The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-12-13

completed power house. still 6-u-tn-
TO the eye as sksistO1 masses q form
timberiug. lay Just bel0T them and
on the hithsr side the toottl1. tor
rent Numbered through The spI-lway
gates, which had been opened % th~lr
fullest capacity. Between the quarry
and the northern dan-hend ran the
smooth eorcretsd channel OF the rialn
ditch canal. with the water in the rss-
ervolr lake still lapp(ng several feet
below the level OF its entrance 70 give
assurance that. Until the spilwsys
should be closed. the chArter-szvins
stream would never pour tArOush the
canal.
on the opposite side Of the river
the dam-hesd and the camp street
were deserted. but there were lights
In the cOumIssary. in the Otsics shack.
and in Blue Pete Simns' cantssn dog
gerry. FrOu the latter quarter sounds
Of revelry rOse above the spillwsy
thunderings, and now and again s
drunken figure lurched through the
open door 70 make its way uncertain
ly toward the rank Of bunk houses
Harding was staring into the farther
nImbus OF the electric rays. trying 10
pick up some sign OF the other half Of
his posse, when Smith made = sus-
geStion.
Both OF your parties win have the
wOrkmen's bunk houses in range, Mr..
Harding. and we mustn't forget that
Colonel Baldwin and Williams are
prisoners In the timekeeper's shack
II the guns have to be used"
There won't be any wild shooting.
Of the kind you're thinking Of" re
turned the sheriff grimly. There
amt single man in this posse that
can't hit what be aims at. nine times
out O. ten. But here's hOpin' We can
gather 'em In without the guns. II
they amt lookin' for US"
The interruption was the whining
song OF jacketed bullet passing over
head. followed by the crack OF rifle.
Down. boys" said the sheriff softly,
setting the example by sliding into the
ready-made trench afforded by the dry
ditch Of the outlet canal; and as he
said IL sharp fusillade broke out
with fire spurtings from the commits
sary building and others from the
mesa beyond TO show that the surprise
was baked In both directions.
"They must have had scouts out,
was Smiths word to the sheriff, who
was cautiously recOnnoltering the new
ly developed situation from the shell
ter OF the canal trench. They ar,
evidently ready for US, and that knock.
your plan in the head. Your mer
can't cross these stagings under fire.
"Your 'wops' are all right, anyway.
said Harding. They're pouring out o
the bunk houses and that saloon owe
there and taking to the hills Ike ,
flock o. scared chickens" Then &
his men: Scatter out, boys. and sc
the range on that commissary shed
That's where most OF the rgstlers ar,
cached"
Two days earlier, two hours earlier
perhaps, Smith would have begged
weapon and flung himself into III
fray with blood lust binding him t
; everything save the battle demands o
the moment. But now the final mile
stone In the long road OF his metamor
: phosis had been passed and the dark
some valley Of elemental passions wa
: left behind. I
"Hold up q minute, for Gods sake I!
he pleaded hastily. "We've got to Civ
them show, Harding! The chance
are that every man in that commi.
sary believes that MGraw has the Ia,
! on his side-and we are not sure tina
he hasn't. Anyway, they don't kno'
that they are trying to stand of
! sheriff's possew
Harding's chuckle was sardoni,
"You mean that we'd ought to go owe
: yonder and read the riot act to 'eI
b first? That might do back In tn
y country where you came from. Bl
a 4 the man that can get into that cam
1 over there with the serving paper
now'd have to be armor-plated,
p reckon"
: "Just the same, we've got to civ
them their chancew Smith insiste
doggedly. Eve can't stand for sn
g unnecessary bloodshed-I won't stan
for It'll"
- Harding shrugged his heavy shou
Q ders. zone round into that sheet-irC
n commissary shack'll bring 'em to tin
Q and nothing else will. / hain't g
: any men to throw away on the dey
dabs anG furbelows."
It Smith sprang up and held out b
y hand.
r "You have at least one man thi
t. you can spare. Mr.. Harding"
r snapped. "Glve me those papers. /
r go over and serve them"
IS At this the big sheriff promptly 10
e his temper.
n "You blamed fooll" he burst on
% you'd be dog-meat before you cou
It get ten feet away from this ditch"