Courier Democrat., 1904-07-21
CHAPTER xxx11.

CHAPTER XXXI1.
m lAPIDLY Thorpe explained what
IR was to be done and thrust his
DM rife into the Indians hands.
The latter listened In silence
and stoiidt0, then turned and without
q word departed swiftly in the dark
ness. The two white men stood q min
ute attentive. Nothing was to be heard
but the steady beat Of rain and the
roaring Of the wind.
Near the bank Of the river they en-.
countered man visible only as an un-
certain black outline against the glow
Of the lanterns beyond. Thorpe. stop
ping him, found Big Junko.
This is no time to quit" said Thorpe
sharply.
ri amt quitttn'," replied Big Junko.
"Where are you going, then?'
Junko was partially and stammertng-
y unfesponsive.
Looks bad" commented Thorpe.
You'd better get back to your job"
YES" agreed Junko belplessly. In
the momentary slack tide Of work the
giant had conceived the idea Of search
ing out the driver crew for purposes Of
pugilistic vengeance. Thorpe's suspi-
cions stung him, but his simple mind
could see no direct way to explanation.
All night long in the chill Of spring
rain and wind storm the Fighting Forty
and certain Of the mill crew gave them
selves to the labor Of connecting the
slanting stone cribs 80 strongly by
means Of heavy timbers chained end to
end that the pressure Of break in the
jam might not sweep aside the de-
fenses. Wallace Carpenter, Shorty, the
chore boy. and Anderson, the barn boss.
picked dangerous passage back and
forth carrying pals Of redhot coffee
which Mrs. Hathaway constantly pre-
pared. The cold water numbed the
mems hands. With dffhculty could
they manipulate the heavy chains
through the auger holes; with pain they
twisted knots bored holes. They did
not complain. Behind them the Jam
quiveed perflslsly near the bursting
point. Prom II shrfeked aloud the de-
mons Of pressure. Steadily the river
rose an inch an hour. The key might
snap at any given moment. they could
not tell, and With the rush they knew
very well that themselves, the tug and
the disabled pile driver would be swept
from existence. The worst Of it was
that the blackness shrouded their ex-
perience into uselessness. They were
utterly unable to tell by the ordinary
visual symptoms how near the jam
might be to collapse.
However, thsy persisted, as the old
time river man always does, so that
when dawn appeared the barrier was
continuous and assured. Although the
pressure Of the river had already forced
the logs against the defenses. the latter
held the strain we'll.
The storm had settled into its gait.
Overhead the sly was filed with gray,
beneath which darker scuds few across
the zenith before bowling southwest
wind. Out in the clear river one could
hardly stand upright against the gusts.
In the fan OF many directions furious
squalls swept over the open water be-
low the booms, and an eager boiling
current rushed to the lAkA
Thorpe now gave orders that the tug
and driver should take shelter. A few
moments later he expressed himself as
satisfied. The dripping crew, their
harsh faces gray in the half light.
picked their way to the shore.
In the darkness Of that long nights
work no man knew his neighbor. Men
from the river, men from the mill, men
from the yard, all worked side by side.
Thus no one noticed especially a tall
slender, but well knit individual dress
ed in faded mackinaw and limp
slouch hat which he wore pulled over
his eyes. This young fellow occupied
himself with the chains. Against the
racing current the crew held the ends
Of the heavy booms while he fastened
them together. He worked well, but
seemed slow. Three times Shearer hus-
tied him on after the others had finish
ed, examining closely the work that
had been done. On the third occa-
SION he shrugged his shoulder some
what impatiently.
The men struggled to shore, the
yUung fellow Just described bringing
up the rear. He walked az though
tired ont, hanging his head and drag
Sing his feet When, however. the
boarding house door had closed On
tls last a those who ptecedsd him and
the town ny dseeftsd IN TIE dawn h
suddsnly became transfoemsd. Cast