Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1917-09-05
CHAPTER XVII.
The MeaaIomaniae.

The MegaIomaniac.
Sixty-odd hours before the expiration
of the time limit, BARLEY Williams,
lean and somber-eyed from the strain
he had been under for many days and
nights. saw the presidents gray road
ster blowing its way through the mesa
sand on the approach to the cOnstruc-
ton camp. and was glad.
"rve been trying all the morning to
squeeze out time to get into town." he
told Baldwin, when the roadster came
to stand in front of the shack COM
missary. Where is Smith,"
The colonel threw up his hand in a
gesture expressive of complete detach-
ment.
Don't ask me. John has gone plumb
loco in these last two or three days.
It's as much as your life's worth to
ask him where he has been or where
he is going or what he means to do
next"
"He hasn't stopped fightingf" said
the engineer, half aghast at the bare
possibility.
"Oh, no; he is at 1t harder than
ever-going 1t just shaving too
strong, is what I'd tell him. if he'd let
me get near enough to shout at him.
Last night, after the theater, he went
around to the Herald office. and the
way they're talking it on the street,
he was aiming to shoot up the whole
newspaper joint If Mark Allen, the edi-
tor, wouldn't take back bunch of the
lies he's been publishing about the
High Line. 1t wound up in a scrap
of some sort. l don't know who got
the worst of it, but John isn't crippled
up any to speak of. this morning-Only
in his temper"
Williams shook his head. 81 guess
wen have to stand for the crouch, if
he'll only keep busy. He has the hot
end of 1t. We couldn't very well get
along without him. right now, colonel.
With all due respect to you and the
members of the board, he is the fight
ing backbone of the whole outfit"
HE is that" was Baldwin's ready
admission. HE is just what we've
been calling him from the first. Bart
ley-a three-ply, dyed-in-the-wool won
der in his speciality. He is fighting
now like a man in the last ditch, and
| believe he thinks he is in the last
ditch"
1T will be only two days more"
said the engineer, saying it as one who
has been counting the days in keen
anxiety. And then: "Stillings told me
yesterday that we're not going to get
an extension of the time limit from the
state authorities"
mo; that little fire went out, blink,
just as Smith said it would. Stantons
hackers have the political pull-in the
state as well as in Washington. They're
going to hold us to the letter of the
law"
LET 'em do it. Well win out yet
IL we don't run up against one or both
of the only two things I'm afraid of
now: high water, or the railroad call
down."
1.-THE railroad grab? Have you heard
anything more about that?"
THAT is what l was trying to get to
town for; to talk the railroad business
over with you and Stilllngs and Smith.
They've had a gang here this morn
ing-a bunch of engineers, with
stranger, who gave his name as Hal
lowell, In charge They claimed to be
verifying the old survey, and Hallowell
notified me formally that our dam stood
squarely in their right of way for
bridge crossing of the river"
"They didn't serve any papers on
you, did they?' inquired the colonel
anxiousiy.
mo; the notice was verbal. But
Hallowell wound up with a threat. He
said, You've had due warning, legally
and otherwise, Mr.. Williams. This is
our right of way, bought and paid for.
as we can prove when the matter gets
into the courts. You mustn't be sur
prised If we take whatever steps may
be necessary to recover what belongs
to. u.s."
"ForceT' queried the Missourian,
with CLINT Of the border fighters fire
in his eyes"
Maybe. But we're ready for that.
Did you know that Smith loaded half
a dozen cases Of new rifles on a mo-
tortruck yesterday. and had them sent
out here?"
"Now
"He did-and told me to say nothing
about it. 1t seems that he ordered
them some time ago from an arms
agency in Denver. That fellow foresees
everything. colonel"
Dexter Baldwin had climbed into his
car and was making ready to turn 1t
for the run back to town.
IF l were you. BARLEY. believe I'd
open up those gun boxes and pass the
word among as many of the men as
you think you can trust with rifles ia
their hands. I'll tell Smith-and Bob
Stillings."
Colonel Baldwin saw the company's
attorney, as soon as he reached Brew
ster. But Smith was not in his Office,
and no one seemed to know where he
had gone. The colonel shrewdly sus-
pected that Miss Richlander was max
ing another draft upon the secretary's
time, and he said as much TO Starbuck,
later in the day, when the mine owner
into the High Line head
quarters and proceeded to roll the in
evitable cigarette.
"NOt any. this time, colonel" was
rebuttal. you've missed II