Waterbury Democrat., 1902-02-05

their way up into the marshes, had been confined within it's banks by huge dykes. Drains and foodgates had been constructed. The marshes were dry- ing rapidly, and all was ready for par ce4ing out the land with fences and turning it over to the plew and har- TOW.
 Old Pritchett, selina,s father. was one of the best known s'slodgers." All his life he had shot and trapped over the marshes, and his daughter inher- ited his intense love for these vast ex- panses of breezy flats.
 Selma was an exceptionally hand some girl, and naturally had many ad- mirers. But Joe Reaye and Vane Mer- itt were generally allowed to be the only two who had any chance.
 Vane Merritt, it might have been sup posed, would have been more likely to win her. He was the son of small farmer in the neighborhood, and his expecta tions were far better than Reaye's, who was but marshman like Selina's father, although better edu- eated than the majority of his class.
 But, as we have seen, there was no doubt in the world which Selina pre- ferred. This Merritt knew, and had sworn to get even with Reave.
 Black night in mid-December. sThe soft marsh lands, soft in deep, sticky mud, and the Sutter swollen with heavy rains, brimming to the top of the new embankme nts, and striving with fury against its unaccustomed bonds. It had been a wet autumn, which had eliminated in a three days downpour, giving the river and the great new drains much ado to carry down into the sea the overflow from the higher grounds inland. This night 8 strong northeaster had arisen and torn away the canopy of cloud. allowing the win ter stars to sparkle in the black waters beneath.
 On the embankm ent, just where the Sutter curves into West Marsh, stood a mana tall, powerful figure He car ried wide-bladed pickax and heavy shovel.
 Laying these down, he walked to the top of the dyke and a few yards along it, testing the ground with his iron shod heel. The water was within six inches of the top of the bank, and the current, usually so slack and lazy, swinging along with terrific force and power.
 'sThis'll do," he muttered to himself. He returned to where his tools lay, picked them up, and began a savage onslaught on the soaking soil. Begin ming about four feet below the top of the dyke, at point just beyond the elbow of the curve, he soon had cut a gaping hole in the wide. new rampant. The. whole force of the current here imp,inged on the dyke and he reck- oned that, once gapped the river would do the rest, and, bursting through, speedily tear huge rent and spread once more across the marshes.
 Twenty minutes passed. He was more than half way through, and the river still rising.
 Suddenly he stopped, pickax in hand and listened hard. Bah, it was but the wind crying through the upper air. He went on digging, his mattock thud- ding into the soaking soil. The sound again-men's voices. Yes, and ap- preaching from, the west down along the dyke. But nothing was visible.
 ssThey won't see me, whoever they be-" he said to himself. ssThe curve O the bank hides me, so I'll see them first" And again he hacked at the rapidly thinning bank.
 The voices ceased, but instead there came a sound of hurrying feet, Joe worked with desperate energy. Fig ures came in sight running towards him.
 'sHere he is,'' shouted some one. Joe ground his teeth, as he recognized Meritt's voice, but never an inch did he budge. The marshman's blood was up. Thud. thud, the water was begin ming to trickle through.
 They were upon him, three deputy sheriffs and Merritt, Merritt little in advance of the others.
 'Ahi you sneaking spy" roared the big marshman, as the other, with stick upraised, rushed upon him.
 With hail-,ike sweep of his mat tock he dashed him aside, stick and all, sending him rolling oyer and over down the steep dyke side.
 The sheriff's men were upon him, but he sprang aside. One slipped and fell, but as he fel seized Reave's leg and pulled him down; the others closed !, and in a struggling mass all four went rolling where Merritt had already fallen.
 Boomi and black mass of icy wa ter spouted from behind them in a solid food, rolling them over and sep arating them as pail of water will pair of fighting dogs. The bank had given and the water was returning to its own.
 As Joe said afterwards to Seina: "'Twas lucky for me was born and bred to it. No one else could ha' stood the water, twas that cold was more'n half dead when I was washed against the old causeway. I was sorry for them sheriff chaps, but as for that danged scoundrel Merritt, it served him right"
 No proof remained against Reave, though many had suspicious. The work of months was undone in that night, and 1t was years before an at tempt was again made to drain Sutter marsh or deprive the ''s-odgers',, of their priyileges.-Ch Tribune.