Courier Democrat., 1904-07-28

increase Of water.
The men grouped swiftly and silently
ON the other side Of the sawdust line.
The pause did not mean that Days de-
Tense was good.
sDo you know what's going to hap
pen to your said voice from the
group. The speaker was Radway, but
the contractor kept himself well In the
background "We're going to burn
your mill; we're going to burn your
yards; we're going to burn your whole
shooting match, you low lived whelp"
Oyer" said Injun Charley simply,
shaking the wet scalp arms length to-
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 tnf1u-
ences Of a half hundred concealed
watchers. DAILY and his subordinate
were very much alone and very much
in danger. Their last hour had come.
and they knew 1t.
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
jammed them both against the trestle.
where it held them, kicking and gasp
ing for breath, in choking cataract of
water. The pistols few harmlessly In
to the air. For an instant the Fighting
Forty stared in paralyzed astcnish-
ment. Then a tremendous roar Of
laughter saluted this easy vanquish-
ment Of q formidable enemy.
DAILY and Baker were pounced upon
and captured. There was no resistance.
They were too nearly strangled for
that. Little solly and old vanderhoof
turned of the water in the fire hydrant
and disconnected the hose they had so
effectively employed.
+, 'There, blast you" said Rollway
Charley, jerking the mill man to his
feet. "How do you like too much wa
ter, hey?"
The unexpected comedy changed the
party's mood. It was no longer ques-
tion Of killing. A. number broke into
the store and shortly emerged bearing
pals Of kerosene, with which trey del
uged the slabs on the windward side
Of the mill. The flames caught the
structure instantly. A thousand sparks,
borne by the offshore breeze, fastened
like so many stinging insects on the
lumber in the yard.
It burned as dried balsam thrown on
q camp fire. The heat Of it drove the
onlookers far back in the village, where
in silence they watched the destruction.
DAILY and his man were slapped and
cuffed hither and thither at the mems
will. Their faces bled, their bodies
ached as one bruise.
"That squares u.s." said the men. ''If
we can't cut this year, neither kin you.
It's up to you now!'
Then, like destroying horde Of To-
Gusts, they gutted the Office and the
store, smashing what they could not
carry to the fire. The dwellings and
saloons they did not disturb. Finally,
about noon, they kicked their two prfs-
oners into the river and struggled back
along the right Of way.
II surmise we took that town apart
some" said Shorty with satisfaction.
II should rise to remark" replied
Kerlie.
At the boarding house they found
Wallace Carpenter and Hamilton seat
ed on the veranda. It was now after
noon. The wind had abated somewhat,
and the sun was struggling with the
still flying scuds.
"Hello, boys" said Wallace, "been
for a little walk In the woods?"
Eyes. SIR" replied Hyland, "we''-
"1'd rather not hear" interrupted
Wallace. "There's quite a fire over
east. l suppose you haven't noticed
It"
Hyland looked gravely eastward.
"Sure 'nough," 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
Of the mill''-
The other held out his hand.
Good" said Wallace, Offering his
own.
And that was as far as the famous
Shingleville raid ever got Daily did
his best to collect even circumstautial
evidence against the participants, but
in vain. He could not even get any
one to say that single member Of the
village Of Carpenter had absented him
self from town that morning. This
might have been from loyalty or 1t
might have been from fear of the venge-
ance the Fighting Forty would sure
~ visit on traitor. Probably it was
a combination Of both. The fact re-
mains, however, that DAILY never knew
surely of but one man implicated in
the destruction of his plant. That man