editor rubbed
his glasses and resumed in a low clear tense voice. How many of the
listeners had the faintest idea of what the recital cost him?

"I take it the object of this inquest is to ascertain facts. If I am
to relate facts, I must repeat that for some little time it has been
known in the Valley that a quiet contest has been going on between the
people and certain interests which I do not need to name. It was well
known in our office that the miners on Coal Hill had openly boasted no
Washington man was going to get away with any facts about mining
operations. O'Finnigan of Shanty Town had boasted he had been brought
down from the Ridge for 'a surprise party' as he called it. For some
little time, as news editor I had been dissatisfied with the reports of
this whole struggle: they struck me as exceedingly biased and
untruthful; in fact what the reporters call 'doped news'; 'news doped
by outsiders for special reasons of their own.'"

Bat's boot came down with a clump on the floor. The attorney was up
again, glaring at the coroner. The news editor cleared his throat.

"So I determined to go and see this thing for myself--"

"With the result," roared the attorney, "that you saw every facility
afforded for the most thorough examination of the mine."

There was a shuffling of feet among the men at the back of the room.
More men seemed to be crowding in.

"That," said the news editor aloud, sitting back beside Wayland, "That
effectually cooks my dough! See that you fellows do as well!"

Eleanor was next questioned, most considerately and courteously. Twice
she was interrupted. The first time was when she repeated that her
father had said he expected no trouble whatsoever.

"I would call your attention to the fact, Mr. Coroner, that the
deceased gentleman assured his daughter he expected no trouble
whatsoever," called out the attorney.

The Sheriff leaned over and whispered to the coroner.

"Did the half-breed woman known as Calamity leave the Ranch House the
night before the examination of the mine?" asked the coroner.

It was when Eleanor was describing the mad look of Calamity that the
attorney again interrupted:

"Mr. Coroner, out of respect to the memory of the deceased gentleman
and to the member of his family present, I ask that the stenographer
strike out the record of the insane woman's babblings! The fact is
established on the word of Miss MacDonald that the Indian woman set out
with t