The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-13
By
 Stewart, Edward White

be later"
 "what will you do?" asked Newmarz.
 ''Take chances" replied Orde.
 The sun had dropped below the fringe of trees Two straight. thin col umns of smoke rose from the neglect ed camphres. Orde, glancing around him. noticed these.
 Doctor be commanded sharply. "get at your grub. Make some coffee right off and bring it down. Come on, boysr'
 Over a score of men attacked the sluiceway. for by now part of the rear crew had come down river. The pond above had recovered its volume. Wa ter was beginning to trickle over the top of the gate. The men worked up to their knees in swift water. They could not see. and the strokes of ax f or pick lost much of their force against the liquid. Down by the sluice a doz- en lanterns fickered and blinked yell low against the blue blackness of the night Orde opened the sluice gates. The water had become too deep for ef- fective work. aud a half hours flow would reduce the pressure. The time | WdS OccupieO ID e1tlDB.
 When the meal was finished the men lit their pipes and went back to work philosophicaIly.
 Near midnight a swayfng lantern was seen approaching. Orde heard the sound of wheels. A moment later Da- ly's bulky form stepped into the iIlu- imitation of the fire.
 Orde wandered over to where his employer stood peering about him.
 "Oh. there you arer' cried Daly an- grily. What in h. you up to here?"
 Running logs" replied Orde cooIly.
 Running logsr' shouted Daly, pro- ducing a much folded newspaper "How about this?"
 Orde lowered the paper to the camp fire. It was an extra. screaming with wood type:
 WARP
 Rioting and Bloodshed In the Woods
 Rivermen and Dam Owners Clash
 There followed highly colored state ment that a skirmish had left the field in possession of the rivermen, in spite of the sheriE and a large posse, but that troops were being rushed to the
 
 ance of authority" would soon be SUD- pressed. It stnted that the loss of life was as yet unknown.
 Don't you know any better than to get into that kind of a row down hereT' said Daly. Don't you realize that this isn't the northern peninsula ?"
 Sure I do." replied Orde placidly Come along here till I show you the situation"
 The sheriff did not reappear. Reed evidently now pinned his faith to the troops
 By o'clock the main abutments had been removed. The gate was then blocked to prevent its fall when its neither support should be withdrawn
 Suddenly was heard an exultant yell from one of the axmen- A brief in- stant later the snapping of wood fbers began like the rapid explosions of in- fantry fire: a crash and bang of tim bers smote the air. and then the river, exultant, roaring with joy. rushed into the new passage opened for it-
 Orde stormed into the camp
 "Roll out. you river hogsy' he shout ed to those who had worked out their shifts earlier in the night. Roll out you webfooted sons of guns. a1d hear the little birds sing praise:'
 Suddenly Orde had froze in an atti- tude of attentive listening. "Harkw said he
 Faint. the wandering morning breeze bore to their ears a sound whose diff | ference from the louder noises near at | hand alone rendered it audible. 'aThe troopsY' exclaimed Orde. seiz- | ing a lantern and returned down the | trail. followed eagerly by Newmark | and every man in camp. The men drew a little to one side, | watching the dim line of the forest. | dark against the paIing sky. A man | rode out of the shadow and refined up | by the fire. "Haltr' commanded a | harsh voice. The riverman could make out the troops-three or four score of them-standing rigid at attention | Reed pushed forward. ''I wish to inquire. sir." asked the commanding officer of Orde. If you have gone mad to counsel your men | to resist civil authority"
 'I have not resisted civil authority" replied Orde respectfully. "The re- ports have been false. The sheriff of this. county has arrested about twenty | of my men single handed and without the slightest trouble"
 MT. Morris" cried the officer sharp ly, ''is what this man says trueT
 Tt sure is. Never had so little fuss arrestin' rivermen before in my life"
 'srhen why the devil am I dragged up here with my men in the nightT' cried the officer explosively. "Who's responsible for this insanity anyway? | Don't you know," he roared at Reed. "that I have no standing in the pres ence of civil laww
 Reed started to speak.