nothing--nothing. I won't ask for charity. All I ask for is a chance
to work. I can break coal. I can dig it. I am willing to work even in
the Jumbo, till it kills me. Anything to get food and a roof for my
child."

This tragic scene is enacted, before Sheriff Marlin and his deputies
grasp the situation. They do not long stand idly by and see the daughter
of the great Purdy subjected to this annoyance. With a bound the
sheriff, himself, is upon the woman.

"What do you mean by stopping this lady?" he shouts, at the same time
grabbing the poor creature by the throat. "Back to your house and take
out your goods, or I'll burn them on the road."

"Take your hands off that woman," cries Harvey. He stands in his saddle
and waves his hand menacingly at the sheriff.

"Stop choking her! Do you hear!"

With savage energy Marlin hurls the widow to the ground.

"Do not be frightened, Miss Purdy," he says, in obsequious tone. "This
woman will not annoy you again." "You must excuse me, Mr. Trueman," he
adds, turning to Harvey. "But these mining folk cannot be handled like
ordinary people."

The blush of shame has passed from Harvey's face; he is ashen.

"Are you evicting this woman for non-payment of rent?" he asks.

"She has not paid a cent since her husband's death, ten months ago. I
received orders from the company to turn her out to-day. She has been
making trouble here for the past month, and now that she has lost her
suit it's time she got out."

"Mamma, mamma," cries the five year old boy, as he runs to his mother,
laying prostrate in the weeds at the side of the road.

"Are you hurt, mamma, tell me?" and then he bursts into a flood of
tears.

"Take that brat away," Sheriff Marlin says under his breath to a man. As
the deputy starts to pick up the child, it utters a piercing shriek.

"Don't let them hurt the child!" cries Ethel, in utter horror. She has
till now been a mute witness to the heartless acts of the agents of the
law.

Harvey jumps from his saddle, and is at the deputy's side.

"Put that child down. I shall see that it is taken care of," he
declares.

"Excuse me, Mr. Trueman," interposes Sheriff Marlin, "you must not
interfere with us in the execution of our duty."

"Execution of your duty! You mean the execution of a woman and her
child. I shall not stand by and see the law violated. You have authority
to evict the widow for her debts; but you have no authority to assault
her.

"How much doe