Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1891-10-15
CHAPTER XL
THE FIGHT THAT SUCCEEDED.

CHAPTER AL
THE FIGHT THAT SUCCEEDED.
The approaching horsemen came on
so rapidly that they encountered the
Colonel as soon as he had crossed the
little bridge leading to his dwelling.
At their head rode Sam Calder, the
sutton of Daisy Skidder, and the super
intendent of the mining operations
which had been carried on in Perry's
name by her father.
He not only realized the description
Daisy had given of him, in her converse
ton with her father, but he was even
more formidable than one would have
been led to suppose from her remarks.
his height being six feet two. and his
shoulders and chest being unusually
massive.
~Ah, there you are, Co'oneli" he cried,
without the least salutatiOn or prelimin-
airy. ~Have you seen anything of
hOrseman who came this way rather
rapidly only a few moments ago?"
aHere's the tracks Of the fellow now,
SAM suddenly spoke up one of the
men by whom Gaddler was accOmpa-
MED, pointing them out. You see that
they lead directly over the bridge TO the
ColOnel's dwelling.
GSure enough, exclaimed Gaddler, his
face beaming with delight. ave are on
the right track it seems
Turning to Colonel Whipsaw, he con-
tinued:
@You see, therefore, Colonel Whipsaw,
that it will not be of the least use for
you to deny that you have seen the man
in question"
~Have l made any attempt at denial?"
returned the Colonel, quietly enough,
although there was a steely CLEAN in his
eyes that might have served his ques-
TONERS as a warning.
ITO be sure-no, you haven't" Cad
dler avowed frankly. SThen you mean
TO say that you have seen him?"
Il do?"
%Where is hep"
ale is just now under the shelter of
my roof.
@Out of my path. them" enjoined
Gaddler. %You cannot keep us parley-
ing here while the rascal escapes. We
must have him"
You won't have him till you have told
me what he has done" remarked the
Co nnel, as quietly as before. ~What do
you want of him?"
@Want? We propose to kill him!"
%What for?"
because he has been sent out here
from Chicago to interfere with me, de-
clared Gadder, with the air of finding it
a serious task to restrain his impatience.
ain a word, he's a sneaking, meddling
spy"
aHe's nothing of the sort affirmed
the Colonel. HE is an honorable man,
who was sent out here by another honor
able man, TO learn what you are doing
with valuable property to which you
| and Jerry Skidder do not have the slight
est. claim! I may add that he has found
out all he desires to know. and that he
and his employer will soon put an end to
| the lawless career you and your intended
father-in-law have been running in this
regionl"
Sam Gaddler sat glazing at the Colonel
as if at loss to find words in which TO
express his anger.
$50 you dare to champion this man, do
your" he at length demanded.
81 do, sir, and L must now ask you to
vacate these premises, they being mine.
/ You'll advance another step In this d.
rectiOn at your peril!"
The reader can readily imagine what
sort of tumult was Occasioned by this
unexpected resistance
@Kill himI" cried one.
SRide him down." shouted another.
sect of this bridge, all of you" com
manded the Colonel, retreating quietly
across it, as he brandished his axe warn
| ingly. @Not a step more"
SOh, we shan't worry about you, Colo
nel,D interrupted Gaddler, putting spurs
| to his horse. ~Well not only have cur
man but We'll take you with him, If
necessary, and have you both as make.
weights from the same limbl"
@Holdi" shouted the Colonel, flourish
ing his axe again You cannot cross
/ this bridget"
~And why can't we2" asked Gaddler
/ Because it has been keyed and braced
/ in such a way that one blow from this axe
will suffice to tumble it into the river, u
explained Whipsaw. ~If you take an
i other step, therefore"
@Head him of, CITY, interrupted
Sam Gaddler, addressing one of his fol-
lowers, with significant gesture
Too latel
The blow from the Colonel-s axe de-
scended at the very instant he reached
the inner end of the bridge, and in that
same instant the whole structure went
down with a tremendous crash into the
deep and narrow gorge beneath il
The Wells and denunciations that arose
/ from the Coioners asSailants can be
/ imagined.
A couple of horses were killed and
two or three limbs were broken, in addi-
/ tion to which every man was obliged "a
struggle out of the stream as he could,
and the cries and threats with which
this task was accomplished made up q
scene resembling pandemonium
The Colonel did not wait, however, to
note the results Of the measure he had
taken. but beat a rapid retreat to his
residence, shutting himself in
@WelI, Mr.. Baker," he announced.
@the rascai s having begun a war, l have
given them a touch some of them will
doubtless remember, tumbling them intC
the river. That bridge, you see was
built in the early days, when redskins
and road agents were about equally dan
gerous. and it was SO constructed by the
original occupant of these premises thai
it could be instantly demolished without
losing a single timber, they being al
| fastened together. He took it down re
peatedIy, but this is the first time have
had occasion to do So"
-Of course they win be furious, re-
turned the ming expert. selling his rife.
Doubtless admitted the Colonel, as
he also armed himself. ~But I have
scored n first advantage by letting down
that bridge and We will score others be
fore they drive US from the peninsula
-. - l. III