“That’s our only recourse. Giving whiskey isn’t actually an illegal act––and they’re giving it away, not trying to sell it here without a government licence.”
“The thing’s illegal if it’s part of a conspiracy to disrupt our work, and if we can secure proof that such is the fact it will but add one more item to the score to be settled with these San Mateo outlaws.”
“There are more men going there. See them?” Weir asked. “You hear them on the road ahead of us. They’re ducking through the fence and crossing to the house. Our workmen. The thing’s plain now; they had word there would be another ‘party’ to-night, but they didn’t know just where until they received word this evening. I suppose the whole camp except a few men will be here.”
“Won’t they turn ugly if you interfere?”
“Can’t help that. I’ll send men down with axes and 222 when the booze is poured on the ground it makes no difference then; the men will be kept sober. If they are stubborn, I’ll run a new bunch in and fire these fellows. But I don’t imagine they will quit work, however surly, for they know whiskey’s no excuse. Men usually cool down after a night’s sleep.”
From where they sat and since Weir had turned out his car lamps, they could see the steady string of men emerging from the darkness of the field and approaching the house, to quickly dissolve in the gathering already there. In their lively steps, as well as in the eager voices occasionally raised along the dark road, the men’s desire to join in the debauch was apparent.
With the swelling of the crowd the scraping of the fiddles became louder, the dancing more furious, shouts and yells more frequent, while a dense line of men passing and jamming in and out of the door pointed only too plainly that inside the house liquor flowed. This would be no matter of a few drinks per man, but a big drunk if not stopped.
Martinez confirmed this opinion on his return.
“There are two barrels inside and a couple of fellows are dipping it up in tin cups like water,” said he. “They’re not even troubling to draw the stuff; the barrels have been placed on end and the heads knocked out. It will be the biggest spree San Mateo ever saw, with plenty of fighting after awhile. Women, you know, always start fights during a spree.”
“Those surely are not women from town,” Weir exclaimed.