The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-03-12

Nj dEIL-ALD: . IN DA 4
he looked at her with such a quiet
suppressed longing. that she felt her
cheeks burn
You won't go?" he asked, in inality
NO" she murmured, quickly biting
her lip to hide it's qufvering. And Rod
ericll had hardly closed the door before
she burst into tears
Until nearly midnight she sat at he1
window, watching the figures that con.
stantly darkened the bright doorway
of Diggory's store. in the back part OF
which there was sold for drink as vile
a compound as ever witches brewed-a
so-called whisky that set their brains
on fire, dissipated reason, whipped into
action every low passion, and trans
formed them into brutes almost as saw
| age and ruthless as their cannibalistic
ancestors. Back and forth. back and
forth, the dusly procession marched,
stumbled and reeied, hooting, cursing,
threatening. A similar scene was being
enacted across the track at Blacwelps,
where the miserable proprietor-leaving
avarice out of the count-dared not
close. To look for help from either of
| these wretches, in case of trouble, Amy
knew would be wildly futile.
About II the crowds around the stores
later not a soul was in sight from Amy s
window. 1t would have been less sus-
picious had a few loiterers been left.
But, hoping for the best, the plucky
little agent, tired and worn, lay down
upon her bed without removing her
clothes. Her head had scarcely touched
the pillow when a stone crashed through
! the window. With a heart throbbing
/
ney McCal's pistol. For an instant all
was quiet; then there came a rap at the
| door that seemed to turn her heart to
lead.
Who is it?" she called; and in that
moment, when she believed that she faced
death or something almost as bad, she
| grew suddenly calm.
Its me, miSSyi came frightened
| voice.
She recognized it as that of Moss, the
| baggage boy, and opened the door just
| far enough for him to squeeze through.
| His eyes were round with terror and his
teeth chattering.
Missy, Use afeared to stay in de bag
gage room. They done surroun' us" he
% Gawd-they gwine bun us!'
The sight of this abject terror nerved
her beyond belief. Stop your whimper-
ing" she commended. You must go for
Colonel singleloa; run every step Of the
quick!'
20 Gawd.. missy, .doan', SEN this pooh
| niger out pleaded the boy. You just
same as kill me. missy, kase they hate
me. Deed and double you do, missy.
Befo' Gawd, missy, you woan do that"
He dropped on his knees before her and
clasped his uplifted, hands, his eyes
staring with terror, his veins swelling.
IF you don't go I'll blow your brains
out right here" she answered, so stern
| Der, if you fail to go to Colonel Single
toms after you are safe on the outside he
will hold you responsible for anything
that happens to me, And so will the law.
This liberal Interpretation of the law
had it's effect, and with a final injunc-
ton for him to hurry, Amy let the trem-
bling wretch out into the darkness
Hours seemed to pass before anything
occurred. With the weapon still in her
hands, she walked from window to win
dow. around and around. peering anxious
ly out, but neither seeing nor hearing any
thing. AT last. in the absence of succor,
she was forced to the conclusion that the
boy had either been intercepted by the
rioters or mad played her false. Once
she thought of making a sudden dash
for Diggpry's. She would be safe there,
perhaps. but the railroad property would
surely go. Could she in the morning look
upon the charred ruins and say that she
had done her duty? Then there were her
books and elothing-sman things COM
pared with life, but nevertheless some
thing that men might fight for
Suddenly she became conscious of
peculiar sound. 1t might have been twen-
ty miles away; it might have come from
the clouds, for it sounded something IKE
the distant roll of thunder; or it might
have come from subterranean depths.
But in an instant she guessed the true
cause, and the thought almost paralyZed
her faculties for moment. To the north
of the station lay blind siding, upon a
sharp grade. The siding was then full of
box cars, in all stages of loading with
melons. The negroes had turned these
loosel
The noise increased as the headless train
gained momentum and bore pitilessly
down upon the trail fortress and its de-
voted defender. Still she sat in fatal calm
ness. as though all eternity We're hers,
until yell without and a glare of light
on the ceiling broke the spell. She threw
back the bolts of the front door and
runaway cars crashed with insensate
fury into the farmhouse end.
A black, greasy, wild-eyed throng
ton. waving blazing pine torches above
their heads. For just moment they held
themselves SILENT and motonless, as
though appalled, at their own work; then
one. Drawer or drunken than the others,
buried a brand into the wreckaSe. With
out hesitation Amy sprang down,
snatched the blazing pine from out the
inflammable material and sent it defiant
" back into the faces of the mob. Then,
drawing herself proudly and fearlessly
up, she leveled her revolver. Standing
there as white an immoVaole as marple,
fragile but determined, one against many.
the representative of a superior race, she
must have appeared in the bloodShot eyes
of the marauders like guardian angel.
But they knew that the ansed was hesn
and blood-a finer flesh than theirs, but
of the earth.
II will shoot the next man who throws
firebrand!' said she, in low, distinct
tones.
Those in front heard the threat in
logged silence, but those in safer posi- |
lions in the rear, urged their compan-
ions on. What might have happened can
only be guessed, for at that moment, to
Amy's inexpressible relief, she heard the
clatter of hoofs. The negroes heard it,
too, and began to look uneasy. Half
minute later Rod Singleton's black mare, |
now white with froth, dashed up to the
end of the platform. Amy did not turn !
her head; she knew it was he. In a mi |
at her side. as grim as an avenging deity, !
and two long horse pistols paralleled the !
barrel of Amy's weapon. The little line
was quickly reinforced by Colonel Sim |
gleton and his two other sons.
The old colonel was now strangely |
calm. He marched down the platform as
though on dress parade, holding his re-
peating rife with military precision. He !
even took time to wheel into the line with |
a square turn, as though he were whole |
column by himself. He was living over
The negroes, hundred or more in num-
ber stubbornly held their ground. Whisky !
had done more for them, temporarily, in
the way of courage than had nature. !
Every black hand grasped a knife, razor
or pistol
Boys" commanded the colonel, in
Shoot to kill Miss Amy, level youah
weapon at Sugah Mason's breast. You
black devils, if man of you is in sight
afteh | count fifteen, his friends can come
for him with d wheelbarrow. Onel tWol
threei four! fivei ski"
The little line OF whites stood as i'm