Daily camera., 1897-01-19

slCeuy llS lne absurd long SWORD Ineu
worn by our sergeants, and the other
clamping his rifle at the right shoulder,
puf1ingly answered.:
"Havin' some fun with the sheriff.
He had nigger posse guardin' the jail.
Folks wouldn't stand it,"
Another minute OF running brought
them ts the outskirts of the struggling
town. Women and children could be
seen peering eNcitedly towards the
square Two very small Boys, hearing
the'heavy tramp, tramp of the infantry,
turned and scuttled away for the shell
ter of an open door. Three hundred
yards ahead man in his shirt slee&s
popped around corner looked keenly
at the coming squad and popped back
again When Lambert, leading his men
by dozen PAGES, came dancing around
that same corner and found himself at
the northeast angle of the plaza, this
same citizen was seated,on the nearest
porch, placid1y smoking ccln-cob pipe
and reading a newspaper, his boots
braced against wooden pillar and his
chair tilted back against the wall.
In similar attitudes of exaggerated
calm, farther along in the direction of
the post Office, were one or two other
gentlemen lof Tugaloo. Only around
'Cohen's mercantile emporium was there
faintest signcof excitement. There enc
or two trembling, pallid clerks Were
bustling about and putting up the
shutters. The gang of negroes ordina-
rily 1oafingc around the plaza had totally
vanished. lambert, expecting to fnl
himself in the presence of a surging
mob, came to a sudden halt in sheer
surprise. The squad Slowed down at
a sign from their sergeant. and then,
closing up their rank, marched silently
ahead in qnick time.
'"Where'sfth Jail ?" asked Lambert OF
his. subordinate.
Ground there behind the next corner,
s:r, where the bell isl
Three or four prominent citizens
came strolling out of the saloon near
the post office, their hands in their
pockets and guilds of exaggerated size
in their cheeks. The BET, under the
impulse of unseen hands, was still vio-
iently ringing; otherwise an almost
Sabbath stiffness pervadcd the town of
'Tugaloo. AT the corner lay gaunt
uuadruped, blood tricllling from its nos
trils and from shot-hote in the side
sole indication of recent battle. The
,ail door stood obliquely open othe de
,clining sun. The barred windows were
tightly closed.
"'Put stop to anything they're at"
repeated Lambert to himself. ''But
what arc they at? How on earth can 1
find out?-
Like those of -the Jail behind it the
windows of the little meeting house
we're closed, and apparently boarded up
from within. The double doors IN
front wore tightly shut and decorated
in one ur two places with bullet holes.
The bell kept up its furious din. Ham
mer the door with the butt OF your
rife" said the lieutenant, annoyed to
see that such pf the populace as began
to appear were looking on'in unmlstak-
able amusement.
'Guess they're all down in the cellar,
said tall,civilian. WANT
any of en-? Reckon they'll come up #
You'll tell Squire Parmcl29 TO shout.
Don't seem to see him, though. And
the grinning countryman was present.
ly. Joined by one or two of his friends.
Lambert simply did not know what to
make of the situation. Sergt. Nc
Bride was going around flammering at
ont shutter after another and mutter-
ing about 1.darned fools inside a cor
poral with two men had explored the
two rooms of the primitive building
used as jail. and now cameo ont to say
there was nobody there. which seemed
to tickle the fancy of the rallying pop
ulace. Still the bell kept up its deafen-
ing clanlor and Lambert was waxing
both nervous and indignant. The abb
sence of the civil officers of the law
the deputy marshal or sheriff--ren-
dered him practically powerless to; act.
He could not pitch into the people Tor
standing around with their hands in
their pockets and looking amused.
There was nothing hostile or threaten
ing in their manner. They were even
to be friendly-as when they
saw Lambert take rifle with evident
intention of battering in the door, they
shouted 10 him in genuine concern:
1Don't do that, lieutenant Those fell
lows will be shootin' up through the
floor nexr.- The squire'll be along pres
<r+ly of him do it -
Presently the squire did come, still
"white about the gills," as sergeant
and him Lambert angrily ac-
cqsted:
f'What do you want us to do, Mr..
Parmelee? We've beer here several
minutes with nobody to report to-"
'I s'pose my poor fellows are mur-
dered to man" cried Pa, melee, sliding
off his mule and handing the reins to !
soldier, who coolly transferred them
to the nearest post. Cant you make
'em hear. McBride?"
Not il they're all dead" answered