Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-05-20
CHAPTER NXy-(Continued)

more. Then if he don't surrender thy'll
charge the house and riddle it! And
John he won't let the children come
out-or any one. He says the Lord is
wi the right"
Curran was staring in his turn.
mich. What is it?"
The old soldier looked at him with
a remembrance. II forgot, MIR. Wiley.
Where you been? Folks We're askin'
fo' you-they laid If AIRY man in the
county could talk reason to John, it's
you!"
Look here-has there been any
t~rouble-any fighting?"
Fight. Where have you been!
Started last evening. Why, it done
break up Your meetin', didn't it! The
whole county just poured out there.
They had Il time getting the bodies
more deputies We're shot at midnight:
n then this morning h folks got
Marryat to go try another parley with
John-and he killed the sheriff, Mr..
Wiley.,"
The editor clenched his hands. IT
heard-l know, DIV?
"The posse is all around the place.
l sneaked away at dark and come to
town to telegraph Aurelie. The depu-
ties are keeping the crowd to the creek
oad Everybody's there-all the own
folks n the farmers that drove in to
hear you. God Almighty, what a cleo
ton day! They amt a man though of
1T yet! Five of 'em been killed, Mr..
Wiley, and the sheriff's body is lying
there yet. Johns fired at every one
who shows HIMSELF
and they've fired at the house,"
Eyes. Mebbe killed some o. the boys.
Johns got it all barricaded. He can
fight from n window-and they got
to cross that field where he can drop
any one"
Curran was hurrying with him. The
shock of the matter had driven every
thought of himself from his mind. They
passed q mar or two who hardly
looked at them. Curran could not tell
whether it was the palsy of the
tragedy, or the contempt in which they
must hold him today when all the state
would be ringing with his downfall.
When they reached the junction, a
heard saatches Of h talk. Men We're
gaunt and hollow eyed. Heard some
body''d wired the governor to send
militia. = No, they amt coming
MIR. Van Hart says it would be a
disgrace if the county can't handle this
affair. Folks say the governor amt
his politics-and he would't call on him
if half the county was killed. !.
Marryat was a fool to try draw up on
the house when John had just told
him to stay off. And District ATTORNEY
Jewett threw up his hands-said he was
going out of office, and he wasn't go
ing to monkey With it. So they all
charge of it,"
The two, watching for the 9 o'clock
train from Chicago to draw out of the
creek cut, heard his endless babble.
Teams drove by on their way to the
quarry. Women were crying. The
local from Earliville brought four
correspondents of mid west papers who
We're being bounded for follow"
stories. The affair had already been
flashed nation wide. Last nights bat
tie was in all the Chicago papers which
got early editions to the river towns at
daylight. 1t was a sensation-this
story of a one armed outlaw. crazed
Tqa, thedton? mh amh amh amhmhmh
with religious brooding, driven to des-
tifying his cabin and defying the COM
munity to take him. Five men dead
and eight wounded; the shanty rid
died again and again, but the de-
fender unhurt. and refusing all par
ley, all demands to surrender. The
news shot through the staid and sober
midland counties like a drama from
tho ancient and lawless west; it
wrested attention ever from the mo-
mentous election.
Curran listened to Michigan's be-
wtldered recital. and to the fragments
of talk. The throng grew. Some said
w companies of militia were coming:
that the hastily summoned county dep
uties We're hopelessly inefficient, scared,
"bluffed' OF by Lindstrom's merciless
shooting and the number Of the dead.
Nobody wants to tackle him." said
a GREATNESS clerk from the Hub CLOTH
ing store. Some of the boys thought
they could sneak around in the timber
and get a shot at him close. and he
wounded three of them before they
could lift a finger!!"
And they could hear a oma cry
ing in the house. And a boy-must
be that little Dane kid. Peter!"
Old Michigan was fearsomely listen
ing. IF she comes" he breathed, ito
save Peter n the baby!"
"They won't fire the house, Mich"
They will! Young Mr.. Van Hart
said they will. He give 'em a chance
to surrender-he's give 'em three
chances to surrender-and John won't
hear of it. And Mr.. Harlan said not
an hour ago. tflere'd be one more
chance Then he'll charge that place
II 90 men are killed. The law, Mr.. Wiley
he says it'll be upheld at all costs.
no difference who is hurt!"
Harlan" muttered Wiley, I'll
WISH 1 could see MIN. Beg hirn-ah,
well!" he stared at the depot crowd. He
was thinking Of that logged and in
yincible quality he had seen grow in
Harlan. He knew. He had felt it's
power-under all else lay this Viking
futhlessness. Yes. if it lay with Har-
ian. he would not hesitate. The way of
peace with him was the law indicated.
But 1t was curious. In all the turmoil,
that no n noticed him-the obsession
Of the tragedy must have obscured even
the sensation of his downfall. He tried
to buy a paper but none was to be mad.
Through all the complaints and re-
ordinations. denunciation Of the coun-
~ officers for not doing something, he
became aware to his amazement that
mn 0nn nonnu<{o~o5 lS-r ~