The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1916-06-10

iHcy FohHHt WIN SdbPo anu 1funWs
on the campanilelike balcony crown.
ing that skyscraping structure, he
knew, even as he saw two figureh
standing there before him. that he
was too late.
That much he knew. even before he
caught at enough breath to call out
a warning TO Enoch Golden or swing
about and spring for the second figure,
already shrinking back I'm the shadow
OF that many-columned cupola. For In
the hand OF the second figure Manley
had already caught sight OF a tell.tale
sheet OF paper. IL was a yellowed
and time-worn scrap OF paper. and lit
tie more, but to Manley II had become
the emblem and pennon OF desperate
cause, n flag TO be rallied round and
fought for, 20 the last ditch and tho
last gasp, as harried soldiers fight
through the smoke OF battle for their
colors.
And Manley, as he cllnched with Le-
CARS stalwart emissary, fought for IL.
Nor was his opponent one to be de-
spised. The two men fought along the
crest OF that midnight tower as two
mountain lions might fight along tho
brink OF an Andean precipice They
fought with gasps and grunts. with
strange cultural sounds, with teeth
barred and face distorted. blind 10 tho
blows that were given and taken. I'M
conscious OF the fact that the very pa
per for which they were fighting had
already fallen TO the cupola floor. and
from there had been blown by tho
north wind 20 the Furthermore edge OF
the cornice circling the stone column
supports.
Golden himself was already reaching
for that paper when Legar's confed-
crate caught sight OF II. broke from
Manley's grasp and dove bodily for
where II lay. Marley. second later.
followed him. There. half astride the
balustrade OF coppered wood painted
to look like marble. the fight was re-
newed. Each crouched low as he
fought, drunkenly conscious now OF
the abyss that yawned so close to his
feet. But still they fought
Then a second breath OF night
breeze, signing through the tower top,
carried the paper slowly along the
cornice edge. II was Legar's man who
saw II as IL moved lie wrenched
away, twisted about. and caught at IL
as II fell But already he was too
late. II lifted with the wind. drifted
and eddied slowly about in the moon
light, and fioated swayingly down into
the darker canyon Of Broadway, where
II was soon lost to sight.
But neither Marley nor his enemy
saw that descent. for Legars man as
he lurched suddenly forward threw all
his weight on the outstanding copper
cornice, painted white TO look like
marble. And II was cornice made
only for ornamentation. and not for
support. For it's fastenings surren-
dered TO the strain OF that suddenly
imposed weight and the bucklIng seq
ment OF copper swayed outward as the
desperately-clinging fingers ciutched
at It's edges.
Marley. hanging 20 the balustrade
with one arm. reached out 20 grasp
that bucklIng strip OF metal 10 which
helpless man was hanging sheer
over space. He caught ut II. even as
Golden caught at his straining shoul.
ders to hold him steady.
But law. stronger than the will or
man. seemed 20 suck the metal slowly,
inevitably, out or the clutch OF his
tired fingers. Then the last fastenlngs
gave, the strained and twisted sheet.
metal tore slowly away. and the black
shadow OF a man fell like a plummet To
the iron and stone OF Broadway, three
hundred feet below.