The Iron Trail

by Rex Beach

  X

  IN WHICH THE DOCTOR SHOWS HIS WIT

  O'Neil's talk with Mrs. Gerard upon her arrival from Hope was short andbusinesslike. Neither by word nor look did he show that he knew orsuspected anything of the real reason of her break with Gordon. Towardboth her and Natalie he preserved his customary heartiness, and theirfirst constraint soon disappeared. Mrs. Gerard had been plunged in oneof those black moods in which it seems that no possible event can bringeven a semblance of happiness, but it was remarkable how soon thisstate of mind began to give way before O'Neil's matter-of-factcheerfulness. He refused to listen to their thanks and made thembelieve that they were conferring a real favor upon him by acceptingthe responsibility of the new hotel. Pending the completion of thatstructure he was hard pressed to find a lodging-place for them untilEliza and her brother insisted that they share the bungalow withthem--a thing O'Neil had not felt at liberty to ask under thecircumstances. Nor was the tact of the brother and sister less thanhis; they received the two unfortunates as honored guests.

  Gradually the visitors began to feel that they were welcome, that theywere needed, that they had an important task to fulfil, and the sensethat they were really of service drove away depression. Night afternight they lay awake, discussing the wonderful change in their fortunesand planning their future. Natalie at least had not the slightest doubtthat all their troubles were at an end.

  One morning they awoke to learn that O'Neil had gone to the States,leaving Dr. Gray in charge of affairs at Omar during his absence. Thephysician, who was fully in his chief's confidence, gravely discussedtheir duties with them, and so discreet was he that they had nofaintest suspicion that he knew their secret. It was typical of O'Neiland his "boys" that they should show this chivalry toward twofriendless outcasts; it was typical of them, also, that they one andall constituted themselves protectors of Natalie and her mother,letting it be known through the town that the slightest rudeness towardthe women would be promptly punished.

  While O'Neil's unexpected departure caused some comment, no one excepthis trusted lieutenants dreamed of the grave importance of his mission.They knew the necessities that hounded him, they were well aware of thetrembling insecurity in which affairs now stood, but they maintainedtheir cheerful industry, they pressed the work with unabated energy,and the road crept forward foot by foot, as steadily and as smoothly asif he himself were on the ground to direct it.

  Many disappointments had arisen since the birth of the Salmon River &Northwestern; many misfortunes had united to retard the development ofits builder's plans. The first obstacle O'Neil encountered was that ofclimate. During the summer, unceasing rains, mists, and fogs dispiritedhis workmen and actually cut their efficiency in half. He had madecertain allowances for this, of course, but no one could have foreseenso great a percentage of inefficiency as later developed. In winter,the cold was intense and the snows were of prodigious depth, whileoutside the shelter of the Omar hills the winds howled and rioted overthe frozen delta, chilling men and animals and paralyzing human effort.Under these conditions it was hard to get workmen, and thrice harder tokeep them; so that progress was much slower than had been anticipated.

  Then, too, the physical difficulties of the country were almostinsurmountable. The morass which comprised the Salmon River plain wasin summer a bottomless ooze, over which nothing could be transported,yet in winter it became sheathed with a steel-hard armor against whichpiling splintered. It could be penetrated at that season only by theassistance of steam thawers, which involved delay and heavy expense.These were but samples of the obstacles that had to be met, and everyone realized that the work thus far had been merely preparatory. Thegreat obstruction, upon the conquest of which the success of the wholeundertaking hinged, still lay before them.

  But of all handicaps the most serious by far was the lack of capital.Murray had foreseen as inevitable the abandonment by the Trust of itsCortez route, but its change of base to Kyak had come as a startlingsurprise and as an almost crushing blow. Personally, he believed itspresent plan to be even more impracticable than its former one, but itsrefusal to buy him out had disheartened his financial associates andtightened their purse-strings into a knot which no argument of hiscould loose. He had long since exhausted his own liquid capital, he hadrealized upon his every available asset, and his personal credit wastottering. He was obliged to finance his operations upon new money--atask which became ever more difficult as the months passed and theTrust continued its work at Kyak. Yet he knew that the briefestflagging, even a temporary abandonment of work, meant swift and utterruin. His track must go forward, his labor must be paid, his suppliesmust not be interrupted. He set his jaws and fought on stubbornly,certain of his ultimate triumph if only he could hold out.

