Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1922-10-20


why Mad It failed! And whist had
Gamblers been aftsri
He must have known sAat there was
No msnsy IN the safe. T'he mems pay
sans mp monthly by special mssssn-
~, and was handed sut the same eve
Ming. 1t would arrive ea the Msnday.
Chambers seuid net have been after
sped Of that kind.
Wilton locked through Joe's papers
again. Everything seemed intact, and
nothing had even been tempered with.
r must have been that Chambers took
fright after the murder.
Suddenly Andersen came running
across the smoking ground, followed
by some half-dozen Of the engineers.
The foreman came painting up to the
door Of the shack.
1.-THE men are crazy drunk. Mr.. Car
ruthers and they're planning to attack
the object" he gasped. Somebody's
been telling them the safes full Of
money and that they're g0ing to be
laid OF because ct the fire."
Wilton reflected moment, while
the engineers gathered anxiously about
him.
They can't open the SAFE" said
wilton. AT least, there's only one
man can, and he's been at it already.
Ne, never mind what meant don't
want bloodshed. TN open it and show
It to then." he turned to enc Of the
engineers. '"rske four men with yeu
and hurry to the store and see that NO
harm comes to Miss Mcdonald and
! her father" he ordered. And take
this" he added, picking the revolver
sut Of the drawer and handing 1t to
him.
You'd better come toe, Mr.. Carruth-
srs," the man suggested.
mo, I'll stay here. said Wilton.
Hurry"
The engineer picked four men and
they hurried down the road. Andersen
and two others remained with Wilton.
Hardly had the party left when the
mob came streaming out Of the bunk
houses toward the ONCE, shouting and
yelling.
Seeing the four men standing In the
doorway, however, they hssitated to
rush them, probably in the belief that
they were armed, and stosd of, ours
Ing them.
Speak upi" shouted Walton. what
IL It you men wantT
The shouts died away to muttsr-
Ing. A spokesman stepped forward.
I'VE want the money In the safe,
and Wen have vi" he shouted. 1--WE
all knew you set the fire because the
lines busted, and you've got the safe
chook-fuN of money. You've worked
as like dogs oil summer, and now
you're gOing to lay IN of because the
company's busted. loud better hand
1t over"
Evidently somebody had been telling
the men that tale. wilton was anx.
ious to try peaceful methods.
There's NO money In the safe" he
answered "Send a deputatien OF three
men and you can examine It."
The Hunkies, who for the msst part
understood him very well. licked at
enc another uncertainty. They were
a. docile as lambs without leadership.
But they had leader: the outlaw
Tonguay stepped forward cut Of the
crowd.
"Come along. boys, he's feeling you r.
hs yelled. Smash his head for him
Give them what's corning to them"
BIT he SUNK back int their midst
as the believing mob rushed forward.
Wilton noticed that he was lingering
a revolver In his coat pocket. He wait
ed till the mob was clese upon the
shack. He had calculated that an in
stants hesitation would follow, seized
it and sprang into their midst, strik-
ing out right and left and telling a
drunken laborer at every blow. AS
Tongray fumbled desperately with the
trigger Of the weapon In his pocket,
Wilton dealt hin q smashing blow
that knocked him senseless. He
stopped, took the revolver and turned
and faced his assailants.
'sNow, men," he said crisply. "Tve
told you that you shall examine the
safe, and I'll keep my wsrd. Three Of
yeu enter. The rest will wait out
side"
After a pause three Of Che workmen
came forward uncertainty. Wilton
took them inside the shack, opened the
safe door and took out the contents,
package by package
Satisfied there's ne money!" he
asked.
II guess that's So" admitted the
leader Of the men, reluctantly.
'Then get out" said Wilton, driving
them toward the door.
The three rejoined their companions
and, with sullen mutterings, the work
men lurched away aimlessly, and to-