ith much public spirit.

"A Great Country!"

"Right!"

"You bet!"

"----a country that's paid for its purchase over and over again, even
before we discovered gold here."

"Did she? Good old 'laska."

"----and the worst treated part o' the Union."

"That's so."

"After this, when I read about Russian corruption and Chinese cruelty,
I'll remember the way Uncle Sam treats the natives up----"

"----and us, b'gosh! White men that are openin' up this great, rich
country fur Uncle Sam----"

"----with no proper courts--no Government protection--no help--no
justice--no nothin'."

"Yer forgittin' them reindeer!" And the court-room rang with derisive
laughter.

"Congress started that there Relief Expedition all right," the josher
went on, "only them blamed reindeer had got the feed habit, and when
they'd et up everything in sight they set down on the Dalton Trail--and
there they're settin' yit, just like they was Congress. But I don't
like to hear no feller talkin' agin' the Gover'ment."

"Yes, it's all very funny," said McGinty gloomily, "but think o' the
fix a feller's in wot's had a wrong done him in the fall, and knows
justice is thousands o' miles away, and he can't even go after her for
eight months; and in them eight months the feller wot robbed him has et
up the money, or worked out the claim, and gone dead-broke."

"No, sir! we don't wait, and we don't go trav'lin'. We stay at home and
call a meetin'."

The door opened, and Bonsor and the bar-tender, with great difficulty,
forced their way in. They stood flattened against the wall. During the
diversion McGinty was growling disdainfully, "Rubbidge!"

"Rubbidge? Reckon it's pretty serious rubbidge."

"Did you ever know a Miners' Meetin' to make a decision that didn't
become law, with the whole community ready to enforce it if necessary?
Rubbidge!

"Oh, we'll hang a man if we don't like his looks," grumbled McGinty;
but he was overborne. There were a dozen ready to uphold the majesty of
the Miners' Meetin'.

"No, sir! No funny business about our law! This tribunal's final."

"I ain't disputin' that it's final. I ain't talkin' about law. I was
mentionin' Justice."

"The feller that loses is always gassin' 'bout Justice. When you win
you don't think there's any flies on the Justice."

"Ain't had much experience with winnin'. We all knows who wins in these
yere Meetin's."

"Who?" But they turned their eyes on Mr. Bonsor, over by the door.

"Who