  A hundred miles to the westward was a melancholy example of failure inrailroad-building, in the form of two rows of rust upon a weed-grownembankment. It was all that remained of another enterprise which hadsuccumbed to financial starvation, and the wasted millions itrepresented was depressing to consider.

  Thus far O'Neil's rivalry with the Trust had been friendly, ifspirited, but his action in coming to the assistance of Mrs. Gerard andher daughter raised up a new and vigorous enemy whose methods were notas scrupulous as those of the Heidlemanns.

  Gordon was a strangely unbalanced man. He was magnetic, his genialitywas really heart-warming, yet he was perfectly cold-blooded in hisselfishness. He was cool and calculating, but interference roused himto an almost insane pitch of passion. Fickle in most things, he wasuncompromising in his hatreds. O'Neil's generosity in affordingsanctuary to his defiant mistress struck him as a personal affront, itfanned his dislike of his rival into a consuming rage. It was with nothought of profit that he cast about for a means of crippling O'Neil.He was quite capable of ruining himself, not to speak of incidentalharm to others, if only he could gratify his spleen.

  Denny, his trusted jackal, resisted stoutly any move against "The IrishPrince," but his employer would not listen to him or consent to anydelay. Therefore, a certain plausible, shifty-eyed individual by thename of Linn was despatched to Omar on the first steamer. Landing athis destination, Mr. Linn quietly effaced himself, disappearing out theright-of-way, where he began moving from camp to camp, ostensibly insearch of employment.

  It was a few days later, perhaps a week after O'Neil's departure, thatEliza Appleton entered the hospital and informed Dr. Gray:

  "I've finished my first story for The Review."

  The big physician had a rapid, forceful habit of speech. "Well, Isuppose you uncorked the vitriol bottle," he said, brusquely.

  "No! Since you are now the fount of authority here, I thought I'd tellyou that I have reserved my treachery for another time. I haven'tlearned enough yet to warrant real fireworks. As a matter of fact, I'vebeen very kind to Mr. O'Neil in my story."

  "Let me thank you for him."

  "Now don't be sarcastic! I could have said a lot of nasty things, if hehadn't been so nice to me. I suppose it is the corrupting influence ofhis kindness."

  "He really will be grateful," the doctor assured her, seriously."Newspaper publicity of the wrong sort might hurt him a great deal justnow. In every big enterprise there comes a critical time, wheneverything depends upon one man; strong as the structure seems, he'sreally supporting it. You see, the whole thing rests ultimately oncredit and confidence. An ill-considered word, a little unfriendlyshove, and down comes the whole works. Then some financial power stepsin, reorganizes the wreckage, and gets the result of all the otherfellow's efforts, for nothing."

  "Dan tells me the affairs of the S. R. & N. are in just such atottering condition."

  "Yes. We're up against it, for the time being. Our cards are on thetable, and you have it in your power to do us a lot of harm."

  "Don't put it that way!" said Eliza, resentfully. "You and Mr. O'Neiland even Dan make it hard for me to do my duty. I won't let you rob meof my liberty. I'll get out and 'Siwash' it in a tent first."

  The physician la
ughed. "Don't mistake leaf-mold for muck, that's all weask. O'Neil is perfectly willing to let you investigate him."

  "Exactly! And I could bite off his head for being so nice about it. Notthat I've discovered anything against him, for I haven't-- I think he'sfine--but I object to the principle of the thing."

  "He'll never peep, no matter what you do or say."

  "It makes me furious to know how superior he is. I never detested aman's virtues as I do his. Gordon is the sort I like, for he needsexposing, and expects it. Wait until I get at him and the Trust."

  "The Trust, too, eh?"

  "Of course."

  "Now what have the Heidlemanns done?"

  "It's not what they have done; it's what they're going to do. They'retrying to grab Alaska."

