The Topeka state journal., 1922-12-15
EUening Story
Juggernaut of the Hills.

| Degan tnen ana there in a Whimp
breathless crying, hardly more than e
| whisper: 'Helpi H-e-l-p!! H-e-l-p!!'
| He was following a footpath along
| the side of a steep ledgy hill, rising g
| hundred feet above his head, and
| dropping twice that depth to the shell
! blasted out in the face of it above high
water in the stream at it's base. The
stream, damned lower down, spread
in sullen glimmering lake, dappled
with cloud-shadows. yet reflectine
grimly the somber pines and cedars.
The crying came from the blacklist
patch of pines. Peering thru their
dimness Moran saw a straining figure
in homespun, bare OF head and foot,
braced against an outcroppine
bowlder, curiousIy enmeshed in the
tops of slim pine saplings. AS he
rushed toward it the cry came again,
fainter, more breathless, the voice OF
extremity. Struggling up to its level
he understood - something human
stood between deadly peril and the liv-
ing freight of the railway train, all
but due. The road ran on the scooped
shelf-anything flung from it would
land in the deep sullen water. And
only the timber pines, the straining,
painting figure, hindered this Jugger-
naut of the hills.
Strike work." said Moran's mind.
his teeth clinching, his frame thrust
ing with all its might up the hillface.
He knew a. desperate mine war was on
there had been bloodshed, arson,
many manners of iII-doing, but moth
ing to match this. The train in peril
was taking the responsible heads of
the mine, along with high authorities,
into the heart of the troub1ous region.
Whoever had planned this wholesale
destruction of it had craft and cunning
of tho wickedest sort.
"Rocksl Big one! Scotch it quiclxi'
the figure painted at sound of Moran's
approach, but without turning its
head He wrenched up stones he
would in cold blood have thought
twice beyond his strength, flung them
before the topping mass, then thrust
among them a stout fresh-cut stake,
lying ready to his hand. Still the fig
ure did not relax. nor turn its head
in spent sibilant whisper it ordered:
''Ketch hold-on the tail O. that
Iittlest ridy-go-it'S the key-pull for
all yer wuth. No stoppin' the big rock
but we can stay it by hard tryin' till
the train gets by"
IT'S coming" Moran said in low
voice curiously hard. He felt turned
to molten steel that had suddenly
come in contact with ice. How half
human minds could deliberately plan
this wholesale murder, wholly unpro-
voked, was beyond comprehension.
But, silently he obeyed orders, swung
all his weight upon the tasseled top
that interlaced with stouter tops made
the restraining net for Juggernaut.
The slow-moving train seemed to
him to be running over his heart. 1t
was past-he drew a catching breath
with a 1urching bound the bowlder
swept forward, twitching the pine top
from his hands so violently the skin
burned, then went crashing, bounding,
downward, breaking thru
rails and roadbed as tho they were
toys. and landing with a reverberant
splash in the pool below.
Moran looked for the trains savior
he saw nothing alive Instead, in
flung above a cropped head, showing
muscles still knotted from the strain,
something human in homespun, the
very moral and pattern of death.
Kneeling he turned the face to view
with a sick quaIm he saw it was
a girls face, sun-bronZed yet pallid,
with the pallor of supreme exhaustion.
He knew the look-he had seen 1t on
the football field, when men had won
on courage against all right odds. He
lifted hands too large for grace, but
perfectly modelled tho calloused with
work. A well-made creature-big, tall
rather. She must top him by a full
inch, tho he stood near six feet.
Ilancing reverently along her gra-
cfOuS IlengthS, he saw a faint stirring
IF breath. Instantly his flask was to
her lips, its contents trickling gently
1own her throat, the while her head !
was piollowed in the hollow of his |
arm.
seemed years to Moran. Blood began
% show thru her deadly pallor. Pres |
entity with gasping sigh she sat up, |
saying simply, almost apologetically: |
Jest in time you come. I'd put all I
How long?" Moran asked husnedIy |
Ever since there was need" the an
iwer came.
Tell me why you did it." Moran
Lsked still lower.
She fla aGIpd him tho HOnfTiT1cy
II the deepest blue eyes, saying: MY
Pap never believed in murderin'-no
more do I. Happen he'd lived, this
wouldn't a-been.
an.
She nodded. her brows drawing to-
ether.
Tell me, You must!" he de-
handed.
She sprang upright, shaken with
White anger. SOS you and the law
an do a nice. safe job o. murderin
nd get paid for it! See you damned
irst!"
"You-you don't mean that-you
re above such criminal contriving-"
Ioran began
She cut him short with a scornfu1
lugh and made to dart away. In ten
tribes he overlook her. She was still
you have done the nob1est thing
yer knew" he cried. ''I can't let you
poll it. Tell what you know; it may '
e the means of ending all this bitter {
rouble." (
AT the foot of the gallows?" the !
irl flung at him, her eyes flashing {
lue sparks. Young fool, I'd rather '
OF hurt ye; but unless ye listen to z
ca son I'll have to-" I
What do you mean?" he. asked. 1
She smiled almost cOmpassionately. I
I'm giving you a chance she said. {
You ought to do as much for-the /
ther boys. Hold right still-let it be
bought the rock fell jest by itself. r
~ word passes, there'l be no more 7
sech devil traps. Say you agree to :
,rgit all you saw and done-and let /
go at that. Is it a bargain?'
moi" Moran cried. seizing hold of '
er arms Il hate to take advantage
: my mans strength, spent as you t
lust be. But you must come with me