Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-07-06

bare floors. One by one they emerged,
slamming the door behind them.
Once outside the door the women
could see the flames growing each mo-
ment in power, licking with avid
tongues at the confused mass OF splin-
tered beams. and on the curtain OF red
fight the forms of Kelly and Raymond
Dlayed in silhouette as they strOve furi-
ously against the destroyer. Their
workmen soon joined them, and each
moment some Fastening rescuer hur-
fled past the open door and as he ran
cursed in bitter frenzy.
"Annr' called Louis from the bed.
Faint as it was, the girl heard his cry
and hurried to his side.
eyes, I'm here, laddie. What do you
want? How do you feel"
my head aches sc. 1 can't breathe
good. He moaned "Oh, dear, I'm Sc
hot" The voice of his anguish stune
Ann to the soul. With sign to Nora
commanding silence, she closed the
door in the hope that no sound from
the burning mine would penetrate to
! the bedside.
Nora hurried back to her cabin, While
! Braide dropped some helpful drug upon
the boys tongue. When his patient had
grown quiet the young physician said
IF you are not afraid, / will go down.
Some one may be hurt and my help re
quired."
$50. am not afraid" she com
manded. "Only remember your first
duty is here"
81 do not forget that" he answered
But even as he was collecting his outer
clothing and his medicines Raymond
flung the door open and entered. His
hands were blackened and bleeding
his head was bare and on his face was
q look that thrilled the girl doctor,
three wounded men are coming up the
hill. They must be made comfortable
Ann, you would better so back to kel-
Tvs These victims must be sheltered
here, and they are not pleasant to see."
Ann felt herself diminishing in pow
or and Importance as he spoke. His
voice came from the mans world
harsh, infiexible-but she uttered pro-
test-"I.Ouisw
His face softened and his hand went
to his brow. II forgot; you are right;
we must not endanger him. l will have
| the men taken to the other cabin"
"Are the men in the mine all dead?
1--WE can't tell. The engineer and
some of the men on the dump were
warned and escaped. The rest are be-
low and out of our reach. We are
working desperately to subdue the
flames, but we are almost helpless for
lack of water"
''It is horrible"
His voice was very quiet as he said,
Munro shall answer for this!'
did he do it?'
Gle did not prevent it!' He lifted
/ his eyes to the sky. 1T will soon be
light, and then we can see to work"
He turned to leave without further
explanation, but Ann called to him,
"Send us word when you can, won't
you"
"As soon as we know the men are
alive l will come and tell yOu," he
promised.
AS she watched and waited the day
came leisurely, laggardly, over the
hills and swarms of excited men and
slattern women poured from their
shacks and tents and holes in the rocks
to acquire in detail the news OF this
midnight assault ON the leaders Of the
Independents. TO do them justice, even
the most virulent unionists were for
the moment moved to sympathetic de-
nunciation. The destruction Of proper
ty was one thing, the murder of work
men quite another AS for the crews
Of the nonpartsans, they were ready at
the word of leader to search out and
lynch those who laid the train and
fired the fuse, but to all Of these Ray
mond gave the same word Of COM
mand. Save the men below"
On the heels Of this tumult, as II to
pile Pelion. on Ossa, messengers came
shouting through the sunrise: "The
deputies have come! The sheriff S
army is camped on the parkw
Instantly the throng Of idle sight
seers swept back toward the town,
| leaving not so much as word Of well
wishing to stand in their places. The
ruin of the Kelly mine became small
thing to them, now that the real battle
was on.
"Where is Jack Munro" timorous
people asked. "Where are the We
dettes?" No one seemed to know, and
the officers of the union were in O
panic.
The sheriff had, indeed, stolen q
march on Skytown and was only wait
J ing for daylight to discover his enemy
/ This was his capital mistake. Had ne
pushed against the enemy at that mo
ment. with Munro and his men still on
q wild goose chase down the opposite
canyon. he might have won the hill in
q bloodless charge, but even as he dal
lied the vedettes came toiling up the
trail from the south, weary, but full OF
fight. and lined out on the northern
slope with the fort at their backs. And
so at last the two forces of disorder
of passion and prejudice-were set face
to face. Battle was now inevitable.
CHAPTER XIV.
VT sunrise Raymond reported tt
Ia Ann, his face little softened
! "The dynamiter Baker shot has
A a died, but our men are going tt