  Dr. Gray shook his head impatiently, but before he could make answerTom Slater entered and broke into the conversation by announcing:

  "I've spotted him, Doc. His name is Linn, and he's Gordon's hand. He'sat mile 24 and fifty men are quitting from that camp."

  "That makes two hundred, so far," said the doctor.

  "He's offering a raise of fifty cents a day and transportation to Hope."

  Gray scowled and Eliza inquired quickly:

  "What's wrong, Uncle Tom?"

  "Don't call me 'Uncle Tom,'" Slater exclaimed, irritably; "I ain'trelated to you."

  Miss Appleton smiled at him sweetly. "I had a dear friend once--youremind me of him, he was such a splendid big man," she said.

  Tom eyed her suspiciously.

  "He chewed gum incessantly, too, and declared that it never hurtanybody."

  "It never did," asserted Slater.

  "We pleaded, we argued, we did our best to save him, but--" She shookher blond head sadly.

  "What happened to him?"

  "What always happens? He lingered along for a time, stubborn to thelast, then--" Turning abruptly to Dr. Gray, she asked, "Who is this manLinn, and what is he doing?"

  "He's an emissary of Curtis Gordon and he's hiring our men away fromus," snapped the physician.

  "Why, Dan tells me Mr. O'Neil pays higher wages than anybody!"

  "So he does, but Linn offers a raise. We didn't know what the troublewas till over a hundred men had quit. The town is full of them, now,and it's becoming a stampede."

  "Can't you meet the raise?"

  "That wouldn't do any good."

  Tom agreed. "Gordon don't want these fellows. He's doing it to get evenwith Murray for those wo--" He bit his words in two at a glance fromGray. "What happened to the man that chewed gum?" he demanded abruptly.

  "Oh yes! Poor fellow! We warned him time and again, but he was a sullenbrute, he wouldn't heed advice. Why don't you bounce this man Linn? Whydon't you run him out of camp?"

  "Fine counsel from a champion of equal rights!" smiled Gray. "Youforget we have laws and Gordon has a press bureau. It would antagonizethe men and cause a lot of trouble in the end. What O'Neil could dopersonally, he can't do as the president of the S. R. & N. It wouldgive us a black eye.

  "We've go to do something dam' quick," said Slater, "or else the workwill be tied up. That would 'crab' Murray's deal. I've got apick-handle that's itching for Linn's head." The speaker coughedhollowly and complained: "I've got a bad cold on my chest--feels likepneumonia, to me. Wouldn't that just be my luck?"

  "Do you have pains in your chest?" inquired the girl, solicitously.

  "Terrible! But I'm so full of pains that I get used to 'em".

  "It isn't pneumonia."

  Slater flared up at this, for he was jealous of his sufferings.

  "It's gumbago!" Eliza declared.

  Dr. Gray's troubled countenance relaxed into a grin as he said:

  "I'll give you something to rub on those leather lungs--harness-oil,perhaps."

  "Is this labor trouble really serious?" asked the girl.

  "Serious! It may knock us out completely. Go away now and let me think.Pardon my rudeness, Miss Appleton, but--"

  Slater paused at the door.

  "Don't think too long, Doc," he admonished him, "for there's a ship duein three days, and by that time there won't be a 'rough-neck' left onthe job. It'll take a month to get a new crew from the States, and thenit wouldn't be any good till it was broke in."

  When he was alone the doctor sat down to weigh the news "Happy Tom" hadbrought, but the more squarely he considered the matter the morealarming it appeared. Thus far the S. R. & N. had been remarkably freefrom labor troubles. To permit them to creep in at this stage would beextremely perilous: the briefest cessation of work might, and probablywould, have a serious bearing upon O'Neil's efforts to raise money.Gray felt the responsibility of his position with extraordinary force,for his chief's fortunes had never suffered in his hands and he couldnot permit them to do so now. But how to meet this move of Gordon's hedid not know; he could think of no means of keeping these men at Omar.As he had to Eliza, to meet the raise would be useless, and a new scaleof wages once adopted would be hard to reduce. Successful orunsuccessful in its effect, it would run into many thousands ofdollars. The physician acknowledged himself dreadfully perplexed; heracked his brain uselessly, yearning meanwhile for the autocratic powerto compel obedience among his men. He would have forced them back totheir jobs had there been a way, and the fact that they were duped onlyadded to his anger.

