Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1906-05-11
leave III 10 ea,c, Jirl Iii u valley JSi.
'sYou had no sanction from the d

leave III 10 eac Jire Iii u valley Jaii.,'
''You had no sanction from the un.
ien."
II know we didn't-no official sane
tion-but you know perfectly well that
the men were with US then, and they
are with us now, every one of Them"
A rap OIL the door startled them all.
1t was like the tap of the finger Of
fate. Munro opened the door, and Do
Ian, the reporter, entered. Hello, lads"
he called easily. whats doin'?"
They all shouted, "Hello, Jimw and
Larned, starting forward, exclaimed:
ANY news?"
WELL rather. The sheriff, with a
hundred men and special train, is at
Trinchera. He means business this
time, lads"
The roomful Of men now gathered
into groups to discuss the certainty Of
war. Dolan, gay with excitement drew
round him Carter, Larned and Colling-
wood. Smith and Denver Dan were
the center Of another squad, while Ray
mond took Munro aside and earnestly
pleaded: "See here, old man, you must
keep out of this. 1t isn't your funeral,
but it will be if you don't vamoose the
ranch"
II can't go back on the boys now,
Rob. They need my military training,
and, besides, am in it. l won't sit
back and see the district done up by
these thugs who never earned an hon.
est dollar in their lives. And your
friend Barnett-what good Is he on
earth? Just bloodsucker on the bare
back of labor. I'm with the boys, and
If my experience can do 'emsany good
I'm ready"
81 know how you feel, Jack, but this
is desperate business. A fight with the
sheriff will set the whole country
against the miners"
Munro smiled contemptuously. HE
won't fight A round of shots In the
air will send him hotfooting it back
to the Springs. It's all a farce"
"Be careful. The farce may turn
into tragedy at moments notice.
These miners are idle and full OF liQ-
uor. Men like Kelly who have women
to protect
Munro caught ut this. by the way,
who was the 'femmeT My word, she's
peach"
I,aymond's tone was coldly indiffer
ent. "Nliss Rupert is from New York
city, Barnetts cousin. She is here to
look after her brother Louis. ! was
not thinking Of her so anuch as OF Mrs.
Kelly and other women who can't get
away"
Larned's voice, rising high and cut
ting above the others, interposed. "Then
leave. You are crazy. You can't hold
this hill with a million Calling guns.
The national committee will not stand
for it. Goodbye Clapping his hat on
his head, he walked out Of the room.
bis white face set in furious frown.
Brock roared out: Call meeting,
Garter, and we'll carry it our way! To
blazes with the national committed"
Carter however, was scared blue by
Larned's despairing retreat and re-
fused. "We've got to go slow. We
can't win without help. I won't make
the CALL"
San Juan Smith, with flaming face,
shouted furiously: "Then we'll do it
without your sanction. The executive
board will act"
Raymond, on the doorstep, made a
last appeal to Munro. Jack, you can't
afford to go into this thing with Smith.
Keep out of it. It's bad business all
around. It's one thing to strike and
another thing to resist authority. See
this street."
In some way word had already passed
along the ridge that the sheriff was ac-
tually on the road and that he would
reach the end Of the railway in mid
afternoon, and great throng was
packed round man on horseback who
was good naturally trying to force his
way toward headquarters.
"That's one of my scouts" said Num-
70, "with news of the invaders" And
he pushed off into the crowd, while
Raymond, with serious face and slow
step, went down the path toward his
mine.
They're going to fight" he said to
Kelly.
Eight? OF course they'll fight.
They'll 60 down and drive the sheriff's
men like sheep. But what then? The
crazy jacks"
"Do you think we ought to tell the
women? Are they in dangerT
Kelly was reflective. "NOt now. The
sheriff will hardly reach the hill this
time. He'll go back. The authorities
and the newspapers will chew the rag
for couple Of weeks, and then-we'll
be up against it!'
"All the same, Matt, wear my guns
from this on, and one Of US must stand
guard at night. The camp is filling
with dangerous men,"
At Kelly's invitation, Raymond and
Louis took monday dinner with him.
1t was a most delicious meal to Ray
mond and pleasantly exciting one to
Ann, for she confessed to having cook
ed the eggs and potatoes. All reference
to the trouble on the hill was jocular.
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