lay a bit of pencil with which those
last words had been written, and to Houston, with his keen perception
and vivid imagination, the whole scene of the previous night with its
minute and pathetic details, seemed passing before his vision. He
turned to the watchman:

"Open the window," he said, and his voice sounded strange even to
himself, "draw back those curtains, this place is stifling."

Upon inquiry, Houston found the watchman could give him very little
information. In passing down the alley at about eight o'clock that
morning, his attention had been arrested by screams issuing from the
building. On rushing up-stairs, he saw a crowd gathering about the
door of this room, and, on entering, was shocked at the sight
revealed. Mollie, the girl who usually occupied the room, was
screaming hysterically, but when able to talk explained that she had
been out all night and had but just returned. Morgan was in the habit
of coming to the room, and had a key, but he had not been there of
late, having gambled every night till daylight.

Her screams had attracted nearly the whole neighborhood, some of whom
corroborated her statements, and one or two testified to having heard
a shot sometime about midnight, but nothing had been thought of it, as
it was supposed to be some row in the gambling rooms below. The
watchman had ordered the crowd out of the room, and sent the messenger
for Houston, and also a telegram to Silver City for the coroner, who
was expected on the noon train.

As it was nearly noon, Houston decided to step over to the depot,
leaving the room in charge of the watchman. On his way, he heard
various comments from groups gathered here and there. Passing a
half-dozen miners, he heard one of them say:

"If he'd 'a been a union man, we'd 'a taken care of 'im, but he worked
for the bosses, and helped 'em to make big money, and now, let the
bosses take care of 'im and bury 'im."

A bitter smile crossed Houston's face, and stepping into the little
telegraph office, he sent a message, first, in his own name, to one of
the undertaking firms of Silver City, for everything that was needed
to be sent up by the special freight that afternoon; and then a brief
dispatch to Mr. Blaisdell, stating what had occurred, but that the
affairs of the company were all right, and there was no necessity for
his coming to the camp immediately.

A few moments later, the train arrived, bringing the coroner, and as
quickly as possible