The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-02-16

was there! without another moment
hesitation he grabbed an old lever 81 ~
went at a great timber that lay on l.is
inclined ways. Mighty was his strength
at that instant; over and over Went w
timber i'll with a drenching Splash
hit the water. 1t sank, rose roheu
little. steadied itself and started 70
glide away Dreadful as he knew lne
way TO be, Ned sprang lightly upon ~
stretched himself out at fun lehgtn'
and chung with hands, knees ana ieel.
For a short distance the fiume ran at
an easy grade; then II seemed 10 enu
where IL abruptly dived over the NOUN
| tain side. - .ha
/ hov-ridden timber-over, and into the
| seething foam-the down-shoot OF IL
/ was horrible! -,
! Like the rush of air that comes when
one leaps from height was the VIM
/ that nearly blew him from the tihpei
| the swift glide had all the terror OF
! never-ending fall Not breath c0uIu ,
{ he CRASH not a thing could he see Inc
spray. showered up in front, ana was
4 hurled back over his head ana pouy
the froth Tapped hungrily at MN as ~
Missed behind, outstripped by the nylhs
timber. 49,.
| half drowned, wholly blinded. the
lad bound himself down TO the beam
with stiffened sinews, and longed anu
yearned and prayed that the END mlgh.
grew more terrific; the timber shot
through space like a bullet; dizziness
came over his senses, and he telt MS
muscles relaxing. =.
| But suddenly, with check as a
great air-brakes had been clapped on IL,
the timber slowed down, ran slower
and slower, and almost stopped.
The bottom was reached!
Ned Law exhausted and supine upon
, his queer craft. 1t now drifted smooth-
md
foaming water began TO assume its nor
NAL brownish color. Before hair mile
had been traversed the boy was MN
, self again. Sitting up he looked Tor
ward .,,.,,
l the mountain a cloud of dust appeared
! II was raised by the three robber horse
i men. who were trotting down the zlz-
Jagged road , A.. to
Ned's brain was now beginning TO De
clear again. Rounding turn ne saw
l. a cabin where one of the Hume waIch-
: ers lived. a hundred rods ahead Inc
sight reused him to action. lie heio
I his hands trumpet-like over his mouth
s and halooed, long and loud
"J-o-h-n F-l-e-t-c-h-e-r! john
| F-l-e-t-c-h-e-r. = -,
e sterped forth 10 see whence the cali
had come. I'll, -,
-vour-hat-and-gun - quick!
y Ned shouted again. -, -, d,
y Fletcher backed into the place as d
a hermit crab himself into his shell, then
, issued hated and armed. -.
q The timber now swept past with thS
bov. the man was on the other end Oh
&c II before he spoke WORD.
"yVbat is it. Ned?" he asked.
uurriedly Ned told the story. Flet-
cher listened in silence. He was a man
of slow speech. -, .h,so,, bo
You came over the NH OH inns
asked. o,o,,oss
came on his face.
Tbe man looked at him in unfeigned
amazement-and proceeded TO push
cartridges into the magazine OF hiS
rifle. oas,
Mace. he handed his gun To Ned' am
ieaDinp off caught up a small boarc
and hopped back with ii. on this boar'
he wrote. with piece of black lead'
Arm yourself and ride to the com
pany's Office. Robbers coming 10 mani
raid" , -. a.
the timber. writing side up; and II, De
ing unladen, rapidly outstripped thell
and disappeared 1t was the way IN
men had of sending messages 10 thos
below. co..
was afraid nobody would see II al'e
"NIavbe they won't, but no harm, hi
companion replied. You're all righ
Ned boy" and silence again reigned.
They now came To more cablns an
balooed and alarmed the men. on
more Jumped upon the timber VII
them almost sinking ii. TWO othel
launched old boats that they happen
| TO have. But the best OF all, MI Ma
tie riding along the hume PAIN, esp.
the board messenger, and caught an
road IT. Immediately he spurred oi
To- arousine the men below, and hastenli
10 summon the best of the whole fore
those who lived in cabins half m.
| from the dump.
soon a determined lot of men we
btddon in the office and around II, al
an omninous silence settled upon thei
Down came the big timber with
heavy load, and down came the "
boats. Ned and his companions jun
ed off and ran to warn the office. IN
| fo,nd n already alarmed and barrica
ed and We're themselves immediate
. added to the defensive forces.
was Little time there had been TO spa
us | for the horses of the three consplrato
r,sn spurrcd yiciously. had gained on
rted boats and timber, and were soon s.
mar entering the lumber ward.
bad Staalthily the robbers approach
disn,auuted. fastened their anlmi
su- pulling rough masks over their rae
ould | they entered the Office.
der. On Iile iIl9l'ile " =. - 60 q
ONE | great plach hlu"Ai,9 ~
= a loud voice commanded
Hands up! Every one OF you.
fooIing, Don't try TO back out, or YOU
| dead men
There was no other noise-not sh
= or a shot: Ned could even hear the
n | purring and brushing against one
the kneeling men.
Done up again" said the tallest r
| her: the others We're silent
Five minutes later the robbers W
. marching. their hands securely tied
" me Jail in the town mile beyond
~ DUNN. And at the jail IL was discpN
W ed that the tall man was desper
y oItIaw who had recently escaped fl