm afraid Ican't live there, Dan. You know"--she hesitated--"I may have to writesome rather dreadful things about him."

  "What?" Dan's face fell. "You are going to attack the chief! I had noidea of that!" He looked genuinely distressed and a little stern.

  She laid a pleading hand upon his arm. "Forgive me, Dan," she said. "Iknew how you would feel, and, to tell the truth, I don't like that partof it one bit. But it was my big chance--the sort of thing I have beenwaiting years for. I couldn't bear to miss it." There was a suspicionof tears in her eyes. "I didn't think it all out. I just came. Thingsget awfully mixed, don't they? Of course I wouldn't attack himunfairly, but I do believe in conservation--and what could I do butcome here to you?"

  Dan smiled to reassure her. "Perhaps you won't feel like excoriatinghim when you learn more about things. I know you wouldn't be unfair.You'd flunk the job first. Wait till you talk to him. But you can'trefuse his kindness, for a time at least. There's nowhere else for youto stay, and Murray would pick you up and put you into the cottage,muck-rake and all, if I didn't. He had to go out on the work thismorning or he'd have been here to welcome you. He sent apologies andsaid a lot of nice things, which I've forgotten."

  "Well"--Eliza still looke
d troubled--"all right. But wait," she cried,with a swift change of mood. "I've made a little friend, the dearest,the most useless creature! We shared the same stateroom and we'resisters. She actually says I'm pretty, so of course I'm her slave forlife." She hurried away in the midst of Dan's loyal protestations thatshe WAS pretty--more beautiful than the stars, more pleasing to the eyethan the orchids of Brazil. A moment later she reappeared to presentNatalie Gerard.

  Dan greeted the new arrival with a cordiality in which there was atrace of shyness unusual with him. "We've made quite a change since youwere up here, Miss Gerard," he remarked. "The ships stop first at Omarnow, you see. I trust it won't inconvenience you."

  "Not in the least," said Natalie. "I shall arrive at Hope quite soonenough."

  "Omar Khayyam is out in the wilderness somewhere," Eliza informed hergirl friend, "with his book of verses and his jug of wine, I suppose."

  "Mr. O'Neil?"

  "Yes. But he'll be back soon, and meanwhile you are to come up and seeour paradise."

  "It--looks terribly wet," Natalie ventured. "Perhaps we'd better waituntil the rain stops."

  "Please don't," Dan laughed. "It won't stop until autumn and then itwill only change to snow. We don't have much sunshine--"

  "You must! You're tanned like an Indian," his sister exclaimed.

  "That's rust! O'Neil wanted to get a record of the bright weather inOmar, so he put a man on the job to time it, but the experiment failed!"

  "How so?"

  "We didn't have a stop-watch in town. Now come! Nobody ever catchescold here--there isn't time."

  He led the two girls ashore and up through the town to a moss-greenbungalow, its newness attested by the yellow sawdust and fresh shavingswhich lay about. Amid their exclamations of delight he showed them theneatly furnished interior, and among other wonders a bedroom daintilydone in white, with white curtains at the mullioned windows and a suiteof wicker furniture.

  "Where he dug all that up I don't know," Dan said, pointing to the bedand dresser and chairs. "He must have had it hidden out somewhere."

  Eliza surveyed this chamber with wondering eyes. "It makes me feelquite ashamed," she said, "though, of course, he did it for Dan. Whenhe discovers my abominable mission he'll probably set me out in therain and break all my lead-pencils. But--isn't he magnificent?"

  "He quite overwhelms one," Natalie agreed. "Back in New York, he's beensending me American Beauties every week for more than a year. It's hisprincely way." She colored slightly, despite the easy frankness of hermanner.

  "Oh, he's always doing something like that," Dan informed them,whereupon his sister exclaimed:

  "You see, Natalie! The man is a viper. If he let his beard grow I'msure we'd see it was blue."

  "You shall have an opportunity of judging," came O'Neil's voice frombehind them, and he entered with hands outstretched, smiling at theirsurprise. When he had expressed his pleasure at Natalie's presence andhad bidden both her and Eliza welcome to Omar, he explained:

  "I've just covered eighteen miles on a railroad tricycle and my back isbroken. The engines were busy, but I came, anyhow, hoping to arrivebefore the steamer. Now what is this I hear about my beard?"

  It was Eliza's turn to blush, and she outdid Natalie.

