Mower County transcript., 1904-06-22
CHAPTER xxx.

| CHAPTER xxx.
fT1oR a moment the three men
| n i stared at each other without
IL speaking.
"What does it meanY almost
whispered Carpenter.
MEAN? Foul playv' snarled Thorpe.
"Come on, Tim"
The two struck into the brush, thread
ing the paths with the ease of woods
men. 1t was necessary to keep to the
high inland ridges. The pole trail had
by now become impossible: Thorpe
and his foreman talked briefly.
TITS Morrison & DAY." surmised
Shearer. II left them count of trick
like that. been suspecting some-
thing. They've been laying too low"
Thorpe answered nothing. Through
the site of the old dam they found a
torrent pouring from the narrowed
pond, at the end of which the dilap-
idated wings Tapping in the current at
tested the former structure. Davis
stood staring at the current
Thorpe strobe forward and shook him
violently by the shoulder.
"How did this happen?" he demand
ed hoarsely.
The man turned to him in daze. II
| don't know" he answered.
"You ought to know. How was that
shot exploded? How did they get I'm
here without your seeing them? An
swer me-"
II don't know" repeated the man.
II jest went over in tn bresh to kill a
few pa'tridges, and when I come back
found her this way"
"Were you hired to watch this dam,
or weren't you?" demanded the tense
voice of Thorpe. ANSWER me, you
fool"
eyes, I was," returned the man, p
shade Of aggression creeping into his
voice.
SWELL you've done it well. You've
cost me my dam, and you've killed five
men. If the crew finds out about you,
you'll go over the falls sure. You get
out of here! Pike! Don't you ever let
me see your face againv'
| The man blanched as he thus learned
Of his comrades death. Thorpe thrust
his face at him, lashed by circum-
stances beyond his habitual self con-
troll.
! Its men like you who make the
trouble" he stormed. 'StuHd fools
who say they didn't mean to! It isn't
enough not to mean to-; they should
mean not to! I don't ask you to think.
| just want you to do what I tell you.
and you can't even do that"
He threw his shoulder into a heavy
blow that reached the dam watcher 8
face. and followed it Immediately bv
announcer. Then Shearer caught his
arm, motioning the dazed and bloody
victim of the attack to get out of sight
Thorpe shook his foreman off with one
impatient motion and strobe away up
the river, his head erect, his eyes fash
ing, his nostrils distended.
| II reckon you'd better mosey," Shear
er dryly advised the dam watcher, and
followed.
Late in the afternoon the two meD
reached Dam Three, or, rather, the spot
on which Dam Three had STOOD The
same spectacle repeated itself here, ex-
| cept that Ellis, the dam watcher, was
| nowhere to be seen. "
'The dirty whelpsw cried Thorpe
'"They did a good 5obv'
He thrashed about here and there
and so came across Ellis blindfolded
| and tied. When released the dam
| watcher was unable to give any ac-
| count of his assailants 'sf>'
'They came up behind me while
was cooking he said. "One Of 'em
grabbed me. and the other one kivered
my eyes. Then hears the shot and
knows there's trouble''
Thorpe listened in silence. Shearer
asked a few questions. After the low
voiced conversation Thorpe arose alb:
ruptly. 5 ,:3ss =. ::s:.}s }.ist~.,, G5rs3 Z; 81
'.rWhere you going?' asked ,Shearer.
But the young man did not reply. He
swung, with the same long, nervous
stride, into the down river trail.
Until late that night the three men
for Ellis insisted on accompanying them
hurried through the forest. Thorpe
walked tirelessly, upheld by his violent
but repressed excitement. Shearer
noted the fire in his eyes and, from the
coolness Of his greater age, counseled
moderation. as. n.
II wouldn't stir the boys up," he
painted, for the pace was very swift.
They'll kill some one over there; It III
he murder on both sidee.',
TO Be Continued.