Part 36 (1/2)

”Drop it, I say,” rang out Jim's ugly voice, as he balanced his pistol tentatively. ”You b.a.s.t.a.r.ds, burnin' down the house, to steal the stuff!”

”That's a lie,” Will called, shortly. Others took up the cry.

The guards raised menacing pistols.

A striker, his temper on fire from continuing irritations, dropped behind the nearest steps, levelled his pistol, and shot toward the armed group.

Diana ran out flying, s.h.i.+elding Will. ”Don't shoot my brother, you scoundrels----”

Jim's pistol, carefully aimed at the black striker, crackled viciously.

Tongues of flame spoke from the armed deputies.

”You plugged the gal,” Huggins grinned casually, aiming again. ”We got both c.o.o.ns.”

The astounded citizens ran between the sudden murderous combatants.

”This won't do!”

”The house is burning, while you're killing each other!”

The chemical engine swung around the southern curve of the road, jetting ineffectually against the greedy insanity of the flames. The strikers took up the four bodies, and carried them somberly to Hewintown, Stella Cole following, dry-eyed and s.h.i.+vering with uncomprehending hatred.

Pelham and Jane walked among the smouldering ruins the next day, their hearts bitter at the headlines which blamed the strikers for the burning. ”There's no dirtiness they won't stoop to,” he raged.

”Hanging's too good for those editors.”

When Paul Judson arrived, to what had been home, in answer to Mr. Kane's wire, it was to find that Tom Hewin, whose sub-contract still controlled this part of the estate, had begun removing the rich outcrop where the north end of the cottage had rested.

”This is outrageous, Hewin! We don't want this touched----”

”It's the contract, Mr. Judson. In section seven. I supposed----”

Paul left him, agonized at heart.

An injunction the next day stopped the theft of the outcrop, and removed the Hewins from their connection with the property and the strike.

Only Ed was left to his mother to arrange for the burial of Diana and Will. Neither of them knew, although Stella suspected, that there were three dead in the two graves.

XIX

Life at the Hernandez home had its definite compensations, Pelham found.

A nearby garage held the indispensable car; and there was now no one to censor his comings and goings. As long as he slept on the mountain, Mary clung to this role; the relief of the lifted restraint was immediate.

His mining inspector's badge gave him the run of the mountain property, although he was careful not to use it in direct union propaganda.

One afternoon late in August, Jim Hewin came up to him on a downtown avenue. ”Howdy, Mr. Judson. Say,” and the s.h.i.+fty eyes nervously agitated toward Pelham's face, ”I could do you a good turn if I wanted to.”

”What's that?”