, 1906-05-02
CONTINUED. I

ing laws. | execute them"
why not call Il meeting and put 1t
to a yotef' asked Smith.
Il know why" replied Brock. Lar
ned is afraid it will carry"
Iarned leaped to his feet. 81 admit
it! | don't want the word to GO out
that this raid has been voted on by the
union. With the camp boiling with ex-
element, it might carry. Outsiders
must be taught the difference between
the action of the mob and the will of
the organization"
Smith was brutally plain. at isn't
your say. You're only an outsider
yourself. It's Carriers place to call the
meeting and discuss what we are to do.
A half dozen of las have laid ourselves
liable by doing duty for the union.
Now, the question is whether the union
Is going to stand by us or sneak and
leave us to eat dirt in a valley jail"
You had no sanction from the IN
ion."
Il 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 II Of them"
A rap on 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'Y'
They all shouted, Hello, JIM" and
Larned, starting forward, exclaimed:
ANY news?'
well, rather. The sheriff, with Il
hundred men and Il special train, Is ut
Trinchera. lie 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 We're
the center of another squad, while Ray
mond took Munro aside and earnestly
pleaded: See here, old man, you must
keep GU of this. 1t isn't our funeral,
but ii will be If you don't yamoose the
ranch"
Il can't go back on the boys now,
Rob. They need my military training,
and, besides, | am in it. won't sit
back and see the district done up by
these thugs who never earne IN hon
est dollar in their lives. And your
friend Barnett-what good is he on
earth? Just ii b~loodsucker on the bare
back of labor. I'm with the boys. and
if my experience can do 'em any good
I'm ready"
Il NOW 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. \ round of shots In the
air will send him hotfooting it back
to the Springs. It's all n farce"
BE careful. The farce may turn
into tragedy at a moments notice.
These mipers are idle and full of liq-
uor. Men like Kelly who have ONE
to protect
Munro caught at this. by the way,
who was the 'femme?' My word. she's
n peach"
Raymond's o n was coldly indiffer-
city, Barnstt's cote... sle is here to
look after her brother Louis. l was
not thinking of her SO much 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
l leave. You are crazy. You can't hold
this hill with a million Calling guns.
The national committee will not stand
for it. Goodby!" Clapping his hat on
his head, he walked out of the room,
his white face set in a furious frown.
Brock roared out: Call n meeting,
Carter, and we'll carry it our way! To
blazes with the national committee~
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. l 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-