Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1902-02-13
Loosen his feet, boys, SO he can step

Loosen his feet, boys, SO he can step
along
They cut the cord about Warmers
legs and started forward into the
woods. But woman, her face white
and anxious, her hair flying wildly in
the wind, barred their way.
"For Gods sake, Liz" the man with
the gun cried, whats up?'
"They're here" she gasped. Then,
clasping her hands and looking into his
face appealingly, she added: "Go, quick,
Jake ! Fly before they get you
what are you talking about?" Jake
demanded. "Who is it? Not tho
eyes, yes; the revenuers! The cab
ms surrounded, and they're searching
the woods. 1 slipped away, but most
likely they seen me. Don't wait, Jake,
but go quick!'
His face darkened, and dangerous
light came to his eyes.
Cd 'em!' he said bitterly. "Let
'em come! I'll get some of 'em before
they get me-" Then, turning to his
men, he added: "Stand back out of the
light, boys, SO that you can't be seen.
Wait minute! This man has been
spying on us, and We'll fix him for it
first"
With that he struck off iAto the
woods, commanding two of his men to
follow with Warner and the others,
with Liz, to hide.
After covering about thirty yards
along the side of the mountain he stop
ped OH the brink Of a dark hole. 1t was
the Big spring, that greedily swallows
up everything that falls prey to it
and gives nothing back.
A cold chill Of horror went over
Warner as he heard the water boiling
and bubbling down there in the dark
"Throw him in, boys" Jake said
coolly.
The men began to push Warner for
ward. In his struggles the rope slip
ped from his arms. Finding his hands
free, he wrenched himself from the
grasp of one of the men and, striking
him a quick blow, sent him Keeling
back toward the spring. There was a
scream, a heavy splash in the water
and then silence. Quickly following.
up his advantage, he struggled to free
himself from the other man and had
almost succeeded when Jake gave him
push that sent him flying over the
brink of the spring and clear to the op-
posite SIDE where he struck against
the bank
AS he began to sink down into the
hole he clutched frantically in search
of a support. When half his body was
In the water, his fingers grasped jut-
ting stone that checked his fall. There
he hung, his whole weight on his fin
gers and the waters Juggling at him
as If angrily determined to tear him
away.
BY fash of lightning Jake saw him
clinging to the wall and, with an oath,
started around to that side of the
spring. In another flash Warner saw
Jake with his gun raised to strike him.
At the same instant there was a
pistol report, and in the darkness War
ner felt heavy body plunge past him
and heard great splash in the water
Then, just as his fingers had begun
to relax their hold, a pair of strong
hands grasped his wrists and saved
him from sinking. For the first time
in his life he tainted.
When lie returned to consciousness,
he was lying before a fire in the shell
ter of the still with a dozen detectives.
Three Of the "moonshiners" We're in
irons.
The detectives, guided by the scream
of the man who had first met his fate
in the spring, had arrived just in time
to give Jake to the spring, which no
doubt hid much of his guilty past.
Afterward they had captured the rest
of the gang, killing one in the flight
The woman Liz had escaped.
H.