The details of the story were to be held in
reserve for publicity in case the muckrake magazines should try to make
capital of the report of Elliot.
Kusiak found much time for gossip during the long nights. It knew
that Macdonald had gone on the bond of Elliot in spite of the scornful
protest of the younger man. The two gave each other chilly nods of
greeting when they met, but friends were careful not to invite them to
the same social affairs. The case against the field agent was pending.
Pursuit of the miners who had robbed the big mine-owner had long ago
been dropped. Somewhere in the North the outlaws lay hidden, swallowed
up by the great white waste of snow.
The general opinion was that Mac was playing politics about the trial
of his rival. He would not let the case come to a jury until the time
when a conviction would have most effect in the States, the gossips
predicted. They did not know that he was waiting for the return of
Wally Selfridge.
The whispers touched closely the personal affairs of Macdonald. The
report of his engagement to Sheba O'Neill had been denied, but it was
noticed that he was a constant guest at the home of the Pagets. Young
Elliot called there too.
Pages:
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231