The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1895-12-20

LNO5 AO luO Stltl, LIS NOlCO
coming thin and sharp. "We can't, my
boy. We oughter rid like the devil wus
behind when first we come up with you.
Somethin worse'n the devil is behind.
Thar comes the Clayton clan, shore s
you re foot high"
''I am glad of it! 1t is better So
very much BETTER" Austin said, looking
down the road that led in from the turn
pike a mile away. All the land between
was his own. and had belonged to an
Austin since the days of Choctaw and
Cherokee. Now there came across it half
hundred men, armed, mounted, cry
ing out for vengeance.
AS their yells smote through the dusk
ening air Lisette darted to her husband s
side, clung about his neck and set her
mouth full on his.
Carroll! CARROLL" she said in his
ear. "What does-wby are these men
here? Surely you are safe?"
81 shall be-very soon," Austin said,
shrinking away from her. Then he look
ed to the bottom of her eyes, and at
once caught her in a smothering en-
brace. "Goodby, my life!' he whisper
ed, then flung her from him, faced
about and stood with folded arms at the
side of the sheriff.
The lynchers had reached the inner
gate within easy gunshot of the piazza.
AS they made to rush through it the
sheriff shouted:
"Halt! What do you want?''
"Want! We want Carroll Austin |
What's more, we mean ter have him, !"
the leader shouted back.
"Whut for?" demanded the sheriff.
"You know we'll enough-to save you
the job O. hangin him." a dozen venge-
full voices cried. Austin made forward
step.
"Let them take me. The sooner it is
over the better. have thought SO from
the first" lie said very low. ''It will
save trouble to-all of us-me especial
! ly:"
9TH see both of us shot before do, !"
the sheriff said, his lips narrowing to q
| line. His gun was at his shoulder. The
| foremost of the lynchers had halted just
inside the gate. There were thunderous
murmurs i'll the crowd behind. A big
fellow pushed through it and came a
little way i'll front of the mob's leader
| to say:
"See here, sheriff. Don't make bad
matter worse. Well have Carroll Aus
| tin, dead or alive. More than that, We'll
see yon through whatever comes of
your giyin him up. An heap more
than that, We'll hold yoq to account for
all that happens to anybody this night
because Of him.
"t.et me Co." Carroll said, making to
step over the sill. The sheriff caught
him roughly and thrust him back into
the hands of the posse. Then, holding
his gun muzzle down he went up to the
mob. In spite of the dusk, the foremost
eepld see that his face was white and
working.
"Boys," he said, you're my friends
an neighbors. You all know I'd ruth
er cut off my right hand than it should
do one O. ye the least bit O. harm. But
I'm the county's officer too. I've sworn
ter do my duty, ter protect my prison.
ers with my life. I'm goin ter do it no
matter whht it costs. Let me beg you
now ter 60 home peaeeable-ter' wait
fer law an justice-ef you don't may
God have mercy on us all-this nights
work will be so black no man livin will
egeF hear the last Oh it."
':If it is, you'll make it so,iI some
one called from the rear. The leader
langhea lond and derisively.
''We oughtef nab you right now, y
he said. "It would make things easier.
! Oh, no, we won't do it!'' as the sheriff
flung up his gun. "We'll let you go
for we Alike gopz.zlike you so we'll we
give you five minutes Iong to make up
your mind that you'll give up your
prisoner.
Give years amt long enough fer
that" the sheriff said, clasping his
hands over the butt of his gun, which
rested muzzle downward upon the
ground in front of him. "Boys, boys"
he went on, "fer God S sake an mine an
yours, listen ter reason! You're 1870
ter 1, l know, but our backs are at the
wall, an, by the Lord that made me,
not one o. ye lays hand ON Carroll Aus
| tin SO long as I'm liyin ~
"Oh, go back You'll think better of
| it," the leader sang out. The muttering
behind grew fiercer. Sheriff Smith,
walking backward, said over his shoul-
der to the posse:
"Stand solid, boysl Don't shoot un-
less-until they're right ON us.
With the last word yet in air there
game wild thrush uf feet, oaths, shout
ing, inarticulate savage cries. Twenty
yards off the stream of vengeance staid
its course breath's space as those fore
most called aloud:
lone minute! Just one, then we will
come and take him!'
Again the sheriff cried:
"Haltl The man that comes step
nearer
A fierce yell smothered his speech. In
solid column the lynchers dashed at
him. Instantly the five dark muzzles
belched flame and smoke and hot lea6en
hail The blurred booming filled all the
clear fields with rolling echoes that
swelled to the sky and wavered back to
silence, undervoiced by hurrying hoofs
as the lynchers skunk away.
Something CHASTITY remained behind.
Three dead men lay stark and bloody
upon the trampled turf. The prisoner
had vanished. At the very moment Of
the firing Yellow Jim had rushed at
him and half dragged him away. All
thought of him seemed gone from the
sheriff S mind. As he looked through
tho coft 1pcly or fIa xul,;to stor;,,,, foao,