  "They were raving about your gallantry," said Dan with all a brother'sruthlessness, "until I told them it was merely a habit of mind withyou; then Sis called you a Bluebeard."

  O'Neil smiled, stroking his stubbly chin. "You see it's only gray."

  "I--don't see," said Eliza, still flushing furiously.

  "You would if I continued to let it grow."

  "Hm-m! I think, myself, it's a sort of bluish gray," said Dan.

  "You are still working miracles," Natalie told O'Neil, an hour later,while he was showing his visitors the few sights of Omar--"miracles ofkindness, as usual."

  Dan and his sister were following at a distance, arm in arm andchattering like magpies.

  "No, no! That cottage is nothing. Miss Appleton had to have some placeto stop."

  "This all seems like magic." Natalie paused and looked over the busylittle town. "And to think you have done it in a year."

  "It was not I who did it; the credit belongs to those 'boys' of whom Itold you. They are all here, by the way--Parker, McKay, Mellen,Sheldon, 'Doc' Gray--he has the hospital, you know."

  "And Mr. Slater?"

  "Oh, we couldn't exist without 'Happy Tom'! No, the only miracle aboutall this is the loyalty that has made it possible. It is that which hasbroken all records in railroad-building; that's what has pushed ourtracks forward until we're nearly up to one of Nature's real miracles.You shall see those glaciers, one of these days. Sometimes I wonder ifeven the devotion of those men will carry us through the final test.But--you shall meet them all, to-night--my whole family."

  "I can't. The ship leaves this afternoon."

  "I've arranged to send you to Hope in my motor-boat, just as Mr. Gordonsent me on my way a year ago. You will stay with the Appletons to-nightand help at the house-warming, then Dan will take you on in themorning. Women are such rare guests at Omar that we refuse to part withthem. You agree?"

  "How can I refuse? Your word seems to be law here. I'll send word tomother by the ship that I am detained by royal decree."

  She spoke with a gaiety that seemed a little forced, and at mention ofher departure a subtle change had come over her face. O'Neil realizedthat she had matured markedly since his last meeting with her; therewas no longer quite the same effect of naive girlishness.

  "This was a very unhappy year for your loyal subject, Mr. O'Neil."

  "I'm sorry," he declared with such genuine kindliness that she wasmoved to confide in him.

  "Mother and I are ruined."

  "Will you tell me about it?"

  "It's merely--those wretched coal claims. I have a friend in the LandOffice at Washington, and, remembering what you said, I asked him tolook them up. I knew no other way to go about it. He tells me thatsomething was done, or was not done, by us, and that we have lost allwe put in."

  "I urged Gordon to obey that ruling, last spring." Natalie saw that hisface was dark with indignation, and the knowledge that he really caredset her heart to pounding gratefully. She was half tempted to tellabout that other, that greater trouble which had stolen in upon herpeace of mind and robbed her of her girlhood, but she shrank frombaring her wounds--above all, a wound so vital and so personal as this.

  "Does your mother know?" he queried.

  "No, I preferred to tell her in Mr. Gordon's presence." Murray noticedthat she no longer called the man uncle. "But now that the time hascome, I'm frightened."

  "Never allow yourself to be afraid. Fear is something false; it doesn'texist."

  "It seems to me he was--unfaithful to his trust. Am I right?"

  "That is something you must judge for yourself," he told her, gravely."You see, I don't know anything about the reasons which prompted him tosacrifice your rights. He may have had very good reasons. I dare say hehad. In building this railroad I have felt but one regret; that is theindirect effect it may have upon you and your mother. Your affairs arelinked closely with Gordon's and the success of my enterprise will meanthe failure of his."

  "You mustn't feel that way. I'm sure it won't affect us at all, for wehave nothing more to lose. Sometimes I think his judgment is faulty,erratic, wonderful man though he is. Mother trusts him blindly, ofcourse, and so do I, yet I hardly know what to do. It is impossiblethat he did worse than make a mistake."

  Her dark eyes were bent upon Murray and they were eloquent with thequestion which she could not bring herself to ask. He longed to tellher frankly that Curtis Gordon was a charlatan, or even worse, and thathis fairest schemes were doomed to failure by the very nature of hismethods, but instead he said:

  "I'm deeply distressed. I hope things are not as bad as you think andthat Mr. Gordon will be able to straighten them out for you. If ever Ican be of service you must be sure to call upon me."

