But  just  now,  I  say,  as  a  friend,  don't  dabble  in
Oakfield  Creek  stock.  You  might  get  your  fin-
gers burned.'  *  What  concern  of  yours  is  Oak-
field  Creek  ? '  I  replied  ;  *  I  've  heard  enough  from
you  about  that  matter  before.'  And  again  I  tried
to  pass  on,  but  he  stopped  me.  '  What  I  have
now  to  tell  you,'  said  he,  '  is  that  the  settlers  are
in  revolt,  so  to  speak,  under  one  McAIpin.     And


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THE  ANNALS  OF  A  FRIENDSHIP.        845

they  mean,  these  rascals,  to  turn  on  some  of  the
friends  of  their  would-be  benefactor,  Eldon,  and
to  lynch  those  same  persons.  And  Alonzo  Eldon
knows  this.  I  've  taken  care  that  he  should  know
it.  Alonzo  Eldon 's  my  friend,  sir,  and  a  gentle-
man, too,  mark  my  words.  And  what 's  more,'
Boscowitz  went  on,  '  I  've  taken  pains  already  to-
day to  let  him  see  that  this  conduct  is  what  he
has  to  expect  from  Alf  Escott,  and  from  Alf  Es-
cott's  friends,  associates,  followers,  worshipers,
—  poetical  numskulls  of  worshipers,  I  mean,  sir.
So  good-by,  Mr.  Harold.  Only  know  well  that ,
Oakfield  Creek  stock  has  dropped,  sir,  in  Alon^o's
market  since  morning.  Good-by.'  And  with  this,
Margaret,  Boscowitz  left  me.  You  see  that  he
changes  his  tone  about  Mr.  Eldon  frequently.
I  've  heard  him  revile  your  father-in-law  freely,
when  he  happened  to  be  in  the  reviling  mood.
But,  as  you  also  see,  Boscowitz  is  furious,  and  is
fully  awake,  and  has  seen  your  father  first.  The
loss  of  his  daughter  Bertha  makes  Boscowitz  a  far
worse  enemy  of  our  designs  than  ever.  He  will
not  rest  until  all  possible  mischief  has  been  done.
