Down the Slope

by James Otis

  CHAPTER X

  THE RESCUE

  The capture of Brace seemed to inflame the passions of the mob, and noteven while the buildings were being sacked was the town in such a stateof excitement.

  By the time the prisoner had reached the vacant lot in front of thestore it appeared as if every man, woman, and child in the village wereon the street.

  Sam and Fred felt impelled to follow the howling, shrieking mob,although it was not probable they could aid the unfortunate man, andboth pressed as near as possible.

  "Billings' gang haven't got possession of the mine yet," Sam whispered.

  "How do you know?"

  "Because if that had happened we would see Bill Thomas or Donovan aroundhere somewhere."

  "Perhaps they have been made prisoners."

  "It isn't likely. Even if they couldn't hold their own it would bepossible to retreat in good order, armed as they were."

  "Don't you suppose Mr. Wright will try to do something if these fellowsreally mean to hang Brace?"

  "They are bound to help him; but I don't see what can be done against somany."

  Owing to the crowd around him it was impossible for the boys to see theprisoner. The men swayed to and fro as if fighting among themselves, andafter a time the reason of these movements was made plain.

  Two long pieces of timber had been lashed together at one end, and setup like the letter V inverted. These were held in place by some of themob, and drove through the fastenings at the top was a long rope.

  Billings was on hand acting as master of ceremonies, and when thisportion of the work had been finished, he shouted:

  "Half a dozen of you take hold of the rope, an' when I count three,string him up."

  In an agony of apprehension Fred looked toward the store. No oneappeared at the door; it seemed as if the bosses had abandoned JoeBrace.

  "Stand ready, boys!" Billings shouted. "We'll soon show 'em how we serveout spies."

  There was a moment of painful silence, during which more than one of themob acted as if frightened because of the terrible crime about to becommitted, and then an old miner cried:

  "Hold on! This thing has gone far enough!"

  "What do you mean?" Billings asked angrily.

  "Just this: I joined your crowd to stand up for my rights not to commitmurder. There's been mischief done already, an' the most of us will besorry when we've had time to think the matter over."

  "Hold your tongue and go home like the rest of the old women."

  "I'll stay where I am, an' you'll be the one to go home if the boys takemy advice."

  Then continuing, the old man reminded the throng that he had worked atFarley's longer than the majority could remember. He spoke of the fact,that until this day, there had been no mob rule; intimated that theywere blindly following one in whom very few ever reposed confidence, andasked if they were willing to hang a friend simply because Billingscommanded it.

  The speech was a long one, and before twenty words were spoken as manydetermined-looking men gathered around Brace to prevent any harm frombeing done.

  "Don't listen to the old fool," Billings cried, in a voice hoarse withrage; but now very few paid any attention to him, and, when theprisoner's friend finished his appeal there was no danger a human lifewould be taken.

  Some of those who had been most eager to drag Brace away unloosened hisbonds, and at least a hundred stood ready to defend him.

  At this juncture Mr. Wright came from the store, and the mob were in theproper frame of mind to listen.

  He explained the true condition of affairs, told exactly why the workshad been shut down, and finished by promising to let the matter beforgotten, regardless of the amount of property destroyed, in case themob should disperse.

  "And if we go home, what then?" Billings asked, sneeringly. "We'llstarve to please you, eh?"

  "Those who attempted to flood the mine will not starve at Farley's, forall in the plot must leave. Not one of that party can work here; but theothers shall be treated as before."

  "So we're to be driven out?"

  "Certainly. It isn't probable any honest miner would care to work withthose who may succeed in drowning their fellows simply to gratify aspite against the officers of the company."

  "It will take more than you to drive us away."

  "I can at least prevent you from entering the mine, and that I shall doeven if it is necessary to station guards entirely around the property.Are you willing to go home now, men, with the assurance that work shallbe resumed in the morning."

  "Ay, that we are, an' glad of the chance. It was out of the fryin'-paninto the fire when we left one set of bosses to take up with CaleBillings an' his cronies," a miner shouted and immediately the mobdispersed, leaving the leaders standing in the lot, evidently consultingas to how their lost power might be regained.

  When Brace was at liberty he joined Sam and Fred, and the three walkedto the latter's home, neither speaking until they were inside.

  "Do you think the strike is really over?" Mrs. Byram asked, after Fredtold her of what had occurred.

  "It is so far as the majority of the miners are concerned," Bracereplied; "but there's no telling what Billings may contrive to dobetween now and morning."

  "I suppose those men are still in the mine trying to overpower Donovan'sparty."

  "Most likely; but now that Wright has got the upper hand there's littlechance they'll be allowed to stay very long."

  Despite the excitement on every hand the occupants of Mrs. Byram'scottage were glad to retire at the first opportunity, and before thetumult in the street had died away they sought the needed repose. It hadbeen decided that Brace should remain for a while, since it might bedangerous to meet Billings and his friends while they were smartingunder the sting of defeat.

  At the usual hour next morning the whistle sounded, summoning the minersto work, and every one responded save those who had been warned to leavethe town.

  Mr. Wright was at the entrance to the slope, and had a pleasant greetingfor each man and boy, causing more than one to look ashamed because ofthe part taken in the wanton destruction of his property.

  Joe Brace and Sam went into the drift, leaving Fred with Chunky, andthat young fellow said, as he seated himself at the chute:

  "Things have been pretty lively 'round here, eh?"

  "I should say so. Were you out with the regulators?"

  "I saw 'em once or twice."

  "If you'll take my advice you'll leave that crowd. Skip Miller's as badas Billings."

