Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1878-11-22
Shut up, ye little fool, or I'll kill ye,"
growled the desperate. And he shook
his fist toward the child. IF we make

his flst toward the child. Ii ye make
another sound, I'll kill ye."
For a moment Jim lay as though
turned to stone. Then with great sob;
springing to his feet, he sped along the
wall toward the signal lantern. Black
Brooks discovered his purpose, and
seizing his oars, he urged his boat to-
ward the shore If the child hoisted the
light, the alarm would be given and the
people in the valley aroused. Fast and
faster flew the nimble feet; swift and
swifter came the rocking boat 1t was
race for life. Jim knew it. Not for his
life only, but for that Of hundred
sleeping villagers in the valley far be-
low Brooks knew it. For if the alarm
was given and the infuriated people
caught him, they would hang him like a
dog Both were doing their utmost,
when suddenly, with crack like pis-
tol-shot, one of Brooks oars broke short
off, and his boat whirled about upon the
shallow water. The boy gave cry of
joy, and the next instant was kneeling
at the foot of the signal-pole, hurriedly
lighting the lantern that hung there
waiting. As he struck the match and
touched the wick he heard the man be-
low spring from his boat and run splash
ing toward the shore But he was too
late, for up shot the great light, swaying
to and fro, until it reached the very
peak of the tall pole. sending it's warn
ing rays far down the darksome val
ley;
Yet, even as the boys heart leaped
with JOY at his success, there came an
other flash and sharp ringing report,
and the little arm that pulled the Ian
tern to its place fell shattered at his
side Brooks had shot him.
With moan of pain, Jim turned and
ran toward home. But the desperado's
attention was no longer given to him.
Reaching the shore, he hurriedly climb
ed the steep bank to the wall and ran
toward the signal-lantern AS his hands
cast loose the rope that held the flaming
warning, he gave vent to shout of JOY,
and like falling-star the great iron
bound lantern fell and was crushed in
pieces upon the stone below.
Jim was half way up the hill. As the
flashing light disappeared low, rushing
sound broke upon the night-a gurgling
and splashing, rapidly increasing The
boy stopped. He knew the meaning of
the dreaded sound. The lower paddle
had given way In few moments the
whole gate would go, and then. He
dared not think. Turning. he chose the
shortest path toward the village and the
mills, and ran rapidly down it. Brooks
heard his footsteps and shouted to him
to stop, but he made no reply. The
sound of water was increasing The
lower dam was filling, its weak gates
would soon give way; but even yet the
boy might reach the town before the
water, and with a muttered curse,
Brooks started in his pursuit.
1t was nearly mile to the first mill.
If jim could but reach that, he knew
where the great bell hung that called
the workmen in the morning. That
would warn the people.
On, on through the light, holding the
bleeding and shattered arm close with
the other hand and trying to forget its
pain, with clenched teeth and white
face, the child ran, while behind him he
heard the heavy tread Of the would-be
murderer, and his muttered threats, and
over it all the fast rising voice of the
angry waters. On, on through the wood
and across the muddy hillside, while the
steps of the pursuer came closer and
closer, and yet higher rose the roar of
the delugc behind. Down on to the val
ley road. Now he was almost to the
mill. 1t Ioomcd big and bright before
him-if he could only reach the bell
when there came great crash, echolng
and re-echoing from the hillsides around,
and the air seemed suddenly filled with
a terrible rumble and roar. The lower
dam had given wayl
Jim heard Black Brooks stop, utter a
cry of horror, and speed away toward
the upland. Then, with dozen steps
more, he laid his hand upon the rope of
the great bell, and its frightened brazen
voice went pealing forth to the ears of
the startled villagers. And now, for the
first time, he looked back. A mighty
wall of white, seething water, glistening
and cleaning in the starlight madly
tumbling and tossing, was bearing
straight down the valley toward him.
Nearer and nearer, its hoarse roar filling
his ears, its spray binding his eyes, its
fury overpowering all things before it.
But the boy never finched, and the old
bell flung out its warning notes in the
very teeth Of the oncoming monster un-
til there was confusion of sounds in
his little ears. and dimness OF sight in
his young eyes, until caught as by a
mighty hand, he was tossed against the
wall of the tottering mill, the rope torn
from his hand and his terrible duty end
ed. Then, with triumphant shout, the
wild tide surrged on.
1t was the morning after the flood
, Far down the now desolate valley 8
group Of men and women were gathered
about hastily made bed upon the
bleak hillside, while below the debris OF
the ruined mills covered all the bottom
| land, and overhead the sad March wine
sighed through the branches of the bro
! ken and water marked trees. Up ant
down the narrow valley one could trace
| the ragged pathway which the furious
water had torn for itself the night be
fore, through meadow, mills and town
until it found the great river, miles be
low, Far away toward the mountain
: was the place where the mighty dam
t had been; now only a muddy pit, witt
TeW broken DltS OF masonry Wnelc SeS
terday stood solid walls.
l The plot of Black Brooks had succeed
ed. The mills were gone and their own
c ers ruined. The mans revenge had bee
complete, but at terrible cost to him
t self; for unable to escape from tn
s wrath of the lion whom he had loosec
e his crushed and lifeless body had bee
found among the broken timbers half
: mile below the town.
| Thanks to the warnings of the grea
r bell, the workmen and villagers had a
). of them escaped with their lives, an
r even in the midst of their poverty thi
Il sad March morning, they thanked Go
for the child whose bravery had save
:, them.
| For they knew the story. With fa
a tering lips and feeble words, poor littl
e Jim had told it all, and now, with tire
d eyes closed, his white face at rest, an
one hand closed in that of his fathe
d lay beneath the dripping trees, out upo
t the bare hillside, dying.
d Caught by the great wave, tossed as
5; foam flake hither and thither in the W;
d ters mad plunge and rush, the litt
n body had been beaten and bruised an
a crushed until it could no longer kee
l. the spirit within it; and at day -daw
~ I