The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1897-12-23

3 - M N'iAi llt1l hllN14N Hllldll BIltN dINtHs
had, thanks to the influence of few Of
the leaders, reached a state where satis-
factory set. ement seemed impossible.
j HE men had expected to be out a week
i or ten days at the most, but nearly two
months had elapsed, and their position
/ was almost desperate. Several deputa-
lions had waited ON old Mr. Vice. the
/ proprietor, but had been invariably re-
/ ferred back to the manager, with the
understanding that he had full author
ity to dead With them.
The man ger, Shotwell, young man
OF intelligent sympathies, from the first
had been willing, even eager, to discuss
the mems grievances and help them TO
an understanding. But when he found
that the leaders, to whom the men had
Entrusted 1 cir cause, not only were
disposed to take advantage of his JUS
tee, but Wee seeking their own ends
at the eXpoLae of the men, he suddenly
changed hi attitude and refused to lis
ten to amy proposals other than absolute
surrender, he gave the three leaders to
understand i'll the plainest language
that under no consideration would he
tolerate their presence i'll the shops
again.
The result of this understanding and
the conter otuous way i'll which the
manager haa expressed his opinion of
the leaders and their scheming reused
these men from sullen spite to hatred
They could not keep the men out or get
back themsel Ives unless-well, unless
Shotwell changed his mind, and they
knew him too we'll to hope for that.
Shotwells obstinacy had surprised
even old Nh Vice, who had known him
from boyho known him SO well, in
fact, that hc had sanctioned the young
mans engagement to Dorothy, his
daughter. 1t Was possibly the thought
of future partnership that made him
SO determined to stand to his guns now
and show the old man and his sweet
heart that he was capable of holding
the reins.
Even Dorothy lover hardly under
stood her. She had strange ideas of
soul communion" that made the mat
ter of fact young man gasp and she had
an uncanny knack of demonstrating the
proof of her beliefs by reading his un-
spoken thoughts with an accuracy that
to Il less healthy wholesome young fell
low might have been embarrassing.
But withal she was so womanly and
tender and her fancies SO pretty that
gradually he grew used to them and
found himself often lingering over them
and almost wishing they could be true
To one of these tancies he had readily
yielded. Each evening both sat wher-
ever they might be i'll silence for little
time and let their thoughts 90 out free
ly to each other soul talks" Dorothy
called them, and whatever they We're,
the result was that his love for the girl
grew more tender and he knew that in
some subtle manner he was coming to
understand her better and better each
day. These times had been ineXpressibly
dear to him of late They were his mo-
ments of absolute rest from the worry
of the strike, and he always felt his
brain refreshed and aftcrWard was bet
ter able to cope with his growing diff
culties.
The pulse of the strike was growing
feyerish, and night after night Shotwell
had slept at the office, fearing some kind
of attack ON the premises. By the end
of the week worry and lack Of sleep had
told heavily upon him, and AS he sat
smoking i'll the mysterious shadows of
the early evening he determined that
this must be his last might alone; he
would get a Waterman to aid him. His
thoughts grew vague and mixed, His
pipe fell to the floor and made him
jump then his eyes closed for Il mo
ment, opened sluggishly, dropped again,
and he was fast asleep.
With start and a fearful sense of
oppression he awoke, struggling wildly
III his chair; tried to cry out and real
lied that he was tied down a cloth
Was wound tightly over ms mouth,
while the room was filled with "A subtle,
sickly odor OF chlorotorm lie heard
sneering laugh behind his chair and,
well, yer took "a purity good nap that
time, didn't yer?' There was an an
swering growl from another throat, and
the two men came round in trout, both
muf1led i'll heavy coats and pieces Of
cloth covering the upper nall If their
faces One OF them carried "a small bldth
box somewhat gingerly to the desk and
set it down III front of ShotNuU lie
turned little brass key III it. and hid
den machinery began to tick tack tick
tack, like clock He twisted the box
sround and ShotWell saw IA small dial,
with the hands pointed to 90 clock.
one of the men attached one end Of
string to a lever on the box and with
the greatest precautiOn tied the other
end to Arthur's left wrist, then fixed
another string to the same lever and to
the other wrist
Nov, see here, Mr.. Shotwell, you've
got just 46 minutes, and then that thing
goes off, and God have mercy on your
soul. If you should want the thing to 10
quicker, just struggle hard, and if You
manage to pull either of them strings
we'll, guess it'll oblige you -
"Now, Bill, we've got no time to
waste. He,e's the keys, you go for the
safe, and l 4 fix the desk. =
Inside C. - minutes Shotwcll's
guests had gone, leaving little trace Of
their visit except Il faint odor of ohloro-
form and that strange looking black
box, with its monotonous tick tack, tick
tack.
Tho @ls,, l,I -,