Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1906-04-18
CHAPTER XVI.

! cabin and leap from his saddle
with some fanciful greeting. carefully
and ornately uttered. So much he re-
tanned of his Kentucky breeding.
THE sherlff's army grows apace, but
does not march," he announced one
morning.
Ann could not understand this hui
morons defiance of law-this colossal
recklessness. what will you do when
it does march?"
'Meet it and bust it."
"Tell me, now" she said to him at
another time, what is your real mo-
tive? Why should you be the cham
pion Of the rights of labor?"
He astonished her by giving back
earnestness for earnestness "I'll tell
you, my lady. Labor has got to fight
This union is the coming thing. The
toilers have not only got to stand to-
gether, but they've got to drill. hap.
pen to have little military training,
and I'm going to give western labor its
first lesson in the power Of military or
ganization.
Rob and Kelly both stand for the
thing that is going out. They think any
man has the same chance they have,
but tell you this union that they de-
spise is the coming order"
In truth, Kelly and Raymond were
watching Munro's rise to power with
growing uneasiness. He was now in
almost complete control of the camp,
and though he still deferred to the un-
ion and Its committees, his reckless
bravery, his prompt execution Of or
ders and his knowledge of military
forms had made Of him the chief
source Of command, the only adequate
regulative force on the peak. Those OH
the outside did not hesitate to call him
..the arch devil Of the district" and the
whole western world was filled with
his doings, his reckless speeches.
His fame had fired the hearts of all
the dead shots and restless spirits of
the west, and from an irregular squad
of twenty-five or thirty men his forces
had risen to nearly 200 heavily armed
and hardy horsemen.
Raymond, though keeping keen eyes
upon Munro, was unable to find cause
for war in any word or act Of the gam
bier, nor could lie fathom AIMS mind
either toward Munro or himself. She
appeared to find Munro diverting and
spoke of him only in that way. If she
understood his "home life," it made no
change in her attitude. 1t was incon-
ceivable that refined girl should toll
crate a man who passed from one igno-
rant and vicious woman to another,
and yet AIMS greeting remained gra-
cious, If not friendly. What it was
when they were alone, he dared not
think.
As for Raymond himself, he contin-
ued to punish himself by putting aside
the many opportunities which came to
plead his own suit, and took morbid
sort of pleasure in his remuneration.
'"There will be one man at least who
will not persecute her." he said saw
agely and bent his best energies to the
work Of developing his mine.
One afternoon us Ann and Mrs. KEEL
iy sat sewing and chatting together a
woman suddenly appeared in the open
door. She was large and high colored,
her hat was awry, and there was a
wild glare in her eyes and look In
her face that froze even Nora into ST.
lence. Both stared at their strange
visitor in breathless apprehension till
she pointed her unsteady finger at
Ann and h0arsely cried out:
$50 you're the one that's cut me out ~
The muscles Of one cheek contorted
and her eyclid dropped like that of q
paralytic as she fixed baleful look Oh
the astonished girl. After moments
pause she stepped uncertainty upon
the threshold and leaned against the
jamb. well, you'd better watch out
If you don't give him up, I'll kill your
shes crazy" whispered Nora.
The intruder fumbled in her absurd
ly hamboyant skirt and at last drew
out pistol. Now you better hop!
she said, with menacing Guinness.
Ann rose, white and calm. "Wh,
are you? What do you want?'
who am /? Pm jack Munro's wife
that's who am, and want you to lie
him alone, that's What want. 70,
can understand that, can't you?" He
big, fiabby face again contorted hor
ribly.
Nora found tongue. "You go ava,
or I'll Gull Matt"
Call him. What do care for him
amt afraid of no man llvin'. No
SIR; let him come. But I got no wa
with you; you're all right. But tina
thing there, with her fancy dresses
Ill pink her with bullet If she dom
let my Jack alone"
If the drunken creature had swept
handful Of mire into her face AM
could not have been more revolted
more degraded. Fixing look of dis
dain on the woman, she said: you ar
quite mistaken. Your Jack Is less thai
nothing to me. despise him and al
he represents"
The other wildly laughed. "AiL ye.
you can .ta!k-you're smooth-but
know" She began to buster. "If 20
hated him, why do you talk and laug
with him? l saw you yesterday" Sh
raised the pistol. 81 tell you, I'll bio,
you into Kingdom come If you don
promise right now to give him up!"
AS she advanced the two little lad
ut play just outside appeared in til
doorway, and the sight of them steele
the little mothers heart. "Go away
darlfn's," she called to them. "Quicl
run for dad!'
The woman turned to see who wa
behind her, and the desperate Nor
seized her by the wrist "Glvc me tn
gum she called.
Il won't! Lee go metz shrleked til
intruder, Jerking hard in the effort t
free her hand.
Ann seized the other arm. 81 prom
ise," she said quietly, fixing her eye
full upon those of the Infatuated VIC
man, who ceased to struggle. "Noy
go away"
you promisc?"
II promise!'
The woman again laughed harshly
drunkenly. II don't trust you. I'll xii
you; then know. Let so mew sh
called. "Let go or I'll smash you