Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1907-11-07

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dynamite enough to devastafe VII
lage. and be loaded them inside bis
pockets. inside his shirt and every
where that be had room, till be was
burdened and cased IN an armor one
hundredtb part Of which could have
blown him from the face OF the earth
so utterly as to leave no trace except,
perhaps. a pit ripped out Of the noun
tain side He looked to his fuses and
saw that they were wrapped IN oil
paper, then placed them in bis hat
Having finished. be set ont, walking
with dificulty under the weight he
carried.
we'll made was evidenced by the fact
that the ground beneath his feet slop-
ed away to basin out OF which bub-
bled spring. 1t furnished the drink
ing supply Of the Midas, and he knew
every inch of the creviee it had worn
down the mountain. so felt his way
cautiously along At the bottom Of the
bill where It ran out upon the level It
had worn considerable ditch through
the soil, and into this he crawled on
hands and knees. His buiging clothes
handicapped him SO that his gait was
slow and awkward, while the rain had
swelied the streamlet till It triekied
over hts calves and up to his wrists.
chilling him SO that his muscles cramp-
ed and his very bones cried out with
1t. The sharp schist cut into his palms
till they were shredded and bleeding,
while his knees found every jagged
bit of bedrock over which he dragged
himself. He could not see an arms
length ahead without rising. and, hav.
ing removed his slicker for greater
freedom of movement, the rain beat
upon his back till he was soaked and
sodden and felt streamlets cleaving
downward between his ribs. Now and
again be squatted upon his launches,
strainlng his eyes to either side. The
banks were barely high enough to
shield him. AT last he came to bridge
of planks spanning the ditch and was
about to rear himself for another look
when he suddenly hattened into the
stream bed. half dammlng the waters
with his body. 1t was for this be had
so carefully wrapped his fuses. A man
passed over him SO close above that he
might have touched him. The sentry
paused few PAGES beyond and aecost-
ed another, then retraced his steps
over the bridge. Evidently this was
the picket line, SO Roy wormed his
way forward till he saw the biacker
blackness of the mine buildings, then
drew himself, dripping. out from the
bank. He had run the gantlet safely.
Since evicting the owners, the recelv
er had erected substantial houses In
place of the tents he had found on the
mine They were of frame and CORFU
gated iron, sheathed within and suited
to Withstand q moderate exposure.
The partners had witnessed the opera
tion from d distance, but knew nothing
about the buildings from close exami
nation
thrill OF affection for this place
warmed the young man. He loved this
old mine It had realized the dream OF
bis boy and had answered the
hope he had chung to during his long
fight against the northland 1t had
come to him when he was dishearten-
ed, bringing cheer and happiness. and
had yielded itself like a bride Now 1t
seemed crime to rayage It,
He crept toward the nearest wall
and listened Within was the sound
~ rrxr he xx-tp
dark, showing that the Inhabitants
were on the alert Beneath the foun-
dations be made mysterious prepara-
lions. then sought out the Office build
Ing and cook house, doing likewise.
He found that back OF the seeming re-
pose of the Midas there was strained
expectancy.
Although suspense had heightened
the time out of all calculation. he
Judged he had been gone from his com
panions at least an hour and that they
must be In place by now. X they were
motif anything failed at this eleventh
boutwell,. those were the fortunes OF
war In every enterprise, however
carefully planned. there comes a time
when chance must take its turn.
He made bis way inside the black
smith shop and fumbled for match.
Just as he was about to strike 1t be
heard the swish Of oiled clothes pass
ing and waited for some time Then,
lgniting bis punk and hiding 1t under
his coat, he opened the door to listen.
The wind had died down now, and the
rain sang unsteady upon the metal
roofs.
He ran swiftly from house to house,
and. when he had done, at the apices
Of the triangle he had traced three
glowing Goals were sputtering.
! The dnal bolt was launched at last.
He stepped down into the ditch and
drew his Is, while to bis tautened
senses It seemed that the very hills
toauaT forfh In, thfocc ~,nt.co fHa4