Middletown transcript., 1909-11-06

nursing through seVete @""SA y P
monia.
Day broke ct last, clear and red. LOOK
ing out through the window, the boy saw
the river suddenly fill with floating spruce
John and Tom Marks weretwins. Their
father had owned a sawmiIl and dam ana
considerable timber land. Mt 10 g after
his death the brothers had disagreed.
Tom was too cautious and "old-iashioned
70 zuit the more venturesome John. 50
they separated. Tom took dam and MILL
while John had the spruce section htty
miles up-river.
At first be had his logs sawed by Tom
but later, when their estrangement grew
more pronounced, he foated them %
Colson's, twenty miles below. This hurt
TOMS pocketbook, but it hurt his feelings
more.
It had been q hard winter for Tom. In
February his mill burned, only shit OF
wind saved his store and the few houses
round il. In trying to put out the hre'
he caught pneumonia. and came "ltmn
a fingerbreadth OF dying.
Besides, he was hard pressed for money.
He could earn none until the mill was
rebuilt, and he had no funds for rebuild
ing.
Toms recovery was largely due to care
full nursing by his sister Sarah aud Martin
DinWiddie, an orphan boy Of eighteen
who had drifted into the place two years
before, and whom he had employ ed III
his mill and store. Sarah took care oil
him through the day and Martin through
the night.
That morning the sick man was propped
up to see Johns logs go over bis dam, the
booms above diverting the spruce from
the dead water which had been its haven
in other years. Tom could mos have
sawed the logs, anyway, that spring, after
the fire and his sickness. Still he DID
not find the sight pleasant.
In the room with him were both Mart
and Sarah. She was a tall, thin, timid
woman, to whom the estrangement be-
tween her brothers was bitter cross.
"Here come the driversI" exclaimed
Martin as a crowd with pick poles rounded
the bend. Tom WINGED, as he looked.
Johns prosperity was in singing con-
trast 90 his own unfortunate condition.
Suddenly . large spruce, plunging al
most psrpendicularly over the ia Is, re.
mained leaning against the dam, nearly
upright, its foot evidently thrust between
the rocks. The next trunk stopping
squarely against il and resting on tie top
Of the dam, formed q barrier 10 which
log after log added itself. Soon the whole
river ras choked. Unless the jam could
be broken, the dam would be swept away.
The mass would start as soon as the
key log was dislodged. But how could
this be done No man could get ashore
alive over the spruce after it once began
70 move;
The drivers drew into . close group.
There was an excited discussion, pune
tdssed by brandished pick-poles and
pointing fingers but apparently nobody
cared to risk bis life on the jam. Il was
an anxious time for the sick man and his
watchers.
"You remember what day il is, TOmr'
asked Sarah, trying to divert his stten-
tiou. lis your torty-secOnd birthday
and Johns too," she added, under her
breath.
"I'ys small use for birthdays" replied
Tom, bitterly. II never want TO see
another, If the dam breaks. Father built
it twenty years ago. When that goes,
Tgo."
Mart and Sarah exchanged apprehen'
sive looks. The patient was at that stage
where q shock might kill him.
"There's John?' exclaimed Sarah, sud-
denly, as q strong, active figure hurried
toward the group Of drivers. Tom looked
away.
"Yes, It's bis logs that are running mt" !"
be responded, harshly. Then, moment
I6Eer, ''Sarah and the doctor'II stop with
me nov, Mart. Go down, and see what
you can hear"
Martin went down. Things certainly
looked bad. More Of the drivers cared
TO break the jam; and unluckiIy they had
no powder or dynamite. John was raging
about, as If his own property we're at
stake, begging, commanding, threatening.
The men looked at one another and
shuffled uneasily; but nobody offered to
stir.
Mart stood little to one eide. gazing
ct the cider.coIored floor arching over the
dam end. An idea came 10 him. Why
could not man crawl along the cObwork
under that falling curtain, cut the key
spruce from behind, and return the same
way?
Descending by the end Of the dam, he
peered under the thick yellow sheet. Be.
tween the cobwork and water ran DIM
TRIANGULAR tunnel An active man, with
snired shoes and something to assure his
handhold, could easily swing himself
from buGt 10 butt.
In bis pocket was the key TO the store.
HnTryine up to she building he secured
ham Ratchet and short strong saw.
whieh be hung Foung bis neck by stout
cnFda. He also took two pork-hoOks,
S,snch ike those used by freight handlers
Then putting on bis spiked shoes be ran
back % the dam.
Iohn Marks was aBgrily facing the
arjvara. aA hundred dollars TO the man
who breaks that jamT shouted he.
There Was no respolee.
aTWo hundFedP'
Then up spoke the most daring mem
hsv ~ the gang, the coolest-headed:
ssYonsre bidding for q mans life
value mine at good deal more than sou
murmur Of assent greeted HE words.
Irrf then Mart, equipped as he was.
rushed forward.
0TiH nv H." be said Everybody
laAksd at him, and two or three men
rsVa disappearing gFowl.
FtFnw win you do it2n questioned
arke, doubtiully.
II 6aga crawl along the face Of The dam
anaaf he falls, y replied the boy. His
KrTrera shock their heads as they eyed