The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-12-07
CHAPTER NNNlII-


R4o'6'y Thorpe explained what was to
be done. and thrust his rifle into the
Indians hands. The latter iistered in
silence and stoidity. then turned. and
withou; q word departed swiftly in the
darkness. The TWO white men stood a
n.ina;e attentive, Nothing was to be
heard but the steady beat Of the rain
and the roaring OF the wind
Near the bank of the river they en-
coun cred man, visible Only as an I'm
certain black outline against the gov
Of the lanterns beyond, Thorpe stepping
him. found Big Junko.
This is no time to quit said Thorpe,
sharply
a. amt quittin'." replied Big Junlzo.
tWhere are you going 'hen?"
Junko was partially and ammeringly
unrssnonsive
Looks bad" commented Thorpe.
YOU'D better get back to your job.
Yes" asreed Junko. helpiessly. In
the monetary slack tide Of work. the
giant had conceived the idea Of search
ing out The driver crew for purposes Of
pugiliStic Yer eance. Tho pes suspicious
stung him. but his simple mind could
see no direct way to exclamation
All night long in the chill OF spring
rain and win6-storm the Fighting Forty
and Ger ain Of ;lle mill crew gave them
selves 10 the labor of connecting the
slantirs stone cribs SO Strongly by
means Of heavy tinbers cha red END to
end that thu pressure Of a break in the
lam might not sweep aside tbs defenses.
Wallace Ca rpenter Shorty. the cho 9
boy and Anderson. the barn-boss, picked
a dangerous passage back and forth.
carrying pats of red-hot coffee which
Mrs. Hathaway cons anfly prepared. The
cold va er numhed the mems hands.
With difficulty could they manipulate
the heavy chains through the aueer-
holes: with pain they twis ed knots.
bored holes They Gid not comp ain.
Behind them the Jam quive1ed. per loIs Y
near the burs ing point. 'FRONT.' Shrek
Cd aloud the demons of pressure. Stead
ilv the river rose. an inch an hour. TIE
key might snap at any given moment
they could not tell-and with the rush
they knew very well that themselves,
the tug and the disabled pi'e-driTer
would be swept from existence The
worst of 1t was that the blacknsss
ehrouded their exoerierce into useless
ness: they were utterly unable to tell
by The ordinary visual symptoms how
near the lam might BE- 10 collapse.
However. they pers sted. as the old
time fivernan always does, so that when
dawn appeared the barrier was conunu-
Gus and assured Although the pressure
OF he river mad already forced the logs
against the deferses, the latter held the
strain well.
The storm had settled into its gait.
Overhead the sky was filled with gray,
beneath which darker scuds few across
the zenith before q bowling southwest
rvt7d out in The clear river one co4ld
hardly sand upright against the gusts.
It1 the fan OF many directions. furious
s,ra1ls swe7t over the open water be
low the looms, and an eager boiling cur
rant rushed to the lake.
Thorpe now gave orders that the tug
end driver should take shell er.- "A lew
moments later he expressed himself as
SATISFIED. The dripping crew, Their
harsh faces gay III the half-Iightr plched
fleir way 70 the shore.
IN the darkness OF that long n'eh
zo-g no man knew his netghbof Man
from the river. men from ire raili, men
--orn rhe ward all WORKED SIDE by sice.
THIS no one noticed especially a tan
e1ander bot weIl-knit indiv dual dress q
il FADED rnackfnaw and limp o.!ch
L.+ 7-bich he wore pulled over MS eyes.
,rfie young fellow occupied himself win
- chains Against the racing current
-ra crew held the ends Of the heavy
bnor7s while he fastened them together.
lie worked well. but seemed slow ! hree
-:-,as Shearer hustled him on after the
others had finished. examining CLOS ~
che work that had been done On the
third COCOON he shrugged his shoulder
somewhat .rpatientlT.
TIVE Young men struggled to shore. the
Young fellow Just desc'i5eo hrlne'ng ~
-ba r.sr re walked as though tTea
80. Ranging his head and dragging his
tsa+ when, however, the clearinghouse