  It occurred to him to quarantine the town, a thing he could easily doas port physician in case of an epidemic, but Omar was unusuallyhealthy, and beyond a few surgical cases his hospital was empty.

  His meditations were interrupted by Tom Slater, who returned to say:

  "Give me that dope, Doc; I'm coughing like a switch engine." Gray roseand went to the shelves upon which his drugs were arranged, while thefat man continued, "That Appleton girl has got me worried with herfoolishness. Maybe I AM sick; anyhow, I feel rotten. What I need is agood rest and a nurse to wait on me."

  The physician's eyes in running along the rows of bottles encounteredone labeled "Oleum Tiglii," and paused there. "You need a rest, eh?" heinquired, mechanically.

  "If I don't get one I'll wing my way to realms eternal. I ain't beendried off for three months." Gray turned to regard his caller with aspeculative stare, his fingers toyed with the bottle. "If it wasn't forthis man Linn I'd lay off--I'd go to jail for him. But I can't doanything, with one foot always in the grave."

  The doctor's face lightened with determination.

  "Tom, you've been sent from heaven!"

  "D'you mean I've been sent for, from heaven?" The invalid's red cheeksblanched, into his mournful eyes leaped a look of quick concern. "Say!Am I as sick as all that?"

  "This will make you feel better." Gray uncorked the bottle and said,shortly, "Take off your shirt."

  "What for?"

  "I'm going to rub your chest and arms."

  Slater obeyed, with some reluctance, pausing to inquire, doubtfully:

  "You ain't stripping me down so you can operate?"

  "Nonsense!"

  "I'm feeling pretty good again."

  "It's well to take these things early. They all look alike at thebeginning."

  "What things?"

  "Grippe, gumbago, smallpox--"

  "God'lmighty!" exclaimed Slater with a start. "I haven't got anythingbut a light cold."

  "Then this liniment ought to be just the thing."

  "Humph! It don't smell like liniment," Tom declared, after a moment,but the doctor had fallen to work on him and he submitted withresignation.

  Perhaps an hour later Dr. Gray appeared at the Appleton bungalow andsurprised Eliza by saying:

  "I've come to you for some help. You're the only soul in Omar that Ican trust."

  "Have you gone raving mad?" she inquired.

  "No. I must put an end to Linn's activity or we'll be ruined. Theseworkmen must be held in Omar, and you must help me do it."

  "They have the right to go where they please."

  "Of course, but Gordon will let them out as soon as he has crippled
us.Tell me, would you like to be a trained nurse?"

  "No, I would not," declared Eliza, vehemently. "I'm neither antisepticnor prophylactic."

  "Nevertheless, you're going to be one--Tom needs you."

  "Tom? What ails him?"

  "Nothing at this moment, but--wait until to-morrow." The physician'seyes were twinkling, and when he had explained the cause of hisamusement Eliza laughed.

  "Of course I'll help," she said. "But it won't hurt the poor fellow,will it?"

  "Not in the least, unless it frightens him to death. Tom's an awfulcoward about sickness; that's why I need some one like you to take careof him. He'll be at the hospital to-morrow at three. If you'll arrangeto be there we'll break the news to him gently. I daren't tackle italone."

  Tom was a trifle embarrassed at finding Eliza in Dr. Gray's office whenhe entered, on the next afternoon. The boss packer seemed differentthan usual; he was much subdued. His cough had disappeared, but in itsplace he suffered a nervous apprehension; his cheeks were pale, thegloom in his eyes had changed to a lurking uneasiness.

  "Just dropped in to say I'm all right again," he announced in anoffhand tone.

  "That's good!" said Gray. "You don't look well, however."

  "I'm feeling fine!" Mr. Slater hunched his shoulders as if the contactof his shirt was irksome to the flesh.

