Waterbury Democrat., 1901-06-13

fer together in cautious tones. From mere bravado an uncouth looking fel- low began climbing the telegraph pole west of the bridge, and the applause of certain among the tramp element, at other times the natural enemy of the trainhands, attracted the attention of the leaders on the bluff. Instantly the query was beloved from above:
 Hold oni What are you at?" '~
 "Cuttin de wire, of course" was the shouted answer, and an unkempt face peered upward through the dim twi- light.
 "Let it alone, you fool! We're run min the telegraph" And a down spin ming "dornick," sent by no reluctant hand, skinned so close to the fuzzy head that, amid jeers of derision now, the would be wire clipper slid back to earth and skulked in among his cronies in the shadow of the bluff.
 Barely 200 yards away eastward, across the deep rocky gulch, a9 men, muffled in overcoats and fur caps, had Just alighted from a buggy. One, standing at the horses head, nodded appreciatively. <
 Hear that, major?" he asked. ''They have not lost their senses, anyhow. I'll join you quick as have blanketed and tethered the horse"
 Silently the other bowed and, still standing at the edge of the little patch of frs that crowned the height, took from his pocket small binocular, care- fully studied the groups across the gulch to the west and then swept the line of the Seattle across the Red Wa ter. Those on level with himself were in black silhouette against the pallid western sky; those down across the Red Water were but dimly visible, for the sun was now behind a bank of cloud at the horizon and it was nearly o'clock. Voices and jeers rising from the foot of the. bluff where ran the line gof the Big Horn told that many men were still there, but they could not be distinguished Observant of his duty, Melville had notified the sheriff of the new complication, and together they had driven out Of Brentwood by northeastern road until we'll away from town and then, taking the first turn to the east, had swept round over the hard, smooth prairie highways and had finally come down along the east bank of the brook we'll out of sight of the strikers at the bridge, reaching their lookout in good time and without de lection. Further tidings had come be- fore their start to the effect that Mir. Charming, the energetic manager, was aboard the train bearing the militia hovs rTh,c oo1,Id only ynoon 4baf fbo situation to the east of the Missouri was now, so far improved that the keen est officials were giving their main eff fort to the west. Even before the ma- jor had completed his calm, methodical survey of the situation hewa rejoined by the sheriff It was then so near darkness that the stars were peeping in the eastward sky, and over across the rushing Red Water the glow of a little fire started by some of the Seattle crowd lighted the rocky face of the railway cut and threw a gleam upon the waters.
 And still no sign of the expected train. "Feelin her way said the sheriff. ''Dasn't take any chances" Asspike or two. withdrawn, a fshplate removed on any one. of the half dozen sharp curves. along the gorge, would shoot the engine over,the banksahd in tosthes boiling wateFs.. withvcar eafterl car pitching atop of it.9 Reckon twill be another hour before it gets here,' concluded he.
 Melville made no reply. He was watching little light swinging like kl~ Iox <,f f,,Ia n southern shore and high up on a pro- jecting point half mile to the south east. A moment earlier no light was there. Now it was swinging like pendulum firefy swiftly to and fro. There was instant excitement among the strikers across the Red Water and over against them where the Big Horn leaders seemed to have gathered. TComin sure as death!'' whispered the sheriff, and together he and the major strode swiftly to the edge of the cliff overlooking the single track at its base.
 Away down the Red Water faint rumble and the pant of a laboring en- zine could just be heard above the rush of the stream, and presently the edge of a glowing disk came steadily into view; then the full glare of a headlight, which pointed an instant. or two to- ward the opposite shore, swung across the seething rapids, dived into and un- der the bluff on theinorth side and dis appeared from view. Behind it, snake like, trailef the dim line of glowworm lights of the troop cars, and then they, too, were swallowed up in darkness.
 "Runnin keerful," muttered the sher- if. '@They know huff not to come head on and full speed. She'll pull up some where down here and send forward to smell the bridge"
 Tn silence and suspense they waited, All voices were hushed along the rocky banks. For a few minutes even the panting of the engine could not be
 
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