“The ground belongs to Dextry and me.  We discovered it, we opened it up, we’ve complied with the law, and we’re going to hold it.”  Glenister spoke with such conviction and heat as to nonplus Struve, but McNamara, who had sat his horse silently until now, answered: 

“Certainly, sir; if your title is good you will be protected, but the law has arrived in Alaska and we’ve got to let it take its course.  There’s no need of violence—­none whatever—­but, briefly, the situation is this:  Mr. Galloway has commenced action against you; the court has enjoined you from working and has appointed me as receiver to operate the mine until the suit is settled.  It’s an extraordinary procedure, of course, but the conditions are extraordinary in this country.  The season is so short that it would be unjust to the rightful owner if the claim lay idle all summer—­so, to avoid that, I’ve been put in charge, with instructions to operate it and preserve the proceeds subject to the court’s order.  Mr. Voorhees here is the United States Marshal.  He will serve the papers.”

Glenister threw up his hand in a gesture of restraint.

“Hold on!  Do you mean to tell me that any court would recognize such a claim as Galloway’s?”

“The law recognizes everything.  If his grounds are no good, so much the better for you.”

“You can’t put in a receiver without notice to us.  Why, good Lord! we never heard of a suit being commenced.  We’ve never even been served with a summons and we haven’t had a chance to argue in our own defence.”

“I have just said that this is a remarkable state of affairs and unusual action had to be taken,” McNamara replied, but the young miner grew excited.

“Look here—­this gold won’t get away.  It’s safe in the ground.  We’ll knock off work and let the claim lie idle till the thing is settled.  You can’t really expect us to surrender possession of our mine on the mere allegation of some unknown man.  That’s ridiculous.  We won’t do it.  Why, you’ll have to let us argue our case, at least, before you try to put us off.”

Voorhees shook his head.  “We’ll have to follow instructions.  The thing for you to do is to appear before the court to-morrow and have the receiver dismissed.  If your title is as good as you say it is, you won’t have any trouble.”

“You’re not the only ones to suffer,” added McNamara.  “We’ve taken possession of all the mines below here.”  He nodded down the gulch.  “I’m an officer of the court and under bond—­”

“How much?”

“Five thousand dollars for each claim.”

“What!  Why, heavens, man, the poorest of these mines is producing that much every day!”

While he spoke, Glenister was rapidly debating what course to follow.