Emmons County record. [volume] (Williamsport, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-current, 1922-03-23

It. to come down beyond the machih
cry, and not on our side Of things.
Nevertheless, we were covering in an
ticipation Of blast which would most
I likely heave the entire machinery ag-
gregation over bodily upon us when
the explosion came.
We saw the belching column OF
flame and gas going skyward beyond
the machinery barrier, taking full
half Of the roof with 1t, as If the blast
had come from the mouth Of gigan-
tic cannon. We were dazed and deaf
ened by the shock, and half choked
by the fumes. but neither of US was
so far gone as not to hear distinctly
prolonged and rumbling crash like the
thunder of small Niagara. coming
after the smash!
1.-THE shaft !" shrilled Daddy Hiram.
in a thin, choked voice; at went off
down in the shaft! And, say!-
what-all's that we're a-listenin' to
nOw!"
If there had been dozen of the
bombs raining down I don't believe
the threat of them would have kept
us from bursting out of our d0dge-hole
to go and see what had happened In
the mine shaft. But before we could
determine anything more than that
the mouth of the shaft was complete
ly hidden under mass of wreckage.
and that the mysterious Niagara roar.
dwindled somewhat, but yet hollowly
audible, was still going on under the
concealing mass of broken timbers
and sheet-irOn, there was masterful
interruption. Shots, yells. shoutings
and hot curses told us that fierce
battle of some kind was staging itself
just outside Of our wrecked fortress;
whereupon Daddy Hiram began paw
ing his way to the door. yelling like
man suddenly gone dotty.
THAT there's old Ike Beasley-
dad-blame his old hide!" he chittered.
"There amt nary mother man in the
Timanyonfs at can cuss like that.
He's come with posse, and they're
layin' out Charley BuIlerton's crowd !"
There was 4 fine little tabieau
spreading itself out for US when we
had clambered over the wreckage and
had withdrawn the wooden bar and
flung the door wide. Daddy Hiram
had called the turn and named the
trump. The large, desperadoish-look
ing man who had once interviewed me
at Angels. and little later had
paused in his combing Of the noun
tains in search Of me to usurp my
place ut the Twomblys' breakfast ia
BILE. this bewhiskered giant. with a
good'sh bunch Of foflowers-nard-
boiled to man, they looked to be-
had surrounded fair half of the
would-be Jumpers" and were hand
cutting them with celebrity that was
truly admirable. And Beasley. him
self. square-jawed and peremptory,
was showing Fullerton up against the
side Of the shaft-house, swapping the
irons upon his wrists and counseling
him, with choice epithets intermin-
gled. to save up his troubles and tell
them to the Judge.
AS we emerged from our wrecked
fortress. other members Of the posse
were scattering to round up the out
lying bomb-throwers, who had appar-
emily taken to the tall timber In
panic-stricken effort to escape. Down
on the bench below there were horses
and horse-holders; and among the
horses one whose boyish-looking rider
was just slipping from the saddle.
While was wondering vaguely why
the Angels town marshal had let
pere boy come along on such battle
errand, the boyish figure ran up. the
road and darted in among us to fling
itself into Daddy Hiram's arms, CUR
Cling and half crying and begging to
be told II he was hurt.
I didn't know at the time how much
or how little the big marshal knew of
the various and muddled inducements
which We're climaxing right there in
the early morning sunshine on the old
Cinnabar dump head; but do know
that he quickly turned his captures
over to some Of his deputies and had
them promptly hustled down stage
and of scene. While this was going
on was merely waiting for my cue,,
and got it, or thought got it when
the boy who wasn't q boy slipped
from Daddy's arms and faced me.
I'm not hurt, either" ventured
to say, hoping that the brain storm
had subsidized sufficiently to make me,
visible. welcome home, Miss Twom-
bly-or should say Mrs. Bullerton?''
The look she gave me was just plain
deadly; you wouldn't think that VIC
let-blue eyes could do 1t, but they can.
Then she drew q folded paper from
somewhere inside Of her clothes and
held it out to me.
There is the deed to your mine,
Mr.. Broughton,' she said nippingly,
and with a fairly tragical emphasis on
the courtesy title. "You wouldn't
take the trouble to go to Copah and
get it recorded, SO thought I'd better
do 1t. I hope you'll pardon me for be-
ing so forward and meddlesome."