The Raymer enterprise., 1918-02-21


From the quarry cutting the view
struck out by the camp mastheads was
unobstructed. The dam and the un-
completed power house. still figuring
to the eye as skeleton masses Of form
tmberlng, lay just below them, and
on the hither side the flooding tor
rent Numbered through the spillway
gates, which had been opened to thelr
fullest capacity. Between the quarry
and the northern dam-head ran the
smooth concreted channel Of the main
ditch canal, with the water In the res
ervoir lake still tapping several feet
below the level Of Its entrance to give
assurance that, until the spillways
should be closed, the charter-savine
stream would never pour through the
canal.
On the opposite side Of the rivei
the dam-head and the camp street
were deserted. but there were lights
In the commlssary, In the Office shack
and In Blue Pete Slmms' canteen dog
gerry. From the latter quarter sounds
Of revelry rose above the splllway
thunderings, and now and again Q
drunken figure lurched through the
open door to make Its way uncertain
ly toward the rank Of bunk houses.
Harding was staring into the farther
nimbus Of the electric rays, trying tC
pick up some sign Of the other half oI
his posse, when Smith made q sug
gestion.
Both Of your parties win have th'
workmen's bunk houses In range, Mr.
Harding, and We mustn't forget tina
Colonel Baldwin and Williams arr
prisoners in the tlmekeeper'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. "Ther,
amt a single man In this posse tina
can't hit what he aims at, nine tlmei
out o. ten. But here's hopin' we car
gather 'em In without the guns. L
they amt lookln' for US"
The interruption was the whining
song OF a jacketed bullet passing over
head, followed by the crack of rifle
Down. boys!" said the sheriff softly
setting the example by sliding Into tn,
ready-made trench afforded by the dr.!
ditch Of the outlet canal; and as h,
said It sharp fuslllade broke out
with fire spurtings from the commits
sary building and others from thu
mesa beyond to show that the surprls,
was baked In both directions.
"They must have had scouts out,
was Smiths word to the sheriff, whit
was cautiously reconnoltering the new
ly developed situation from the shel
ter OF the canal trench. 'They ar,
evidently ready for us, and that knocks
your plan In the head. Your meI
can't cross these stagings under fire.
"Your .wops' are all right, anyway
said Harding. "They're pouring out Of
the bunk houses and that saloon oyel
there and taking to the hills like {
flock o. scared chickens" Then t.
his men: Scatter out. boys, and geI
the range on that commissary shed
That's where most Of the rustlers ars
cached"
Two days earlier, two hours earlier
perhaps, Smith would have begged 9
weapon and flung himself into tn.
fray with blood lust binding him tt
everything save the battle demands OF
the moment. But now the final mile
stone In the long road Of his metamor
phosls had been passed and the dark
some valley Of elemental passions wa,
left behind.
Hold up minute, for Gods sake 7
he pleaded hastily. "We've got to give
them show, Hardlngl The chance.
are that every man In that commits
sary believes that M'Graw has the Law
on his slde-and we are not sure thai
he hasn't. Anyway, they don't know
that they are trying to stand off {
sherllf's posse!'
Harding's chuckle was sardonic
"You mean that we'd ought to 20 ovel
yonder and read the riot act to 'en
first? That might do back In tn,
country where you came from. Blu
the man that can get into that CAM
over there with the serving paper
nowd have to be armor-plated,
reckon
"Just the same, we've got to Civ
them their chancel" Smith lnsistet
doggedly. I'VE can't stand for an,
unnecessary bloodshed-I won't stan,
for It'll"
Harding shrugged his heavy shoul
ders. Zone round into that sheet-lroI
commissary shack1l bring 'em to tim
and nothing else will. l hain't 80
any men to throw away on the dew
dabs and furbelows."
Smith sprang up and held out hi
hand.
"You have at least one man tina
you can spare. Mr.. Harding" b
snapped. "Give me those papers. r.
| po nyar a,,d oarva thaypu
At this the big sheriff promptly los
his temper.