Sheriff Marlin and his men are now at the cut near the cross roads.
Captain Grout stations his men to command either side of the road. The
banks of the cut are fringed with brush, which affords a complete cover
for the men.
"You keep out of sight, too, Captain," Sheriff Marlin orders. "I will
stop the miners. If they see you and the Coal and Iron Police they may
scatter, and some of them reach Harleigh."
The ambuscade is complete. Five minutes passes. There is no sign of the
miners.
"Can they have been told of our plan to head them off?" asks the
sheriff.
At this moment the head of the procession of miners turns the corner of
the road. The American Flag and the White Flag are still in the van.
The sheriff takes up a position on the side of the road. As the miners
come up to him, he calls them to "halt."
"Where are you going?" he demands.
"To Harleigh," replies Metz.
"Who gave you permission to parade?"
"We are exercising our rights as freemen."
"Well, you cannot march in a body on the highways of Pennsylvania."
"Then we can break up our procession and walk individually."
"_In the direction of Hazelton_," Sheriff Marlin says, significantly. "I
know what you are up to; do you think that I am going to let you cause a
sympathetic strike in Harleigh because you are locked out? Not if I know
myself.
Pages:
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62