Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-10-14

pcering in between the brown Stats
and listened to the hideous threats of
the lenders Wen lave your hearts
( blood, you liveried dogSn' We'll Earn
! you tin soldiers lesson" Burn down
the fencew xiii the numbering
hounds" Cut their throats!" were ex-
purgated samples of The yells. But still
the company stood at ordered arms and
at ease" for Langdon continued his
cool promenade along the front, calmly
eying the bowling mob. keeping wary
watch upon the fence and gate, but
ever and anon glanGing up the yards in
search OF support or reinforcement,
for, to all outward appearance the cool
est, most unconcerned person on the
ground his heart was filed with grave
anxiety. His was by long odds the
most critical position of any man, SOL
der or civilian, that day in all Ne
braska.
For now that he had time to face the
| facts and consider the position in all
stS bearings, he realized that he had
no authority whatever in law or fact
i to enable him to discharge the grave
duties of his position-not SO much as
commission in the state troops, not
even warrant,as deputy sheriff. If
the mob charged and to defend the
| lives Of these men he was compelled to
order them to fire, an indictment for
murder would doubtless lie at his door.
1t is one thing to do mans whole
duty with the law behind him; it is an
| other TO stand and face thousand vot-
ers and realize that every drop of blood
that might be shed Oh either side would,
in the event of success or failure, be
charged up to him. And still he never
seemed disturbed.
| But Langdon'S heart beat quick when,
| just as it seemed probable that, neck or
nothing, he should have TO face the sit.
uation and fight, he caught sight of
| Charming with the sheriff and q brace
Of deputies coming toward him on the
run. The crowd having concentrated
here, it was possible for the officials
now to leave other threatened points.
He strolled, as it We're, with almost ex-
aggerated quiet to the right flank of
his men to meet them. The mob re-
doubled its screams of defiance
| major Melville wants to know how
you're getting along" painted Claiming
as he FASTENED up red faced, anxious,
but plucky.
"Well, YOU see for yourself" said
Eric, with nod of his head toward
| the fence. "Those fellows mean to
burst through in minute or two"
Cant you scare 'em? Fire volley
over their heads?" pulled the sheriff,
eager and willing, but utterly inexperi-
enced.
That's murder" was the cool reply.
ga mob gains tenfold in daring and
devilment when it sees you're afraid to
fire anything but blanks. You'll sim
ply have to kill so then where five
would have sufficed in the first place.
No, sir. Ball cartridges or nothing.
And here's another point. Pm not an
officer either of the troops or Of the
law" And now Eric had to raise his
voice above the outer clamor. 81 can
| give the necessary commands and at
the proper instant, and l can drive
those howlers back in one vo.iey if
they attempt to force the gates, but
you, Mr. Sheriff, must stand by my side
and assume responsibility; otherwise
week from now you'll be around with
warrant for my arrest
"My God, can't" said the civil Off
cial, wiping the sweat from his brow
despite the cold wind from the west
ward prairie. He gazed almost fear
fully along that surging fence line. 1t
| resembled by this time nothing so
much as one continuous cage of snarl-
ing, roaring beasts. 1t was plain the
poor fellow was losing his nerve ME
and my family couldn't live in this
community another week. Can't you
say something to them, Mr.. Channingw
! Like many another civil official, the
sheriff was realizing that it was quite
one thing to tackle lot of tramps,
friendless and desperate as they were
down at Bridge Siding; it was quite an
other to think Of letting drive deadly
volley into the breasts of a mob that
| might contain friends and fellow citi-
zens, and that would be sure to turn to
in retaliation end possibly murder his
own beloved ones. Small wonder the
sheriff hesitated
''Too late to talk" shouted Chan
ming impatiently. Besides, there isn't
one sane railroad man in 90 in that lot.
They're toughs from every town along
the Big Muddy, and, by heaven, they'll
! sack these yards before the regulars
can get here unless you can stop it,
Langdon! That internal Seattle train
ought to have been in long ago, but it
may get here inside of an hour ard
their" general managers just behind
EN- on a special. What can you doY"
And Claiming set his stern jaw and
glared at the crowd, fight, almost fury,
in his blazing eyes, then turned back to
Langdon. Before the latter could an
swer there came scream from the
sheriff
Look! sledge hammers, by heav-
EN-" he cried, pointing to the gate, al
ready shaken by the furious heaving Of
the throng.
Then there's only one thing to do"
answered Langdon, his face very pale,