&
nbsp; Her thanks were conventional, but in her heart was a deep, warmgratitude, for she knew that he meant what he said and would not failher.

  Dan Appleton, eying Natalie and his chief from a distance, exclaimed,admiringly:

  "She's a perfect peach, Sis. She registered a home run with me thefirst time at bat."

  "She IS nice."

  "You know a fellow gets mighty lonely in a place like this. She'd makea dandy sister-in-law for you, wouldn't she?"

  "Forget it!" said Eliza, sharply. "That's rank insubordination. OmarKhayyam snatched her from the briny and tried to die for her. He hasbought her two acres of the most expensive roses and he remembers thedate of her birthday. Just you keep your hands off."

  "How does she feel about him?"

  "Oh, she heroizes him, of course. I don't know just how deep thefeeling goes, but I got the impression that it was pretty serious. Twowomen can't borrow hair-pins and mix powder puffs for a week and remainstrangers."

  "Then, as for Daniel Appleton, C.E., GOOD NIGHT!" exclaimed herbrother, ruefully. "If I were a woman I'd marry him myself, provided Icould get ahead of the rush; but, being a male of the species, Isuppose I shall creep out into the jungle and sulk."

  "Right-o! Don't enter this race, for I'm afraid you'd be a bad loser!Personally I can't see anything in him to rave about. What scares mepink is the knowledge that I must tell him the wretched business thatbrings me here. If he strikes me, Danny, remember I'm still yoursister."

  When the big gong gave the signal for luncheon Appleton conductedNatalie and Eliza to the company messroom, where the field and officeforce dined together, and presented them to his fellow-lieutenants. Atsupper-time those who had been out on the line during the day werelikewise introduced, and after a merry meal the whole party escortedthe two girls back to the green bungalow.

  "Why, here's a piano!" Eliza exclaimed upon entering the parlor.

  "I borrowed it for the evening from the Elite Saloon," O'Neilvolunteered. "It's a dissipated old instrument, and some of its teethhave been knocked out--in drunken brawls, I'm afraid--but the ownervouched for its behavior on this occasion."

  "It knows only one tune--'I Won't Go Home until Morning,'" Dan declared.

  McKay, however, promptly disproved this assertion by seating himself atthe keyboard and rattling off some popular melodies. With music andlaughter the long twilight fled, for O'Neil's "boys" flung themselvesinto the task of entertaining his guests with whole-souled enthusiasm.

  So successful were their efforts that even "Happy Tom" appeared toderive a mild enjoyment from them, which was a testimonial indeed. Hispleasure was made evident by no word of praise, nor faintest smile, butrather by the lightened gloom in which he chewed his gum and by thefact that he complained of nothing. In truth, he was not onlyentertained by the general gaiety, but he was supremely interested inMiss Appleton, who resembled no creature he had ever seen. He had metmany girls like Natalie, and feared them, but Eliza, with herstraightforward airs and her masculine mannerisms, was different. Sheaffected him in a way at once pleasant and disagreeable. He felt nodiffidence in speaking to her, for instance--a phenomenon which was initself a ground for suspicion. Then, too, her clothes--he could nottake his eyes off her clothes--were almost like Dan's. That seemed toshow common sense, but was probably only the sign of an eccentric,domineering nature. On the other hand, the few words she addressed tohim were gracious, and her eyes had a merry twinkle which warmed hisheart. She must be all right, he reluctantly concluded, being Dan'ssister and O'Neil's friend. But deep down in his mind he cherished adoubt.

  At her first opportunity Eliza undertook to make that confession thethought of which had troubled her all the afternoon. Drawing O'Neilaside, she began with some trepidation, "Have you any idea why I'mhere?"

  "I supposed either you or Dan had achieved your pet ambition."

  "Far from it. I have a fell purpose, and when you learn what it is Iexpect you to move the piano out--that's what always happens in theplay when the heroine is dispossessed. Well, then, I've been sent byThe Review to bare all the disgraceful secrets of your life!"

  "I'm delighted to learn you'll be here so long. You can't possiblyfinish that task before next spring." His manner, though quizzical, wasgenuinely hearty.

  "Don't laugh!" said the girl. "There's nothing funny about it. I camenorth as a spy."

  "Then you're a Northern Spy!"

