Evening star., 1898-05-21
Part Il,

Only one shot had been fred. 1t had
gone wide of it's mark-the ringleader of
the vigiantes-and it had left Red Pete,
who had fired it, covered by their rifles
and at their mercy. For his hand had been
cramped by hard riding. and his eye dis
tracted by their sudden onset. and SO the
Inevitable end had come. He submitted
sullenly to his captors. his companion fugi-
tive and horse thief gave up the protracted
struggle with a feeling not unlike relief
Even the hot and vengeful victors were
content. They had taken their men alive.
At any time during the long chase they
could have brought them down by rifle
shot, but it would have been unsportsman-
like and have ended in free fight-instead
of an example. And, for the matter of
that, their doom was already sealed Their
end by a rope and tree. although not
sdnctifed by law. would have at least the
deiiberatiOn of justice. 1t was the tribute
paid by the vigilantes to that order which
they themselves had disregarded in the
pursuit and capture. Yet this strange logic
of the frontier sufficed them and gave a
certain dignity to the climax.
EFF you've got anything to say to your
folks say it now. and say it quick said
the rngieader.
Red Pete glanced around him. He had
clearing. whence a few relatives and
fIiendS-mostly women and children, nom
COmbatants-had outfiowed, gazing vacant
ly at the twenty vigilantes who surrounded
them All were accustomed to scenes of
violence, blood feud, chase and hardship:
1t was only the suddenness of the onset
and its quick result that had surprised
them. They looked on with dazed curios-
lty and some disappointment. There had
been no fight to speak of-no spectaclei A
boy-a nephew of Red Pete-got upon the
Tain barrel to View the proceedings more
comfortably; tall. handsome lazy Ken
lucky girl, a visiting neighbor leaned
against the doorpGst, chewing gum. Only
a yellow hound was actively perplexed. He
could not make out if a hunt We're just over
or beginning, and ran eagerly backWa rd
and forward, leaping alternately upon the
captives and the captors
The ringleader repeated his challenge
Red Pete gave a reckless laugh and look
ed at his wife.
At which Mrs. Red Pete came forward
III seemed that she had much to say-in-
coherently, furiously, vindictirely-to the
ringieader His soul would roast In
hell for that days work, He called him
seif a man, skulkin' in the open and afraid
10 shGw himself except with a crowd of
"ther k!-ye around house of women
anu chlicren Heaping insult insult, IN
NeiShlhS against his low blood. his ances-
tors. MS dubious origin, she at last fling
cHt Wild taunt of his invalid wife-the In
sun OF a woman to a wOman-uutiI his
''-iAt' 4sitt SitN TlSlQ, ana ONLY thai
EN- american fetish of the sanctity of sex
Kept Ms twitchins fingers from the lock of
ms rife. Even her husband noticed il and
Win a half authoritative Let I'D on that
o-d sAi' and pat of his freed left hand
"a Her pack. took his last parting The
FhiSIeaGer, still white under the lash of tn.
woman tongue. turned abruptly 10 The
second captive. And if you've got anv-
chance" '0di
The man looked up Nobody stirred or
s'Hhe- He was stranger there-bejng a
thahGe confederate picked up by Red Pete
aiiI hHoWh 10 no one Still young. but an
outlaw from hIs abandoned boyhood. of
winch father and mother were onIy an
ugly forgotten dream. he loved horses and
stole them- fully accepting the frontier
penalty OF life for the interference with
that animal on which a mans life so often
depended But he understood the good
points OF horse. as was shown by the one
ne bestrode-untIl few days before the
property of Judge BoOmpointer This was
his sole distinction
The unexpected question stirred him for
q moment out of the attitude of reckless
in@lhtrence. tor attitude it was and a part
oI MS profession But it may have touched
him that at that moment he was less than
his companion ard his viraeo wife. How
ever. he only shook mis- head. As he did
50 ms eye casually fell on the handsome
Eir4 by the doOrpCst, who was looking at
him. The ringleader. too NAV have been
touched by his complete loneliness. for he
heS!tated. AT the same moment he saw
that the girl was looking at his friendless
captive.
\ grOtesque idea struck him.
salomy Jane. We might do worse than
come yere and say goodbye to a diving
man. and him stranger" he said
There seemed tC be a subtle stroke of
poetry and irony in this that equally
struck the apathetic crowd. 1t was well
known that Salomy Jane Clay thought no
small potatoes Of herself. and always held
of the local swain with lazy nymph-like
scorn: Nevertheless, she slowly disengaged
herself from the doorpost, and, to every
bodys establishment, lounged with languid
grace and outstretched hand toward the
prisoner. The color came into the gray
reckless mask which the doomed man wore
as her right hand grasped his left just
ioosed by his captors- Then she paused