  "You'd better let me rub you. Why are you scratching yourself?"

  "I ain't scratching."

  "You were!" The doctor was sternly curious; he had assumed his coldestand most professional air.

  "Well, if I scratched, I probably itched. That's why people scratch,ain't it?"

  "Let me look you over."

  "I can't spare the time, Doc--"

  "Wait!" Gray's tone halted the speaker as he turned to leave. "I'm notgoing to let you out in this weather until I rub you."

  This time there was no mistaking "Happy Tom's" pallor. "I tell you Ifeel great," he declared in a shaking voice. "I--haven't felt so goodfor years."

  "Come, come! Step into the other room and take off your shirt."

  "Not on your life."

  "What do you mean?"

  "I don't want no more of your dam' liniment."

  "Why?"

  "Because I'm--because I don't."

  "Then I suppose I'll have to throw and hog-tie you." The physician roseand laid a heavy hand upon his patient's arm, at which Tom exclaimed:

  "Ouch! Leggo! Gimme the stuff and I'll rub myself."

  "Tom!" The very gravity of the speaker's voice was portentous,alarming. Mr. Slater hesitated, his gaze wavered, he scratched hischest unconsciously.

  Eliza shook her head pityingly; she uttered an inarticulate murmur ofconcern.

  "You couldn't get my shirt off with a steam-winch. I tell you I'mfeeling grand."

  "Why WILL you chew the horrid stuff?" Miss Appleton inquired sadly.

  "I'm just a little broke out, that's all."

  "Ah! You're broken out. I feared so," said the doctor.

  The grave concern in those two faces was too much for Slater'ssensitive nature; his stubbornness gave way, his self-control vanished,and he confessed wretchedly:

  "I spent an awful night, Doc. I'll bust into flame if this keeps up.What is it, anyhow?"

  "Is there an eruption of the arms and chest?"

  "They're all erupted to hell."

  Dr. Gray silently parted the shirt over Slater's bosom. "Hm-m!" said he.

  "Tell him what it is," urged Eliza, in whom mirth and pity werestruggling for mastery.

  "It has every appearance of-smallpox!"

  The victim uttered a choking cry and sat down limply. Sweat leaped outupon his face, beads appeared upon his round bald head.

  "I knew I was a sick man. I've felt it coming on for three months, butI fought it off for Murray's sake. Say it's chicken-pox," he pleaded.

  "Never mind; it's seldom serious," Eliza endeavored to comfort thestricken man.

  "You wanted a good rest-"

  "I don't. I want to work."

  "I'll have to quarantine you, Tom."

  Slater was in no condition for further resistance; a complete collapseof body and mind had followed the intelligence of his illness. He beganto complain of many symptoms, none of which were in any way connectedwith his fancied disease. He was racked with pains, he suffered aterrible nausea, his head swam; he spoke bravely of his destitutefamily and prepared to make his will. When he left the hospital, anhour later, it was on a stretcher between four straining bearers.

  That evening a disturbing rumor crept through the town of Omar. Itpenetrated the crowded saloons where the laborers who had quit workwere squandering their pay, and it caused a brief lull in the ribaldry;but the mere fact that Tom Slater had come down with smallpox and hadbeen isolated upon a fishing-boat anchored in the creek seemed, afterall, of little consequence. Some of the idlers strolled down the streetto stare at the boat, and upon their return verified the report. Theyalso announced that they had seen the yellow-haired newspaper womanaboard, all dressed in white. It was considered high time by themajority to leave Omar, for an epidemic was a thing to be avoided, anda wager was made that the whole force would quit in a body as soon asthe truth became known.

  On the second day Dr. Gray undertook to allay the general uneasiness,but, upon being pressed, reluctantly acknowledged that his patientshowed all the signs of the dread disease. This hastened the generalpreparations for departure, and when the incoming steamer hove in sightevery laborer was at the dock with his kit-bag. It excited some idlecomment among them to note that Dr. Gray had gone down the bay a shortdistance to meet the ship, and his efforts to speak it were watchedwith interest and amusement. Obviously it would have been much easierfor him to wait until she landed, for she came right on and drew intoward the wharf. It was not until her bow line was made fast that thephysician succeeded in hailing the captain. Then the deserters wereamazed to hear the following conversation:

  "I can't let you land, Captain Johnny," came from Dr. Gray's launch.

