Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-10-30
MAN IN The LOFT
A Power Greater Than Greed
Lends Itself to the Weak and
Downs the Mighty.
BY JENNIE HARRIS OLIVER.

he lay WneTe ne udu uIOppSu aitSi
his cautious climb up the logs and
through the hole that had beckoned
him, ruddy patch, from his fastness
among the huddled boulders.
Here on the loose. scattered boards
forming a rude gallery to the one room
of the little mountain cabin, he lay
face to the wall, his narrow, close-set
eyes glued to chink, peering out into
the fitful moonlight.
Men of the law-tireless, grim and
determined-would find his dead
cayuse back there on the trail, and
would press steadily on. Sometimes,
when the wind grumbled in the chin
ney, or wild creature called to the
night, or the occupants of the room
below replenished the fire, cold sweat
broke out on his body, while his nails
bit his palms and his breath stopped
for fear.
But sleep had finally overtaken him
while he watched, holding him for a
time in horrid dreams, and then sud
denly and unaccountably he had
sprung awake.
Over his head he could see bands OF
crimson light beckoning and wavering
among the cobwebs, and he knew that
II he could but roll over softly, stealth.
fly. as a snake moves in the grass. he
could see what had intruded itself into
his exhausted slumbers.
A moment of breathless, reptile-like
wriggling and he was staring, with
blazing eyes, through wide crack in
the boards-staring at gold glinting
duly In the red glow from the fire
place; fakes of gold, crumbs of it,
chunks as big-almost as big as his
6st!
At first he saw only the metal pour
ing from leathern sack on the rickety
table. and he knew the voice that had
called him with lustful. softly clink-
ing challenge. 1t was the only voice
he really understood, or that under
stood him.
After a while he was conscious OF
the heavy sough Of the rising wind,
and Of other voices.
A man-seemingly a giant-with
saunt frame and hollow ewes sat linn.
iy propped on a rude couch the gold
unon one side md on tbe o,ber ton.
ming n stool were the remnan,s or n
meager supper. Before the man knelt
a thin, whitefaced little woman. with
clouds OF tawny hair that glinted duly
like the gold.
The mans long, heavy arms were
bare to the shoulder, and over them
the woman hovered, bending her frai
strength In rhythmical sweeps up and
down their dead surface, pausing Otter
at the palms to press and pinch them
and sometimes to beat and slap then
smartly'
Ae her body swayed In almost fran
TIC ehdeaVor' she pleaded as with
child.
Try to move nows honey. Just try
one hnger-this one. Are you trying
your best, Hermann II doesn't seen
10 me you are. Look at me. Is 1t still
dead-dead?"
1T seems" said the man hoarsely
that when you strike your best on the
palm there is an answering tingle In
the shoulder. guess II only seem.
that way. Try the other. Hannah"
The woman held the big dark bant
to her cheek n moment and tbon I,Il
II gently down that she might begir
her patient work upon its mate.
Always she talked hopefully. or wifi,
tender pleading and mo,berlv sco,d
linz. and the bulging ewes above. who,
ubey could tear Themselves from IN,
lure upon the table. saw nil tho roho,
lion. mlsery and terribIe desnaIr In IN,
dark face OF the stricken pian,
% mua, b,s ,ooo hoyo ,oo,a, ,.,
,horo ,n ,bo sIIon, oou -. 81
h.nds ha, s,ro,nad a,s h,., - -. ~
iron har. u mad hoon ., go 20 ,,a. - o.
h,n ~ o., ana ho was n,as o ,o.v 'ov ~ '.
no hImsol, ana NO, ~ 49,. ~, -. az
T,o rInd =, I,n,r,aon' ~ n - oe,o"
,.a ,a,,a. ms ~ Sana,an. '""' ne'
sa.,nn NAV
ne ius,,I'e 'iIs e!es came PACK VIII
breeuy 'n'e'e'l W 'ne so'u' tortun
bua'usu os nivaso' Scrap o' won
Ah "nu pH'a''''e u'ah' rue occasio
.au a'n'los' sro'esque poss'oiiiues'
neuH ie,v''eI "' W .ne ieatner