The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1906-09-20

sheriff's posse was picking its wav
gingerly over the loose rock and eartb
dam formed by the landslide. that thu
window went up in the Rosemary and
Winton saw Virginia. Without mean
ing to, she gave him his battle-word
While she looked on he would fight IN
win, and that without violence.
I'VE are a dozen Winchesters IN
your one, Mr. Deckert, and we shall
resist force with force. Order your
men back or there will be trouble"
Winton stood out on the edge of the
cutting, solitary figure where few
minutes before the earth had been
flying from hundred shoyels.
The sheriff's reply was an order, but
not for retreat.
Hes one of the men we want:
cover him!" he commanded; and Vir-
ginia caught her breath Was she to
see him shot down before her eyes?
Happily the tragedy was only poten-
tial Unless the public occasion ap-
peals strongly to the sympathies or
the passions. picked-up sheriffs
posse is not likely to have very good
metal In 1t. Winton was covered by
three or four of the guns, pointed awk-
wardly, and Peter Biggin laughed
Don't be no ways nervous" he said
sional veniry chumps couldn't hit the
side O. Pacific Peak"
Winton held his ground, waiting the
turn Of events and looking on, not
without interest, while the sheriff
tried to drive his men up bare slope
commanded by 200 rifles to right and
left. The attempt was humiliating
failure. Being something less than
soldiers trained to do or die, the depu-
ties hung back to man, hugging the
backgrounding shelter of the Rose
mary as If they were shackled to the
private car by invisible chains.
Virginia, standing at the open win
dow and trembling with excitement,
could not forbear a smile. 1t was too
much for the sheriff, the added straw,
and his exhortatfon to his foot-posse
burst into caustic profanity. Where
upon Mr.. Peter Biggin rose up in his
place, took careless aim, and sent
bullet to pillow a little furrow in the
| ice and frozen snow within an inch
of Deckert's heels.
Excuse me, Bart" he drawled,
"but no cuss words don't go in this
here highly moril show. They pains
us extreme"
Under ordinary circumstances the
sheriff would have replied to Mr.. Big
gins salutaIlon in kind. AS it was,
he ignored Peter Biggin as a person
who could SSIargued with at leisure
and turned his attention to Winton.
Come down." he beloved
| Winton laughed. The tide had
turned, and he knew it.
Let me return the invitation. Come
up, and you may read your warrants
to us all day."
The crisis was past Deckert with
drew his men. and at Winton's signal
the track layers came in and the earth
began to fly again.
Virginia sighed her relief, and Bes-
sic plucked up courage to go to the
window. which she had deserted in the
moment of impending battle.
"Oh-h-h! L wish Uncle Somerville
would take us away!" she gasped.
Cant you persuade him, Virginia,
dear?"
IN try" said Virginia, gravely,
foreseeing future tragic situations too
terrifying to be witnessed.
Breakfast is served" announced the
waiter as calmly as If the morning
meal were the only matter of conse-
quence in world of happenings.
They gathered about the table,
silent trio made presently n ouartette
ny tHe advent Oh Mrs Carteret, who,
from having her stateroom on the
peaceful side of The Rosemary, had
neither seen nor heard anything of the
warlike episode with which the day
had begun.
Having weighty matters to discuss
with Sheriff Deckert, Mr.. Darrah was
late. so late that when he came in Vir-
ginta was the only one of the quartette
VINO remained at table. She stayed to
pour his coffee and to bespeak peace,
Knowing full well that the time was
unpropitious, but believing that the
crisis was its own best excuse.
Uncle Somerville, can't we win
without calling in these horrid men
with their guns?" she began, plunging
desperately into the midst. of things
A mere shadow of grim smile came
and went in the Rajah's eyes.
An unprecedented outsider might
say that the 'horrid men with their
guns were on top of that embank-
ment, my deah-ten to Duh one," he
remarked. 1T was the first time I
even saw Misteh Deckert show the
white featheh"
But l should think we might win
In some other way. What is it you
want to dO2-SDeci6ca11y ,,o,,