The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-02-27
|TheSpOilers.
~ REX 3. BRAcH
Copyright isG, By Rsx u Beach.
(Coptinued from Last issue.)

place of the tents he had found on the
mine. They were OF frame and CORFU
gated iron, sheathed within and suited
TO withstand moderate exposure.
The partners had witnessed the opera
fion from distance. but knew nothing
about the buildings from close exami-
nation.
A thrill of affection for this place
warmed the young man. He loved this
old mine. II had realized the dream OF
his boyhood and had answered the
hope he had chung to during his long
fight against the northland. II had
come TO him when he was dishearten-
ed bringing cheer and happiness. and
had yielded itself like a bride. Now II
seemed a crime to ravage Il.
He crept toward the nearest wall
and listened. Within was the sound
of voices. though the windows We're
dark. showing that the inhabitants
were on the alert Beneath the foun-
dations he made mysterious prepare
tions, then sought out the Office build
Ing aud cook house doing likewise.
pose of the Midas there was strained
expectancy.
Although suspense had heightened
the time out of all calculation, he
Judged he he'd been gone from his com
panlonS NJ least an hour and that they
must he In place by now. IL they Were
Motif anything failed at this eleventh
IA. % -
war In every enterprise. however
carefully planned. there comes a time
when chance must take its turn.
He made his way inside the black
smith shop and fumbled for n match.
Just as he was about TO strike IL he
heard the swish Of oiled clothes pass
ing and waited for some time. Then,
ignlting his puak and hiding II under
his coat, he opened the door TO listen.
The wind had died down now. and the
rain sang musically upon the metal
roofs.
He ran swiftly from house 10 house.
and. when he had done. Mt the apices
of the triangle he had traced three
glowing Goals were suffering
The final bolt was launched at last.
He stepped down into the ditch and
drew his 40. while TO his tautenel
senses it seemed that the very hills
leaned forth in breathless pause. that
the rain had ceased and the whole
night hushei SIS thousand voices. He
the muscles ached. Lsvelng his wea-
pom at the caves of the bunk house. he
pulled trigger rapidly. the bang bang
bang. six times repeated. sounding duh
and dead beneath the blanket Of mist
that overhung 4 shout sounded be
hind him. and then the shrek OF a
Winchester ball close over bis head
He turned in time 10 see another shot
stream out of the darkness. where n
sentry was firing at the fash of his
gun, then bent himself double and
plunged down the ditch.
With the first impact overhead the
men poured forth from their quarters
armed and brlstling. TO be greeted by
a volley OF gunshots. the thud Of hui
lets aud the dwindling whine Of spent
lead. They leaped from shelter TO
find themselves cirt with a ftful hoop
OF fire. for the strangers" had spread
In the are Of circle and now emptied
their rifles toward the center. The
defenders. however. maintained sur
prising order considering the sudden
ness Of their attack and ran to Join
the sentrieS. whose positions could he
determined 10y the nearer flashes. The
voice OF a man In authority shouted
loud commands. No demonstration
came from the outer voids, nothing
but the wicked streaks that stabbed
the darkness. Then suddenly behind
McNamara's men the night glared
luridly as though a great furnace door
had opened and then changed shut.
while with IL came hoarse thudding
roar that silenced the rife play. They
saw the cook house disrupt itself and
fisintegrate into thousand flying
timbers and twisted sheets of tin
which SCARED upward and outward
over their heads and into the night
As the rocking hills ceased echoing
the sound of the vigilantes rifles re-
Cured like the cracking Of dry sticks.
then everywhere about the defenders
the earth WIS dashed by falling debris.
while the Iron roof rang at the fusIl-
lade
The blast had come at their very e.
bows, and they were too dazed and
shaken by il TO grasp its significance
Then. before they could realize what
Il boced. the depths lit up again TIL
the raindrops were outlined distinct
and glistening like a gossamer veil OF
silver. while the Office building To
their left was ripped and rended and
the adjoining walls leaped. out into
sudden relief. their shattered windows
looking like ghostly. sichtless eyes
The curtain OF darkness closed heavier
than velvet. and the men covered In
their tracks. shielding themselves be
hind the nearest objects or behind
one another's bodies. waiting for the
sky 10 vomit over them its rain Of mis-
siles. Their backs were to the vigil
lantes now. their faces 10 the center
Many had dropped their rifles. The
thunder OF hoofs and the scream Of
terrified horses came from the sta
bles. The cry Of a maddened beast Is
weird and calculated TO curdle the
blood at best. but with It arose a hu-
man voice shrieking from main and