The diamond drill., 1922-01-07

Daddy. as j climbed down from the
earth sacks. 'and that shows us the
quality Of the humanity stun we have
10 deal with. Bullerton viii never get
that bunch to rush Us In the open"
That's something gained. anyway"
said the old man: ''and ever III bit
helps. But II they amt goin' 10 take
II standin' up. we got to look out for
Injins doin's'; the snake-in-the-grass
kind. Charley BulIerton amt goin to
quit none SO easy"
Nevertheless, for an hour or more,
II looked as II the Jumpers had quit.
In due time the cooking fire In the lit
tie glade burned out. and no one
came 60 rekindle II. Around and about
the solemn silence OF the mountain
wilderness ringed US In, and IL was
hard 10 realize that the siege had not
been abandoned--though we knew well
enough II hadn't.
We put in the time as best we could.
tinkering up our defenses and trying
10 provide for all the contingencies.
For one thing. Daddy found big
auger and used II TO bore loopholes at
various places through the wall, by
means OF which we could command the
approaches to the shaft-house on two
Of the three exposed sides. Eastward
ly, the blacksmith shop intervened be-
tween us and the boiler shed--it was
built as a lean-to against that side OF
the shaft-house-and In that direction
we were necessarily blind. The fourth
side. as / have said, faced an abrupt
clInf Of the mountain, a rocky wall
rising 10 maybe twice the height OF
the buildings and almost overhang-
Ing them. At It's summit this cliff
tapered of into a steep upward slope.
bare OF timber; hence we were COM
paratively secure from attack In that
quarter.
AS 10 provisioning we were not so
badly of. Daddy Hiram, well used In
his long experience as a prospector TO
figuring upon the longevity OF "grub-
stakes" estimated that, what with the
canned stun, part Of sack OF -four,
and another of cornmeal. we could live
for week. though the cooking was
going TO be rather Inconvenient. For
fire we should have 10 resort to the
forge In the blacksmith shop. and the
shop was nothing but an open-cracked
shed, as ! have described II, entirely
indefensible II the raiders should con-
ciude 10 rush II.
In the fulness OF time the period OF
suspense came 20 an end, and we were
given audible proof that Bullerton had
finally made his dispositions as an
army man would say. The announce
ment came In the form OF rifle bullet
ripping through the roof OF the shaft
house as If the stout iron roofing had
been so much paper.
"rhe fun's 'a-beginnin'" said Daddy;
and the words were hardly out OF his
mouth before another bullet came, this
time from the opposite direction, and
IL, also. tore through the roof.
Got us surrounded" Daddy grim
aced. when third shot came from still
another point OF the compass; and
within the next fifteen minutes Butler
tons demonstration was made com
plete. The shots. fred one at n time.
and at intervals of minute or so,
came from all three OF the exposed
sides OF the building. and the time
elapsing between the ripping crashes
on the roof and the crack OF the guns
told us that the marksmen were ali
well beyond the range OF our Win
chesters. even II we could have seen
them-whlch we couldn't.
Bullerton had evidently given his
men orders TO aim at the roof, for IL
was only stray bullet now and then
that came through the walls After
time the purpose OK the bombardr :
became obvious. Fullerton SCENE
have absorbed the Idea that he a. g.
break our nerye--wear us out. Affr
the first fusillade the shots came nt
intervals OF maybe Ave minutes; just
often enough To keep us ON the strain;
and / don't mind admitting that the
object was handsomely gained. can't
speak for Daddy Hiram or the dog,
but az the end OF the first hour l was
little better than bunch Of raw
nerves.
As all days must, this wearisome
FIRST day came 20 an end nj last, and
with the coming OF dusk the lombard
ment stopped--wIth our roof looking
like sieve.
But after darkness had settled down
we were made to feel I'm another way
how acutely helpless we were We
could see nothing, hear nothing.
Though we knew we were surrounded.
the silence and solitude were unbroken.
and the strain was greater than that
OF pitched battle. II we were 10 get
any sleep at all, a night watch could
be maintained by only one of US at n
time; and with our utmost vigilance
surprise attack would be the easiest
thing In the world for Bulierton TO pull
or.
There are no night noises In the high
attitudes, unless the wind happens 20
ha hInwluu. M Frogs or traa~foada M