The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-01-11

mo. they won't; they're all here, -
assured KerIie
Il was true. Except for the women
ana children. who were not yet about,
The entire village had assembled. Even
old Vanderhoof, the fire-catcher Of the
yard, hobbled along breathlessly on his
rheumatic legs---In a moment the
masks were fitted. In moment more
The little band had emerged from the
shelter Of the swamp. and so came
into full view of its objective point.
Shingleville consisted Of a big mill;
the yards. now nearly empty Of lumber
the large frame boarding house, the
office. the stable. a store, two saloons
and dozen dwellings. The party az
once fixed It's eyes on this collection Of
buildings and trudged on down the
right OF way with unhastening grim
ness
Their approach was not unobserved.
DAILY saw them; and Baker, his fore
man. saw them. The two at once went
forth to organize opposition. When the
attacking party reached the mill yard
IL found the boss and the foreman
standing alone on the sawdust, revolv-
ers drawn.
DAILY traced a line with his toe.
''The first man that crosses that line
gets it," said he
They knew he meant what he said.
An instant's pause ensued, while the
big man and the little faced a mob.
Days rivermen were still on a drive.
He knew the millmen too well to de-
pend on them. Truth to tell, the pos
sibility of such a raid as this had not
occurred to him, for the simple reason
that he did not anticipate the discoV-
cry Of his completely with the forces
of nature. SkilfulIy carried out, the
plan was good one. No one need
know of the weakened link, and 1t was
the most natural thing in the world
that Sadler & Smiths drive should go
out with the increase of water.
The men grouped swiftly and silently
on the other side of the sawdust line.
The pause did not mean that Days
defense was goOSi. have known of a
crew of striking millmen being so
bluffed down, but not such men as
these.
do you know what's going to hap
pen to you?'' said a voice from the
group. The speaker was Railway. but
the contractor kept himself we'll in the
background. Were going to burn your
mill: we're going to burn your yards;
we're going to burn your whole shoot
ing match, you lCw-lived whelp!"
Eyes. and we're going to string You
to your own trestlei' growled another
voice harshly.
oyer" said Injin Charley, simply.
SndklDE the wet SCdlp arm AChSIh u
ward the lumbermen.
At this grim interruption a silence
fell. The owner paled slightly; his
foreman chewed a nOnchalant straw
Down the still deserted street crossed
and recrOssed the subtle, occult infiu-
ences of a haf-hundred concealed
watchers Daily and his subordinate
were very much alone, and very much
In danger Their last hour had come,
and they knew it.
With the recognition of the fact they
Immediately raised their weapons in
the resolve to do as much damage as
possible before being overpOwered.
Then suddenly, full in the back, a
heavy stream of water knocked them
completely off their feet, rolled them
over on the wet sawdust, and finally
damned them both against the trestle,
where it held them, kicking and gasp
Ing for breath in choking cataract of
water The pistols few harmlessiy in
to the air. For an instant the Fighting
Forty stared in paralyzed astonish-
ment Then a tremendous roar of
laughter saluted their easy vanquish-
ment of a formidable enemy.
Daily and Baker were pounced upon
md captured. ThaFe was no resistance.
They were too nearly strangled for
that Little Solly and old Vanderhoof
turned off the water in the fire ny
drant and disconnected the hose they
had so effectively employed.
There, damn you" said ROllway
Charley jerking the millman to his
feet. How do you like too much
water. hey?"
The unexpected comedy changed the
party's mood. 1t was no longer ques-
tion of killing. A number broke into
the store. and shortly emerged, bearing
pals Of kerosene with which they
deluged the slabs on the windward side
of the mill The flames caught the
structure instantly. A thousand sparks
borne by the off-shore breeze, fastened
like so many singing insects on the
lumber in the yard.
1t burned as dried balsam thrown on
a campfire. The heat of it drove the
onlOokers far back in the village. where
in silence they watched the destruction.
From behind locked doors the in
habitants watched with them.
The billow of white smoke filed the
northern sky. A whirl of gray ashes,
light as air, fiOated on and ever on
over Superior The site of the mill, the
squares where the piles of lumber had
stood, glowed incandescence over which
already white film was forming.
DAILY and his man were slapped and
cuffed hither and thither at the mems
VIII Their faces bled. their bodies
ached as one bruise.
4
we can't cut this year. neither kin you.
It's up to you nowi"
Then. like a destroying horde of
locusts, they Quilted the office and the
store, smashing what they could not
carry 10 the fire. The dwellings and
saloons they did not disturb. Finally.
about noon, they kicked their two
prisoners into the river. and took their
way stragglingly back along the right
of way.
Il surmise we took that town apart
sonnet" remarked Shorty, with salts
faction.
Il should rise to remark" replied
Kerlie. Big Junko said nothing. but
his cavernous little aRinnal eyes glowed
with satisfaction. He had been the
first to lay hands on DAILY; he had
helped 10 carry the petroleum; he had
struck the first match: he had even adj
rninistered the final kick.
At the boarding house they found
Wallace Carpenter and Hamilton seat
cd on the veranda. 1t was now after
noon. The wind had abated somewhat.
and the sun was struggling with the
stil flying seuds.
Hello. boys said Wallace, ''been for
a little walk in the wOods?"
Yes. sir" replied Hyland we"
I'D rather not hear" interrupted
Wallace. There's quite a fire over
east suppose you haven't noticed it,
Hyland looked gravely eastward
sure nOught" said he.
Better get some grub" suggested
Wallace.
After the men had gone in, he
turned to the journalist
Hamilton" he began. write all you
know about the drive. and the break.
and the rescue, but as to the burning