The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1927-05-27


of the station and out of the town
coupled with the threat that If they
didn't move they would be burned out
by daylight. Starbuck's men, Lefever
added, held the only building left in
the River Quarter, where most Of the
burning had been-Bunty Bartoe's
place down next the river; it had Cs-
capped the flames. In the upper town
Carpy's hotel, which had been Quilted,
the gamblers had spared. He knew
nothing about Christie.
Pardaloe had been dispatched to
the station with the ammunition. He
came back with long face, but long
face was nothing new for Pardaloe.
Carpy, wounded, was there treating
the wounded, who lay on the floor in
the freight room. There was only a
pretense of guard kept about the
building; within it. disgrdntled Vigil
lantes nursed their grievances. railing
chiefly at one another; and in one
corner, with nobody to command, ow-
ing to lack of ammunition, Old Gener-
al Roper, though hit, was maintain
ing headquarters, with neither head.
as Pardaloe tartly put it. nor quar-
tiers. The only thing that prevented
the refugees from running away was
the fear of getting shot If they put
their noses outside.
Selwood felt he must first of all see
and learn what he could from Carpy.
Directing his few companions to
stick together and telling Lefever to
throw out stronger guard about the
barn, Selwood started for the station.
By skirting the river bank and
working from one to another of the
breaks in the beach, he reached the
rear door of the station without draw
ing any fire either from it's defenders
or its besiegers. He pushed open the
door and entered the hall without
being opposed or observed. A glance
was enough to reveal to Selwood's
unsympathetic scrutiny the complete
Generalization of the Vigilante ele-
ment. 1t was almost by accident that
Abe Cole, the bandaged but still
fighting blacksmith. saw Selwood and.
running toward him, greeted him with
a shout that drew attention to the
long-hoped-for arrival of the taciturn
gambler. AS men, wounded and I'M
wounded, crowded about him, he eyed
the scar-faced, hurting blacksmith.
coldly, paying no attention whatever
to his ELUSIVE welcome.
"You running this thing. Abe?
Running it?" echoed Abe hoarsely.
"Ilwas running it-nobody's running
it. They wouldn't do thing told
'em to do" declared Cole, with plen-
tiful sprinkling Of profanity; "now
they're cornered, JUS as I told 'em
they'd be if they didn't obey orders,
and there's about as much fight in
'em now as there Is In a bunch of
jack-rabbits ~
Selwood, ignoring impatient inter-
pleaders that raised their voices,
some abusing the blacksmith and
some one another, looked about the
two rooms. The figure that instantly
arrested his attention was that of
Carpy, his head swathed in a wild
looking bandage. moving about among
his wounded, who. filling one corner,
lay on the floor in various attitudes
of prostration. anger. and disgust.
Selwood, silencing those closest,
spoke to Cole. II sent what cartridges
I could rake up. Abe; it's all 1 know
of this side of Medicine Bend, outside
what Starbuck's got. So I'd advise
you not to pass any of 'em out to the
jack-rabbits; put 'em in the hands Of
men that will use EN-"
"The transfers, your men, are
standing up" blurted out Abe. "They
stopped 'em from rushing US an hour
ago. But they amt got six rounds
apiece left. Starbuck will come back"
Selwood's glance had wandered.
"Hello, Doc" he said as he saw Carpy
elbowing his way toward him.
Carpy, wounded and infuriated, was
grateful but glum. Selwood reached
for the bloody hand stretched out.
He listened with patient attention to
the wrought-up surgeon, who tried to
explain the wreck of their plans,
though with an expression in his eyes
that indicated his mind wandered.
Looking over the shoulders of those
around. him, Selwood saw the cowed
spirit of the Vigilantes. One excep-
ton attracted his attention: one man
appeared profoundly Indifferent to the
fortunes Of the night. In a comfort
able chair in the farthest corner of
the second room, his bald head In
huge fur cap we'll pulled down, and
his hands clasped in his lap, sat the
queer pioneer trader Of Sleepy Cat
and of the mountain copptry-old man
Van Tambel. Everything he had in
the world had but just gone up in the
smoke Of Fort street, but the tragedy
had apparently failed to shake his
spirit. Composed and collected he
struck Selwood as an odd contrast to
the welter Of wrangling, confusion.
and cowardice about him. The gam
bier silently laughed.
He turned his eyes on Cole. "Well,"