Dakota farmers' leader. (Canton, S.D.) 1890-19??, 1911-03-24
D THE VALIANT
By ROY
Copyright by F. L. Nelson

in the canon stretched the road where
on he had driven a stage and fought
his own way in mans fashion; across
the gulch was a decaying cabin, to
which his father-years beforehand
been brought, mortally injured; In
hat cabin his brother had died, and
from its doors they had carried the
body of his mother. And now, after
a year in the East under the care of
his foster-mother, he had come back
joyously to the hills-his hills-to find
nothing but trouble. 1t wasn't that
he minded it in his own behalf, but
because the Dream Lady, as he called
her, was in grief. and because the
grim, quiet mine-manager, her hus-
band, was in danger.
With the restlessness of his age he
decided to take the trail along the top
of the hill, INC come down to the
American mine. He swung silently,
with the free step of the born noun
t~aineer, up the mountains side, out
along the ridge, and down across the
crest.
From the point where he paused on
the top he looked back on the silent
camp, with it's row of untenanted cab
ms and assay-offices, empty bunk
houses and staring, boarding shacks,
idle mills and unanimated rows of
ore-cars. A voice from below him ar
rested his attention. 1t was an ex-
cited one, raised almost to a shout.
Sanders felt the necessity Of further
knowledge and the imperative need of
stealth. He slipped off his shoes, tool
to the brush, and crept or wriggled
toward the sound. His way led him
over small, pen spaces, or through
tangles of underground, until he came
sheer out upon al abrupt ledge that
lowered up to a broken ending, where
it's hardness had defied natures ero-
sion, and left it standing solitary,
like a little cliff on the mountains
face.
With care, that no loose rock should
be sent flying down as a warning to
those below, he stretched himself on
his stomach. and cautiously worked
out to the edge.
Below him, in various attitudes,
were grouped a number of the striking
miners, resting in the warmth OF the
sun, and in earnest argument. San
ders noticed with Joy that nearly all
were familiar, and knew them for
what Mccarthy had once been wont
to call "The Old Guard"
I'm sick of this" said the speaker,
d former shift-boss. They always
treated me right at the mine, and
there was never any row until this
bunch of Pennsylvanians came in
1o,, A~J rrL,, liI thew corpao Pa-
cause their own unions had fort cited
their charter, and run them out for
the trouble-makers they are"
Yes, but why did Mack put them
on?" insisted another voice, that had
evidently been the speaker in a pre-
vious discussion.
Because he needed miners, n had
to AXE what he could GET sharply
answered the former shift-boss.
Then why didn't you kick harder
before we all went on strike, if you
knew all this?" sneered the objector.
Il did, but you were one of the sore
heads that wanted a fight, I'M l had
to shut up
Yes" said another. You wanted
a fight, and you got it, l guess"
Here, here!" interrupted a gray
bearded man, seated at the side. I'VE
all make mistakes, and some are right
and some are wrong. The question is,
did we old hands join these fellows
with the idea that if we were shut
out there would be powder used to
kick to pieces the plant we helped
make? Are we going to stand for it?
AS man to man, did the boss ever
fight us but fair? Amt there fifty of
us that wants tt drop the whole fight,
go to Mack as men, and say we done
wrong; take u medicine, and come
back"
A rumbling of assent swept over the
crowd.
But we've got to act quick" con-
tinued the elder man. There's a com
mittee Of a hundred going up there
to-day, and unless Mack gives in
which we all know he won't do-they
will blow her up tonight"
Good Cod" came from Sanders
dry throat. Even now they might be
there at the mine. A hundred against
three. Even now they were perhaps
on their way to try to terrorize the
man who was more than father to him.
III an agony vi 'dl 'ho'S '"'
boy wormed his way back across the
face of the ridge, out into the under
growth and up the hillside, and broke
into a wild run. Needless of the
thorns that tore him, of the sharp
stones thu cut his feet, or the rug
gedness of the mountainside, he fled
fed back to give warning. Beads OF
perspiration cut r~ivulets down his
dust-grimed face, and his heart struck
his ribs as though battering at a cita-
del. His breath came in gasps, and,
when he paused to scale a ledge, his
knees futtered strangely. But no sob
came to the grim little lips, no tears
veIied to the shrewd little eyes, and
no thought of fear lurked in his hard
driven heart.
Breaking through a thicket at the
top, he came in sight of he shaft and
boiler-houses. He groaned in agony OF
disappointment. They had beat him
I'D while he had listened to the talk
of the peaceful element back there IN
der the rocks.
shove into the receptacle provided for