Catoctin clarion., 1923-06-14
CHAPTER XIII
A Rope Breaks.


The lantern, turned down, dimly H.
lumined the tent and revealed the fig
ures Of three men seated about some
sort Of rough table. The flap was
drawn and fastened Occasionally
figure moved slightly. No passer-by
would have guessed that the three
partners were ensconced In the black
mouth Of the tunnel, ramparted by the
dump heap. watching for develop
ments they were fairly sure would
start with darkness. Every little
while Sandy twitched line that was
attached to clumsy but effective
rocker he had contrived beneath one
Of the dummies they had built from
the stuff that Plimsoll had not re-
claimed.
Don't want to work the blamed
thing too much," he said. might bust
1t. It's on'y the one figger but I'll be
derned If it don't look natcherul."
After which they all relapsed into
silence, restrained from smoking for
fear Of telltale spark or casual fra
GRANGE carried by the wind. 1t was a
dark night, the hillsides stood blurry
against blue-black sky In which the
stars glittered like metal points but
failed to shed much light. Later, much
later, toward morning, moon would
rise.
They settled down to their watch.
The Great Bear constellation dipped
down, scooping into the darkness be-
yond the opposing hill.
"Pritty close to midnight" said Sam
at last. whats the :"
Sandy's grip on his arm checked
him, all senses centering into listening.
The three stared blankly into the
night, while their hands sought gun.
butts and loosened the weapons in
their holsters. Out Of the blackness
came little foreign sounds that they
interpreted according to their powers.
The tiny clink of metal, the faint thud
of horses hoofs, an exclamation that
had barely been above the speakers
breath floated up to them through the
stiffness. The glow of the lantern
showed through the tent wall.
They crouched, listening to the soft
padded sounds that told of the ap-
proach of man and horse. These
ceased. Still they could see nothing.
Then there came a sharp shrill whistle,
instantly the thud Of galloping ponies
going at top speed, parallel, one be-
tween the watchers and the tent as
they saw the swift shadow shade the
glow for an instant, the other between
the tent and the creek. There was
sharp swishing as of something whip.
ping brush.
"Yi-yi-yippy!" The cries rang out
exultant as the horses dashed by the
tunnel. The light in the tent wavered.
went out. There was shout of sur
prise and dismay, twang like the
swapping of mighty bow-string and
then came the whoops of the trio from
the Three Star as they realized what
the attempt had been and how It had
failed.
Two riders, trailing a rope, had
raced down the valley hoping to sweep
away the tent, to send it's occupants
sprawling, its contents scattered in a
confusion of which advantage would
be taken to chase the three off their
claims, taken by surprise made ridicu.
lous.
Sandy and Sam, searching for con-
venient tent site, had happened upon
a mass of outcrop, overgrown by
brush. Over this they had pitched the
tent, using the rock for table, propping
their dummies about 1t. If dynamite
was flung 1t would find something to
work against. They had not antici-
pated the use of the rope to demOlish
the canvas, any more than the two
riders had expected to bring up
against boulder The impact, with
their ponies spurred. urged on by their
shouts to their limit, tore the cinches
of one saddle loose, jerked II from the
horse and catapulted the unprepared
rider over its head, flying through the
air to land heavily, while his mount,
unencumbered, frightened, went ca
reering off leaving Its breathless mas
ter stunned amid the sage