Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1889-09-20

uIt Whlle / stop lhe pump iheIe am Ho
use in squirtg the grease on to the
ground
He looked at her flushed cheeks, and
knew that had it not been for the unusual
bodily exertion she had undergone they
would have been pale, for he saw her fright
in her eyes and felt it in her tone
But you must run, jim. They're comm
to smash the pump and ii they tiud you
here they might hurt you
Did you bring the tobaecy, Mrs.
Stearnsf"
Certainly did; but yon must hurry
out of here"
NO; must stay here; but you must
run soon as you give me the tobaeey."
''Oh, jim, run! for they will kill YOU"
She got up, and put her hands on his
shoulders pleadingly.
NO, they won't I'll just keep them
away till they cool of, and then I'll come
home to supper, for they will go away"
fyou don't go, l won't; for if they see
a woman here they won't do any damage
for fear of hurtin' her"
You muStn' stay for that reason. They
would say Jim Crotfut had got woman to
protect him You give me the tobaccy,
and run"
But, jim"
I'm take care of myself; and you must
go now, but don't forget the tobaccy."
Here it is Good-by, for I'd rather go
than have them think you coward; but it
isn't easy, jim"
quick Thank YOU and'was climbing up
to the roof of the station on a ladder. In
one hand he carried canOf glyeerine. When
he reached the platform that he had built
there as a sort of observatory, she was out
on the road. He waved his hand to her,
and ran down the ladder. In few min
utes he had four cans on the platform, and
then sat down to light his pipe.
My! that woman hangin' on to my arms
hustered me most. I'd rather face the
whole mob of producers than have her so
beseechin', for l don't git so shook up"
He had not long to wait until he saw the
producers coming. When he saw how
many there were of them, he ran down the
ladder and locked the doors of the station;
then he went back to the platform. At
the head of the crowd of angry men he
the man whom he had request
ed to inform Rogers of the torpedo mans
accident.
Hello, Ben Harbaugh, what's up"
you, and we want you to come down
and opeE the doors We want to examine
the pump. 'Tisnt workin'."
"oh, the pumps all right! | got lazy
and shut her down. Too hot to-day for
even pump to work"
well, you can suit your pleasure about
lettin' us in; Wen get in ourselves. Come
on, boys"
Harbaugh held up light crow-bar as a
Of signal to the others to follow him, aud
turned in from the road.
"Jest wait Il second, Harbaugh, and
take a look at this" He rose to his feet
and held up can. That's a bomb. It's
glycer'n, and if you fellers git too close
10 them doors, I'll drop it on your heads. ."
Harbaugh came to halt, and the others
crowded around him, peering at Jim,
whose tall strong figure was in position
.or immediate action. They were angry
and very determined, those men, and
would have laughed at gun levelled at
them, but the mention of glycarine made
them pause. 1t has no aim, but scatters
death in radii from the point of its ex-
plosion.
Harbaugh plucked up courage, and
called: "You can't fool US with an empty
can, Jim, and we give you just one more
chance to git down and ont of the way, for
we are goin' to smash that pump"
For reply Jim swung the can around his
head, and let it go at tangent. 1t
struck the ground two hundred feet from
the men and exploded, hurting stones and
dirt in every direction.
The producers fell back, for they had
Seeu INC oluel cans anu hhCm Mch tne
folly of risking their lives in the attempt
to dislodge man who was determined to
use such ammunition in defence ofthe prop
erty he was guarding. A consultation was
held, and it was decided to parley with
the pumper Harbaugh was selected as
spokesman, and he approached with two or
three Others to within easy talking distance
of the station.
Say, Croffut, we want to talk to yOu,"
Harbaugh said.
''Go ahead; can hear you from there,
Jim replied.
"Why don't you get down and out, and
give Us a chance to get square with the
Liresf They've never done anything par
ticnlar for you, and they have done US a
mighty sight of harm"
"Howf"
by letting our tanks overflow, and the
oil from our wells run to waste. We can
always get our oil run if We sell it to them
at a lower price than the regular market
$50 I've heard" Jim commented; "but
how's smashin' the pump goin' to help
your"
1T will bring the Lines to terms, and
when they get a new pump up. they will
be afraid to let our oil run To waste"
"Whatll become of your oil when the
pumps layin' idle'"
I'VE can afford the loss if we get salts
faction afterwnrd in having our oil taken
care of
"Well, | amt got nothin to do with
that, I'm here to pump, and to take care of
the Lines property"
You're pumpin' water that's what
you're dom" one of the producers blurted.
hat come out on the ground when
you broke the line down in the holler,
grease or watcrt"
The producers looked at each other in
as if to ask how he knew of
the broken line, and then Harbaugh re-
marked: at was the Widow Stearns.
Come, Jim" he said in louder voice, "sur-
render, and we will make it right with
you"
Its right with me now" Jim answer
ed; Pm here to protect this pump, and
I'm goin To do it."
"Well you can't say that we haven't
given you ample notice, and if you get