  "And why can't you?" demanded Brennan from the bridge of his new ship."Have you some prejudice against the Irish?" The stern hawser wasalready being run out, and the crowd was edging closer, waiting for thegangplank.

  "There is smallpox here, and as health officer I've quarantined theport."

  There came a burst of Elizabethan profanity from the little skipper,but it was drowned by the shout from shore as the full meaning of thesituation finally came home. Then the waiting men made a rush for theship. She had not touched as yet, however, and the distance between herand the pier was too great to leap. Above the confusion came Brennan'svoice, through a megaphone, commanding them to stand back. Some onetraitorously cast off the loop of the bow line, the ship's propellersbegan to thrash, and the big steel hull backed away inch by inch, footby foot, until, amid curses and cries of rage, she described a majesticcircle and plowed off up the sound toward Hope.

  By a narrow margin the physician reached his hospital ahead of theinfuriated mob, and it was well that he did so, for they were in alynching mood. But, once within his own premises, he made a show ofdetermined resistance that daunted them, and they sullenly retired.That night Omar rang with threats and deep-breathed curses, and ElizaAppleton, in the garb of a nurse, tended her patient cheerfully.

  To the delegation which waited upon him the next morning, Dr. Grayexplained the nature of his duties as health officer, informing themcoolly that no living soul could leave Omar without incurring legalpenalties. Since he could prevent any ships from landing, and inasmuchas the United States marshal was present to enforce the quarantine, heseemed to be master of the situation.

  "How long will we be tied up?" demanded the spokesman of the party.

  "That is hard to say."

  "Well, we're going to leave this camp!" the man declared, darkly.

  "Indeed? Where are you going?"

  "We're going to Hope. You might as well let us go. We won't stand forthis."

  The physician eyed him
coldly. "You won't? May I ask how you are goingto help yourselves?"

  "We're going to leave on the next steamer."

  "Oh, no you're not!" the marshal spoke up.

  "See here, Doc! There's over two hundred of us and we can't stay here;we'll go broke."

  Gray shrugged his broad shoulders. "Sorry," he said, "but you see I'veno choice in the matter. I never saw a case of smallpox that lookedworse."

  "It's a frame-up," growled the spokesman. "Tom hasn't got smallpox anymore than I have. You cooked it to keep us here." There was an angrysecond to this, whereupon the doctor exclaimed:

  "You think so, eh? Then just come with me."

  "Where?"

  "Out to the boat where he is. I'll show you."

  "You won't show me no smallpox," asserted one of the committee.

  "Then YOU come with me," the physician urged the leader.

  "So you can bottle me up, too? No, thank you!"

  "Get the town photographer with his flashlight. We'll help him make apicture; then you can show it to the others. I promise not toquarantine you."

  After some hesitation the men agreed to this; the photographer wassummoned and joined the party on its way to the floating pest-house.

  It was not a pleasant place in which they found Tom Slater, for thecabin of the fishing-boat was neither light nor airy, but Eliza haddone much to make it agreeable. The sick man was propped up in his bunkand playing solitaire, but he left off his occupation to groan as thenew-comers came alongside.

  When the cause of the visit had been made known, however, he rebelled.

  "I won't pose for no camera fiend," he declared, loudly. "It ain'tdecent and I'm too sick. D'you take me for a bearded lady or a livingskeleton?"

  "These men think you're stalling," Dr. Gray told him.

  "Who? Me?" Slater rolled an angry eye upon the delegation. "I ain'tsick, eh? I s'pose I'm doing this for fun? I wish you had it, that'sall."

  The three members of the committee of investigation wisely halted atthe foot of the companionway stairs where the fresh air fanned them;they were nervous and ill at ease.