  "Apples!" she cried. "You remembered, didn't you? I never supposed menlike you could be flippant. Well, here goes for the worst." Sheoutlined her conversation with the editor of her paper.

  "So you think I'm trying to steal Alaska," he said when she hadconcluded.

  "That seems to be the general idea."

  "It's a pretty big job."

  "Whoever controls transportation will have the country by the throat."

  "Yet somebody must build railroads, since the Government won't. Did itever occur to you that there is a great risk involved in a thing ofthis sort, and that capital must see a profit before it enters a newfield? I wonder if you know how badly this country needs an outlet andhow much greater the benefit in dollars and cents will be to the men inthe interior than to those who finance the road. But I perceive thatyou are a conservationist."

  "Rabid!" Eliza bridled a little at the hint of amused superiority inhis voice. "I'm a suffragist, too! I dare say that adds to yourdisgust."

  "Nonsense!" he protested. "I have no quarrel with conservation nor with'votes for women.' Neither have I anything to conceal. I'm only afraidthat, like most writers, you will be content with half-information.Incomplete facts are responsible for most misunderstandings. If you arein earnest and will promise to take the time necessary to get at allthe facts, I'll make an agreement with you."

  "I promise! Time and a typewriter are my only assets. I don't intend tobe hurried."

  Dan approached, drawn by the uncomfortable knowledge of his sister'spredicament, and broke in:

  "Oh, Sis has time to burn! She's going to write a book on the salmoncanneries while she's here. It's bound to be one of the 'six bestsmellers'!"

  O'Neil waved him away with the threat of sending him out among themosquitoes.

  "I'll agree to show you everything we're doing."

  "Even to the coal-fields?"

  "Even to them. You shall know everything, then you can write what youplease."

  "And when I've exposed you to the world as a commercial pickpocket, asa looter of the public domain--after Congress has appropriated yourfabulous coal claims--will you nail up the door of this little cottage,and fire Dan?"

  "No."

  "Will you still be nice to me?"

  "My dear child, you are my guest. Come and go when and where you will.Omar is yours so long as you stay, and when you depart in triumph,leaving me a broken, discredited wretch, I shall stand on the dock andwave you a bon voyage. Now it's bedtime for my 'boys,' since we rise atfive o'clock."

  "Heavens! Five! Why the sun isn't up at that time!"

  "The sun shines very little here; that's why we want you to stay atOmar. I wish we might also keep Miss Natalie."

  When the callers had gone Eliza told Natalie and Dan:

  "He took it so nicely that I feel more ashamed than ever. One wouldthink he didn't care at all. Do you suppose he does?"

  "There's no denying that you appeared at an unfortunate time," said herbrother.

  "Why?"

  "Well--I'm not sure we'll ever succeed with this project. Parker saysthe glacier bridge can be built, but the longer he studies it thegraver he gets. It's making an old man of him."

  "What does Mr. O'Neil say?"

  "Oh, he's sanguine, as usual. He never gives up. But he has otherthings to worry him--money! It's money, money, all the time. He wasn'tterribly rich, to begin with, and he has used up all his own fortune,besides what the other people put in. You see, he never expected tocarry the project so far; he believed the Trust would buy him out."

  "Well?"

  "It hasn't and it evident
ly doesn't intend to. When it learned of hisplan, its engineers beat it out to the glaciers and looked them over.Then they gave up their idea of building in from Cortez, but instead ofmaking terms with us, they moved their whole outfit down to Kyak Bay,right alongside of the coal-fields, and now it has become a race to theglaciers, with Gordon fighting us on the side just to make matterslively. The Trust has the shorter route, but we have the start."

  "Why didn't Mr. O'Neil take Kyak as a terminus, instead of Omar?"

  "He says it's not feasible. Kyak is an open harbor, and he says nobreakwater can be built there to withstand the storms. He still clingsto that belief, although the Trust is actually building one. If theysucceed we're cooked. Meanwhile he's rushing work and straining everynerve to raise more money. Now you come along with a proposal toadvertise the whole affair to the public as a gigantic graft and setCongress against him. I think he treated you mighty well, under thecircumstances."

  "I won't act against my convictions," Eliza declared, firmly, "even ifit means calamity to everybody."

  Natalie spoke for the first time, her voice tuned to a pitch of feelingthat contrasted oddly with their conversational tones.

  "If you hurt my Irish Prince," she said, "I shall hate you as long as Ilive."