Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1916-05-17
CHAPTER XVI.
THE TWIST OF CIRCUMSTANCE

for some minutes after Jess had re-
%luctantly left him, obdurate, indeed, to
her opportunities. Buck stood thinking.
I reckon I'm h special agent Of
Providence for the job" he said quiet
~ to himself. Il always wondered how
it d feel to know you was at the end
or your rope. 1t sure must put a
premium on w~ickedness."
Yet ne had no sense of doing any
wrong thing In what ne now set about
doing. Neither did Bucks conscience
trouble him for what he had done.
He made Cor the little metal house
some distance off. where he knew Card
ross men. had stored their explosives.
hesitated not an instant to break open
the lock With the heavy crowbar he
had found in the TOOL shed. and there
after went about his task with a COOL
ness and th%oroughness which he meant
should not miscarry.
He laid his mines. using such pur-
posed openings as he found in the
masonry Of the dam. trusting to heavy
charges to do the work effectually.
He set the alarm with which Card
going for his horse, Buck rode up
stream and waited. He could only trust
II a no one would approach the dam
from the Loop direction during the few
intervening minutes.
The shock Of the ensuing explosion
shattered the glass in windows miles
away.
1t almost knocked down the horse
upon which Buck sat waiting in a
growing un~easiness lest after all he had
not builded we'll. And it did more than
that. 1t shattered the retaining locks
behind which Raccoon i've was pent
up. and the released water went roar
ing down over the shattered dam, over
flowing the natural bed of the stream
and tearing through the underbrush in
a wild sweep of rushing, crashing de-
%vastation.
Buck. sitting his horse, laughed
grimly.
Now" he s%oliloquized, with a humor
that might have sounded CHASTITY had
any been there to hear 1t, "if my life
goes out at the end Of a rope, I'll know
I've lone more damage than KILN, n
worthless cayute."
He rode for miles before the freshet
he had loosened, spending itself grad
ually, gave him the desired opportunity
to cross over and head his horse for
nome, for he had waited on the wrong
side OF the destruction he had wrought.
And SO when he at last, sober a nd
somewhat weary. reached the stables Of
the Loop. 1t was to learn from many
excited voices of the utter demolition
OF Cardross' dam. and the finding Of
Cardross' own mangled body beneath
the debris.
Oddly this unexpected twist in the
coll OF events struck Buck dumb. He
heard Skull Williams saying:
"Cardross must ha' repented Of his
meanness. poor devil. an gone out there
to undo all he had done. He'd ordered
no ~ to 30 out there today. Queer.
amt it. Buck?
SkNl locke with reminiscent mean
inG OF their own interrupted designs at
the white face OF Buck Brannon.
Another on h outskirts of the little
group was watching Buck, an agony
OF entreaty In her eyes.
Wnere he stood. Buck ungirthed his
saddle n slipped the bride from his
yaded horse. Striking the animal gen.
tly on It's flank. he sent 1t OF to its stall,
cropping the saddle by the wall Of the
seaoh. In silence sttll he passed
through the grsup Of men and Joined
Jess K1lrain
You've often swore you loved ms,
luck" h 6irl murm0red brokenlS.
In your words wasn't just chaff, for
the love OF . keep q still tongue in
your head now. Don't stand here tank.
n. TO me. They're watching u.s."
Uncertain. Buck turned n moved
away.
Nov. amt that Just like Buck
Barnon!" exclaimed Skull Williams
softly. II had nc aus to love Blass
Ofdroes. but 10 to one he's grievin' at
hts death"
Buck was net, though.
An act Tor which he had no sense
Of 40llt waa. by fose< Of circumstance.
taking o. The &srid secrecy Of crime.