  "Don't speak so loud; he's lookin' over this way, an' may make thingshot for you if much is said."

  "If he didn't do anything yesterday I guess he ain't dangerous."

  "He couldn't find you."

  "Then he was lookin' for me?"

  "That's what I heard some of the fellers say."

  "I should think he'd seen enough of such business; but if he hasn't I'llhave to take care of myself."

  "Be careful," Chunky whispered. "He an' some of the other fellers thinkyou are more of a spy than Joe Brace was."

  "And they mean to flog me for it?"

  "Skip says you told Mr. Wright about their droppin' you in the shaft."

  "Hadn't I the right to? Do you suppose I'll let them try to kill me, andnever open my mouth about it?"

  "Well, it ain't safe, for he's got a big crowd."

  "Then he hasn't had enough of the riot?"

  "It ain't that; but he says the regulators have got to stand up fortheir rights, an' you haven't paid your footin' yet."

  "And I don't intend to. If any of them try to make me it'll go hard withthem."

  At this point the machinery was started, the stream of coal and slatebegan to flow through the chute, and the breaker boys were forced toattend to their work.

  Several times during the morning Donovan spoke to Fred as he passed, andat twelve o'clock, when all hands were indulging in the forty minutes"nooning," and Chunky had crossed over to speak with Skip, the breakerboss ate
his lunch by the new boy's side.

  "You didn't come back again last night," he said.

  "No, sir. After Brace got away from the mob he and Sam went home withme. We didn't think you'd need us when the trouble was nearly settled."

  "Neither did we. As soon as the men found their senses Mr. Wrightbrought a lot of them up here, an' we soon got rid of Billings'friends."

  "Had they begun to dig a tunnel?"

  "Bless you, yes, an' were within a dozen feet of Bill Thomas' party whenwe found them. If the row had lasted two hours longer we couldn't beworkin' here to-day, an' some of the boys would be under water."

  "Do you think the whole matter is finished?"

  "Yes, so far as the majority of the men are concerned; but Billingsswears he won't be driven out of town, an' he may manage to do moremischief."

  "Why don't Mr. Wright have him arrested?"

  "Because he gave his word that nothin' should be done to them as wenthome peaceably, an' he couldn't jump on Billings without bringing allhands into the scrape. 'Cordin' to my way of thinkin' we've got offcheap."

  "Was Mr. Wright's house damaged very much?"

  "It'll take a good many hundred dollars to put it in the same conditionit was before; but money doesn't count when there's been no bloodspilled."

  "Do you think there is any chance the men will try to hurt Brace now?"

  "That's hard to say. You're in as much danger as he is, for they knowthat you and Sam stood in with us, an' it's just possible some dirtytrick will be played. You an' Bill Thomas' butty are to stop at theoffice to-night; Mr. Wright wants to see you."

  "What for?"

  "He'll have to explain that. It's time to go to work again; be carefulof yourself."

  Donovan walked away as the whistle sounded, and Chunky came back lookingvery stern.

  "You'll get into more trouble by standin' in with the bosses," he said,in what sounded like a threatening tone.

  "Does Skip Miller think he can say who I shall talk with?"

  "Whether he does or not none of the fellers like bosses' pets."

  "Even if I was a 'pet,' as you call it, I can't see how it concerns anyone but myself; almost anything is better than being a regulator."

  "I've told you what the fellers think, an' that ends it; look out foryourself after this."

  "I can't accuse you of ever looking out for me, not even when a hintmight have saved me from a pounding."

  Chunky made no reply, and Fred understood that, although the riot wasended, his position in the community had not been bettered. One sampleof mob rule evidently pleased the regulators, and they were prepared toassert their alleged rights more strongly than ever.

  When the day's work was finished Joe Brace and Sam came for Fred, and hewalked out of the breaker in their company, while Skip and his adherentsstood near the building ready to take advantage of the first opportunityfor mischief.

  "Don't think we shan't get a whack at you," the leader cried. "Themfellers won't allers be 'round, an' when our time does come things'll beworse than they was in the shaft."

  "If I ever hear of your touchin' Fred I'll take a hand in the rowmyself," Brace said threateningly.

  "Oh, yes, you will," Skip replied with a leer, and then led hisfollowers down the road, each one making some insulting remark as hepassed.

  "I'll straighten that fellow out," Joe said angrily. "He's got the willto do most anything, an' we must take him down a peg before it'll besafe for you to move around."

  "Don't say anything to them, for it will only make matters worse. I'llsee to it that they don't get another chance at me. Sam, Mr. Wrightwants to see us at the store. Will you wait for us, Joe?"

  "Indeed, I will. Till things get settled I want to keep my eye on bothyou boys."

  The superintendent was in his office, at one end of the building, whenthe party entered, and he beckoned them to join him.

  "Don't hang back, Brace, for I wish to see you as well. I want to takeyour butty away, and give you Fred instead. How would you like that?"

  "First class, sir."

  "I wish to have a few whom I can trust, on the lower level. I don't askfor any spying: but expect to be informed if there is any seriousmischief brewing. There may yet be some who will aid Billings to gainhis revenge. Sam is to remain with Thomas; but will work near you."

  "Very well, sir," and Brace rose to go, thinking the interview was at anend; but Mr. Wright detained him.

  "The most important matter is concerning the old shaft and drifts, fromwhich points very much mischief might be done. Sit down while we talk ofit."

  At this moment Skip Miller entered unobserved by those in the office,and, seeing the occupants of the little room, made his way behind a pileof goods where he could hear very much of what the superintendent said.