San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1895-12-30

Std ter tell i'm we wanted i'm ter go
ter congress for us. y
Lisette had met them at the door.
Before her husband could speak she cried
out sharply and flung herself upon his
breast His arms had closed tight about
her. Then he put her gently away, call
ed Jim and spoke with him briefly
apart. Then he came in front of his
captors, saying, with the barest under
note of tremor:
''I hope, sheriff, you will all drink
with me before we go. There is little
of my fathers old Madeira left. We
may as well''--
"No, nol' the sheriff said, his voice
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, shores
you're foot high"
ST am glad of It'll 1t is better So
very much better" Austin said, looking
down the road that led in from the turn
pike 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 husbands
side, chung about his neck and set her
mouth full ON his.
ECa,,o1lt To,.rnIlp, ek ~, l,S
ear. "What does-wby are these men
here? Surely you are safer"
ST 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 smothering en-
brace. "Goodby, my life p 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. I have thought so from
the first" he said very low. ''It will
save trouble to-all of us-me especial
ly."
"I'll see both of us shot before do"
the sheriff said, his lips narrowing to
line. His gun was at his shoulder. The
foremost of the lynchers had halted just
inside the gate. There were thunderous
murmurs in the crowd behind. A big
fellow pushed through it and came a
little way in 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 you through whatever comes of
your givin him up An heap more
than that, We II hold you to account for
all that happens to anybody this night
because of him."
"Iet me Co." Carroll said, making to
step over the sill. The sheriff caught
him roughly ana 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
could 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 whit it costs. Let me beg you
now ter go home peaceable-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 Twin will
ever hear the last on it. "
eff it is, you'll make it so, some
one called from the rear. The leader
laughed loud and derisively.
"We oughter nab you right now,
he said. at would make things easier.
Oh, no, we won't do itp' as the sheriff
flung up. his gun. well let you go
for we like you-like you so well we
give you five minutes long 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 Gods sake an mine an
yours, listen ter reason! You're 1870
ter 1, / know, but our backs are at the
tlao I ord thaA mazda