He had come, so far as he could see, to the end of the passage.
CHAPTER IX
GID HOLT GOES PROSPECTING
As soon as Selfridge reached Kamatlah he began arranging the stage
against the arrival of the Government agent. His preparations were
elaborate and thorough. A young engineer named Howland had been in
charge of the development work, but Wally rearranged his forces so as
to let each dummy entryman handle the claim entered in his name. One or
two men about whom he was doubtful he discharged and hurried out of the
camp.
Selfridge had been given a free hand as to expenses and he oiled his
way by liberal treatment of the men and by a judicious expenditure.
He let them know pretty plainly that if the agent on his way to Kamatlah
suspected corporate ownership of the claims, the Government would close
down all work and there would be no jobs for them.
The company boarding-house became a restaurant, above which was
suspended a newly painted sign with the legend, "San Francisco Grill,
J. Glynn, Proprietor." The store also passed temporarily into the hands
of its manager. Miners moved from the barracks that had been built by
Macdonald into hastily constructed cabins on the individual claims.
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