pered in the
stranger's ear. To all letters of inquiry coming from Ottawa or
England,--letters from men who wanted to be told where to dig for
gold,--he answered, "Klondike."

By and by the Governor went to Rossland again. The mine, of which he
owned not a single share of stock, was still producing. When he left
Rossland he knew all about the lower workings, the value and extent of
the ore body.

By this time nearly all the Le Roi shares were held by Spokane people.
The Governor, having arranged with a wealthy English syndicate, was in
a position to buy the mine; but the owners did not seem anxious to sell.
Eventually, however, when he was able to offer them an average of $7.50
for shares that had cost the holders but from ten to sixty cents a
share, about half of them were willing to sell; the balance were not.
Now the Governor cared nothing for this "balance" so long as he could
secure a majority,--a controlling interest in the mine,--for the English
would have it in no other way. A few thousand scattering shares he had
already picked up, and now, from the faction who were willing to sell,
he secured an option on 242,000 shares, which, together with the odd
shares already secured, would put his friends in control of the
property.

As news of the proposed sale got out, the gorge that was yawning between
the two factions grew wider.

Finally, when the day arrived for the transfer to be made, the faction
opposed to the sale prepared to make trouble for those who were selling,
to prevent the moving of the seal of the company to Canada--in short, to
stop the sale. They did not go with guns to the secretary and keeper of
the seal and say, "Bide where ye be"; but they went into court and swore
out warrants for the arrest of the secretary and those of the directors
who favored the sale, charging them with conspiracy.

It was midnight in Spokane.

A black locomotive, hitched to a dark day-coach, stood in front of the
Great Northern station. The dim light of the gauge lamp showed two
nodding figures in the cab. Out on the platform a man walked up and
down, keeping an eye on the engine, that was to cost him a cool $1000.00
for a hundred-mile run. Presently a man with his coat-collar about his
ears stepped up into the gangway, shook the driver, and asked him where
he was going.

"Goin' to sleep."

The man would not be denied, however, and when he became too pressing,
the driver got up and explained that the cab of his