The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-02-14

he prove his innocence, and the crowd,
led on by Big Frank, sneered at and
reviled the accused.
During this trying ordeal for the
parson, three men, selected by Big
Frank, had gone TO the parsons cabin,
and there, upon the floor, had found a
nugget of gold belonging to Big Frank.
This they brought and fouted in the
face of the trembling victim. Well he
knew how it had come there, but it
was idle to assert or protest. His
words-if he could have spoken
would have been, to these infuriated
men, like the screech of wild bird
borne on the wind in bowling storm.
aye hev no proof o. yer innocence, :"
said Paymaster Bill, hotly, ''an' we
hev this proof O. yer guilt. Wat dye
say now?"
Parson Tom saw that all hope was
lost, but with dying hope his speech
returned, and he said with evident eff
fort:
Gentlemen, see no hope of estab-
fishing my innocence but still main
tain it, That nugget of gold must have
been dropped by the robber in our
struggle in the cabin. If could re-
call the voice 1 should convince You.
It was none of you who did the deed,
but one who has once lived here among
you, though can not tell his name.
He can not live far away-perhaps at
one of the idle mines or in some de-
serted tunnel. He went toward the
gulch, for had he come this way he
would have had to cross my body, as I
lay there in the snow. That is all
have to say. Do with me as you
must"
1t was useless to search the gulch-
the heavy snow would not permit.
And, then, these angry men had no
doubt of the guilt of the parson. Only
the production of the man he claimed
had robbed him would destroy their
belief in his guilt. The crowd grew
angrier as the minutes passed.
''The parson has lied, coolly re-
marked Big Frank, whose faith in the
preacher sort had never been strong.
"He's an ungrateful robber," Pay
master Bill added.
Chang him 70 yelled man in the
crowd.
The excitement increased like the
roar of the wind through the gulches
in the coming of storm. A minute
more and the infuriated mob who, in
the absence of a court, had tried, con-
victed, and sentenced the accused, was
oor.ax 20 oxoo,,to tba oontaDoa &c 1aofb
Like wild men they few to the
upper end of the camp, dragging the
parson with them. Convinced of his
guilt, and maddened by thoughts of
his ingratitude, no hand could stay
them.
Quickly the preparations for the ex-
ecution were made. Two barrels, each
of which supported an end of broad
plank, placed under the stout limb OF
great tree, formed the scsffold. One
end of the rope was fastened to the
limb, the other formed into a moose
and placed over the head and around
the neck of the trembling parson.
"Alre We ready?" cried the leader
of the mob to the two men who were
stationed at the ends of the plank
ready to lift it out from under the
| feet of the doomed man.
"Give him one more chance ter tell
who robbed him." demanded Paymas-
| ter Bill
Standing there upon that plank,
with the death rope around his neck,
Parson Toms memory returned. The
ugly face of his assailant, which he
could not see the night before in the
darkness, was now plainly visible, and
! the couched form of the robber APP.
peared as plain as on the day he had
sneaked out of camp at the command
of these same men.
The crowd waited almost breath.
lessly.
"Quickl" shouted Big Frank, who
was leader.
"Saddle - Horse - Pete" almost
shouted the parson.
The crowd broke out in ieers.
"Oh, mol" they said, "that can't be.
He was drove out, an he's not likely
to show his head anywheres 'roun' this
camp. That won't do. Guess agin. u
"Ye'll hev to perduce ther body OF
Saddle-Hoss Pete afore the court Il
admit ther evidence, said Bill.
"Once agin. Aire ye ready?"
shouted Big Frank.
eyes" came the calm but determ-
ined voices of the two men at the ends
of the plank.
"Giye him time ter pray" begged
an unwilling participant.
"Pray then !" shouted the leader.
Parson Tom stood erect with bowed
head. Slowly and with firmness he
lifted his voice Suddenly he faltered,
turning his face toward the mountain.
Hark! Look! The excited group
of men stood there riveted to the
ground. The hands of those who held
the plank were frozen as if in death S
clutch. The tongue of him whose
word was law was paralyzel, The
sound which filed their ears carried
more terror to their souls than the
awful roar of battle, the rushing of the
mighty waters in storm at sea, and
the rumbling of an earthquake, all
combined, could have inspired.
On, on it came, tearing from their
roots great trees that had withstood
the storms of generations; hurting
heavy branches, logs, timbers and
rocks hundred feet above the heads
of the frightened witnesses.
Great clouds of snow filed the all