Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1891-04-10

mike Benderl Mike! Mike Ben
derw
"Hello, yell Hello, what do ye
want2"
Mixes faculties were more at his COM
mand.
.sMike Bender, show yourself and talk
with me. Come out. Nobody shall hurt
you"
A moment later Mike head was eau
tiously thrust out from the end of the
wall. Then he advanced slowly, climb
ing over the loose powders, stopping TO
lean his rife against the stones at one END
of the barricade.
'tMike," said Ellen, ''you know l
would never lie to you But what l tell
you now, I want you to tell all eae
Others. Not one of them shall be hurt,
if they come out. and not man shall 60
into the mine, either, until the men l
choose shall decide to let him go IN and
work"
"Now, you tell the men in there that
there's no use in fighting. There are
about twenty-five of you. Out here
there's whole world. You are very
foolish to fight. The only way for you
to do is to make it right with my father.
Talk with him; I'll talk with him, too;
and then we will see who shall work the
mine.
"Come out-you and all the men, or
let me come in and talk there"
stNo, veil not come in here, Miss Eli
len," answered Mike. It'll be no good
at all, and nobody knows what may hap
pen. The girl tibet risked her life nuss-
ing nv Nora amt going to run no more
risks if can help it. Just keep them
fellows from shooting, and we'll come
out"
He disappeared few minutes, and
Ellen used the interval to obtain from
the sheriffs party the promise that no
shot should be fired and no movement
made to arrest the men, until she herself
should give the signal.
Mike reappeared, and Ellen again
went forward to the spot where the
wounded sheriff had fallen. She had
sent some of the men to remove him, and
he was now in her fathers cottage.
s'Is it all r;ght9" asked Mike, doubt
fully.
eyes," responded Ellen. "Let them
come out. l want to see John Randall,
and Yellow Jim, and little Tom, and
Nugget Dick-yes, and Beardy may as
| we'll come out, too"
They came, and ranged themselves in
line, beginning with pale faced young
Tom, and ending with the giant Beardy.
Then Ellen began to talk to them. She
appealed to each one of them by name; ;
she showed then the folly of their I'M
dertaking. She told them she did not
want them to go away to work else
where; they would not be so we'll off in
any other camp. The Little Nugget had
been their home for nearly two years.
What would become of the children9
There was not a motive that she did
not appeal to. Insensibly, as she spoke,
she drew nearer and nearer to them.
The observers at her back lost her
| words as she passed away 1rom them.
| They could see that she was not wasting
her argument, however, for the men
were now gathered about her, listening
attentively, and occasionally answering.
Now and then Mike could be seen ges
ticulating with impetuosity.
Ellen's father smiled as he noted that
Yellow Jim turned away, and quickly
| brushed his sleeve across his eyes.
Then came a strange move. Ellen
laid her hand on Mikes Winchester.
He gave it to her. She took his re-
yolver from his belt. Yellow Jim handed
her his gun.
When her arms could hold no more,
the other weapons were given to little
| Tom. The two brought them down into
the camp.
In few moments all the miners filed
out from behind their barricade, and
marched doggedly down the slope.
81 told them" said Ellen to her
| father, ''that they must do it. [ told
them you had said you would not take
one of them, but that you and l would
arrange the whole business, and not one
of them should be hurt. Won't you call
in Mike Bender, and see what can be
done2"
The following Saturday night the
secret of it all was freely confessed in
Mikes cabin, as he and Yellow Jim and
John Randall and little Tom talked over
the strike, while Beardy and two or
three others sat around on kegs and
| boxes.
"It warn't no use. I'd "a fit month
before I'd "a given in, but when that
gal stood out there, and any one of us
might "a shot her down in an instant,
and nobody ever knowed who it was, l
was that scared that the cold creeps ran
| I'M op6 doun NV hack She looked inst