  Drawing his covers closer, Slater shouted:

  "Close that hatch, you bone-heads! I'm blowing away!"

  The photographer ventured to remonstrate.

  "It's mighty close in here, Doc. Is it safe to breathe the bugs?"

  "Perfectly safe," Gray assured him. "At least Miss Appleton hasn'tsuffered yet."

  As a matter of fact the patient betrayed no symptoms of a wastingillness, for his cheeks were ruddy, he had eaten three hearty mealseach day, and the enforced rest had done him good, so the committee sawnothing about him to satisfy their suspicions. But when Tom weaklycalled upon them for assistance in rising they shrank back and one ofthem exclaimed:

  "I wouldn't touch you with a fish-pole."

  Eliza came forward, however; she permitted her charge to lean upon herwhile she adjusted the pillows at his back; but when Dr. Gray orderedhim to bare his breast and arms Slater refused positively. He blushed,he stammered, he clutched his nightrobe with a horny hand which wouldhave required a cold chisel to loosen, and not until Eliza had goneupon deck would he consent to expose his bulging chest.

  But Miss Appleton had barely left the cabin when she was followed bythe most timid member of the delegation. He plunged up the stairs,gasping:

  "I've saw enough! He's got it, and got it bad."

  A moment later came the dull sound of the exploding flashlight, then ayell, and out of the smoke stumbled his two companions. The spokesman,it appeared, had also seen enough--too much--for with another yell heleaped the rail and made for shore. Fortunately the tide was out andthe water low; he left a trail across the mud flat like that of afrightened hippopotamus.

  When the two conspirators were finally alone upon the deck they rockedin each other's arms, striving to stifle their laughter. Meanwhile fromthe interior of the cabin came the feeble moans of the invalid.

  That evening hastily made photographs of the sick man were shown uponthe streets. Nor could the most skeptical deny that he presented arevolting sight and one warranting Dr. Gray's precautions. In spite ofthis evidence, however, threats against the physician continued to bemade freely; but when Eliza expressed fears for his safety he onlysmiled grimly, and he stalked through the streets with such defiancewritten on his heavy features that no man dared raise a hand againsthim.

  Day after day the quarantine continued, and at length some of the menwent back to work. As others exhausted their wages they followed. In afortnight Omar was once more free of its floating population and workat the front was going forward as usual. Meanwhile the patientrecovered in marvelous fashion and was loud in his thanks to thephysician who had brought him through so speedily. Yet Gray stubbornlyrefused to raise the embargo.

  Finally the cause of the whole trouble appeared at the hospital andbegged to be released.

  "You put it over me," said Mr. Linn. "I've had enough and I want to getout."

  "I don't know what you're talking about," answered the doctor. "No onecan leave here now."

  "I know it wasn't smallpox at all, but it worked just the same, I'llleave your men alone if you'll let me go out on the next Seattlesteamer."

  "But--I thought you came from Hope?" Gray said, blandly.

  Mr. Linn shifted his eyes and laughed uneasily. "I did, and I'm goingto keep coming from Hope. You don't think I'd dare to go back afterthis, do you?"

  "Why not?"

  "Gordon would kill me."

  "So! Mr. Gordon sent you?"

  "You know he did. But--I've got to get out now. I'm broke."

  "I didn't think it of Gordon!" The doctor shook his head sadly. "Howunderhanded of him!"

  Linn exploded desperately: "Don't let's four-flush. You were too slickfor him, and you sewed me up. I've spent the money he gave me and nowI'm flat."

  "You look strong. We need men."

  Gordon's emissary turned pale. "Say! You wouldn't set me to work? Why,those men would string me up."

  "I think not. I've spoken to the shift boss at mile 30, and he'll takecare you're not hurt so long as you work hard and keep your mouth shut."

  An hour later Mr. Linn, cursing deeply, shouldered his pack and trampedout the grade, nor could he obtain food or shelter until he had coveredthose thirty weary miles. Once at his destination, he was only too gladto draw a numbered tag and fall to work with pick and shovel, but athis leisure he estimated that it would take him until late thefollowing month to earn his fare to the States.