The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-13
(Continued.)

"The sherin will be here pretty quick now"
 And leave them to fight alone ? Guess not" grumbled a tall. burly in- dividual
 Am bossing this drive?" demand ed Orde.
 The riverman growled.
 Smack. smack. sounded Orde's fists. The man went down in n heap, but immediately rebounded to his feet. Orde seized a peavy and stood with the murderous weapon upraised-
 ''Lie down, you hound, or I'll brain your he roared at the top of his great voice.
 The man crouched. breathless.
 'sMarchr' commanded Orde. You're through"
 The man sullenly arose and slouch- ed away.
 The other men turned to the trail. leaving the ten at the sluice. When within the fringe of the brush Orde called a halt
 'Now. boys" he commanded, squat down and lay low. If fight would do any good you know mighty we'll I'd fight. And the boys won't be in jail any longer than 1t takes to get wire to Daly to bail them out. Smoke up and don't bother"
 They filled thein pipes and settled Town to an enjoyment of the situa- tion-
 A half hour elapsed before the situ- ation developed further. Then Tom North's friend Jim, who had gathered his long figure on the top of a stump. unclasped his knees and remarked that old Plug Hat was back.
 The men peered cautiously through the brush They saw Reed. accompa- nied by the sheriff, approach the dam The working crew stacked their tools, resumed their jackets and departed with the sheriff
 ''well, I'll be dernedr' calculated one of the concealed rivermen. That's the first time I ever see one lonesome sher- fir gather fin ten river hogs without the aid of Gatlin'."
 Orde watched them disappear.
 -Jim," said -f1e. "and you. Ellis. and you. and you. and you. and you. get to work on that dam- And remember this-if you are arrested. go peaceably. Any resistance will spoil the whole game.S The men broke into mingled cheers and laughter as the full sig nificance of Orde's plan reached them. They streamed back to the dam
 Reed came out. eyes blazing.
 Reed stormed back and forth for a moment. then departed at full speed up the road.
 "Now. boys. get as much done as possible" urged Orde. "we better get back in the brush or he may try to arrest the whole billing of us on some sort of a blanket warrant"
 How about the other boysr' in- quired North
 send to Daly." replied Orde. -Daly win be up to ball them out" . Once more they hid in the woods. and again. after a longer interval. the mill owner and the sherifr reappeared Reed appeared to be expostulating vio- lently and a number of times pointed up river, but the sheriff went ahead stolidly to the dam. summoned those working below and departed up the road as before. Reed stood uncertain until he saw the rivermen beginning to from the brush. then fol lowed the officer at top speed.
 Without the necessity of command half dozen men leaped down on the apron The previous crews had made considerable progress in weakening the heavy supports. As soon as these should be cut out and the backing re- moved the mere sawing through of the massive sill should carry away the whole obstruction
 At 4 o'clock the sheriff made his third appearance, this tune in a side bar buggy.
 ''I wish l dared join that confab." said Orde. but he'd jug me sure.'
 He wouldn't jug me-" spoke up Newmark I'll go down" The young man departed in his precise. method ical manner. About sunset he re turned
 "Weil?' the crew demanded.
 Reed wanted the sheriff to stay and protect the dam," reported Newmark. Sheriff refused Said his duty was simply to arrest on warrant and as often as Reed got out warrants he'd serve them. Reed said then he should get a posse and hunt up Orde and the rest of them Sheriff replied that as far as he could see the terms |