The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1899-11-05

VAIN anu iioiSt anu DedNy, anu IRON
i the canal came the soft patter of TIL
i machine rock drills and the dull cough.
ing OF hosting engines. He was be-
ginning 10 say goodby, as it was near
ly train time. She was listening lit
tie YEARLY for he had outstayed his
welcome.
Suddenly there arose from the direc-
ton of the center of the town a clat-
ter of many voices raised apparently in
anger. Breaking SO abruptly into the
quietude of village night it sent g
| thrill of nameless fear into those thai
| heard. A shrill whoop punctured the
discord, and now and again a grating
drunken laugh rose above the noise
| Then the ring of breaking window
pane was heard; a moments silence
] and the babel, louder than before, and
added to by an irate proprietor's bias
| pheming tongue, broke forth afresh.
Its that dreadful canal crowd. This
must be pay night" explained Miss Ell
| well TO Arson in answer to his query.
a little figure glided down the street
hurrying from the noise as fast az two
bow-legged pins could carry him. He
mumbied some indistinct breathless
| words as he passed
! Barbara went to the gate and looked
up the street, and Arson held an UNI
brella over his head. A couple of hun
dred yards away the light from numer-
Gus saloons that drew their sustenance
| from the canal workers shed a weird
and internal illumination over a crowd
of men moving about unsteadily for the
| most part. for the liquor had circulated
! freely. All We're talking al once and
loud and in the distance it sounded like
the swapping and snarling of pack of
fighting dogs.
The neighborhood of the big ditch and
the towns along its course often felt
the blighting effect of the congregation
of thousands of hard-drinking men.
Dissatisfied laborerS, primed with alco-
hol, had wreaked vengeance upon bully
ing foremen upon one or two occasions,
and once had gone further, and for
some grievance, fancied or real had
wrecked expensive machinery of their
employers. Good people, unused to the
ways of construction hands. and sup
posing that all the men were equally
who infested the vicinity lived in a
state of continual terror, especially
when pay days come around.
CogniZant of all this. Barbara heard
the clamor with alarm. A vague pre-
sentiment of impending danger to some
one near to her possessed her. and her
hand, resting on the gate, trembled. The
crowd appeared to be forming into line
with the object of marching down the
u
the canal.
From out the shadow in the other
direction two men appeared, talking
volubly, but low, and walking swiftly to
the scene of the uproar. \ third fol-
lowed in a run at their heels. The lat
ter was little Andy Cusack. Kirby and
Chaplin. who were the first two, looked
with what appeared to be experimenting
intentness at the mob ahead of them.
Miss Elwell hailed the mannikin as he
approached. MIR. Cusack, what is it?''
she said.
Cusack pulled up with a jerk, and
gazed questioningly at the girl and her
escort. Co." he muttered. as he recog-
nized her, and turned again to follow
the other two.
'-Cusack, stopr' said Barbara, in a
well-simulated tone of command.
He halted obediently.
What is the matter down there?'
she asked again.
Where? Down there? o, faint any
thing, 'cept that McDonald's Pets is
going to celebrate the occasion with APP
propriate cer'monies."
What. OCCASION" said Arson as
Cusack stopped.
The little man blinked absently al the
stranger, and, turning TO Miss Elwell,
said: They're settin' out TO give a re-
ception or somethin' like that don't
whoap," He had nut cut his hand to
steady himself against the open gate,
but missed it, and as he tipped over his
stiffened outstretchsd arm brought up
against a tree. He struck an attitude,
with one leg crossed before the other,
the toe of one boot dug into the gravel
and arm akimbo. 'Xcuse me-, he said
to no one in particular
The mention of Imrie's name caus-
ed the girl new apprehension. What
about Mr.. Imrie?" she asked, anxiously.
John L.? Why. they're goin' TO do
by John L. as he won't forget for many
a day" said Cusack, emphasizing his
words meaningiy. ''McDorald's Pets
don raise hi very often-'Xcuse me-"
covering his mouth with his hand
Mess they got mighty good reason,
cause they's quiet men; but John l..
he
A hiccough Interrupted him.
What do you mean? Are they going
TO harm him?' asked Barbara.
Are they going to the canal?" asked
barbara
Are they going down to the caEal?"
asked Barbara.
who? The gang? Sure
With what intention?"
Il don't know" Then, after a slight
pause, ,''they got the key to the powder
house"
',
Mr.. !mrie. would they?''
They got nothin' particular 'gainst
John l.. or Mac either. but they're
desprit with their wrongs an the liquor,
don't you see9" He swung about like a
apling blown about in the wind. From
down the road the growl of the assem-
bled workers continued undated. its
suggestive hideousness effectively veri-
fyin~ the tenor OF CUsack's remarks
20. what do they intend to do to
h:-a? p" said Barbara
Il don't know. Throw dynamite sticks
at him Mess he sees EN- first"
She emitted a frightened little OH
and Cusack observed with satisfaction
that his efforts had been to some pur-
pose.
And you, Andy Cusack," she said.
ARE you going to stand idle and not
warn him of his danger? Oh, can't you
dc something"
Jaw. lady, don talk that way" said
Cusack. in a grieved tone. John l.. !
knows better'n anybody / wouldn't lay |
a hand 'gainst him or the company lie
it wasn't for the good of the cause. But |
run down an got Kirby an Chaplin !
that's them that just went up. Did you |
see 'em?-an me an Kirby an Chaplin !
is goin to try TO persuade em different |
It's no easy job, though. | tell you. an
if we can't persuade EN- we all got to
stick together an go with the crowd"
do you mean to say your not go |
ing to warn him.,
Please. miss" said the little man, |
plaintively. you can see how it is. |
can't be a traitor TO the laborin' man.
Well. I'll be goin'. So long"
He gathered himself together and |
watched him. Looking up the street |
Fbev saV that the p1oh had started |