The suburban citizen., 1900-07-21

VI Tue .JokeIS rode 0ueau, TWO beside
me and the rest tailed behind. So far
as l could see, all seemed very ready
to shoot
1t seemed to me that I was hurt in
ternally, At any rate, they had led
me about half a mile before / was
able TO demonstrate, which / did as
iocularly as l could, for 1 supposed |
might earn 4 valuable reputation for
sand" by taking the hazing gpleasantly.
you fellows are too smart with the
rope" 1 said. IF you played fair. I'd
have kept the crowd off with the pitch
fork-bet your life"
The man on my right, the gaunt
young rider so quick TO anger. swung
the back of his left hand against my
mouth before l could finish This was
too much. With my lips bleeding and
mashed 1 cried out "Say. you needn't
think I'm going to stand this sort Of
thing. Not much! You're going too
far! Striking me like that! You're a
brute! Just let my hands free and"
Then he backhanded my nose, and
the man on my left punched me in the
ribs, and 1 stopped my challenge and
fell all at once into fear
Not a laugh had come from any man
in the cavalcade since I saw them first.
What if they were not counterfeltlng
those savage looks? Were they in
earnest? Did they, then. mistake me
for some horse thief? If so. I was in
danger Of being hung soon, 1 thought,
for Nixon had told me that such had
been the end Of three horse thieves in
the region. 1 at once began expostu-
lating in a new tone.
whats the matter" asked.
"What am 1 accused of? I've only
been here two days. I'm from wis,
consin, and I've been working for
Nixon right along. There's some mis-
take"
The gaunt, fierce young man on my
right looked down at my boots with an
evil grin. None of the others seemed
to give my questions any attention.
In vain l varied my question; no re-
ply was made, unless looks Of increas-
ing anger and disgust could be called
replies. Finally the big graybeard,
who was one of the two riding ahead
of me, turned savagely, and said:
You Internal numbering villain, I'll
gag you if you don't shut up! Shut upw
And l did, but not before the young
man had again swung the back of his
hard hand against my mouth With
that, 1 confess, I began to cry and
sob.
DO you mind Jim's woman how
she cried over him last night:" said
the young man, speaking to his com.
rade across my front with an air of in
tense loathing and contempt for mo.
\ murderhad been committed yester-
day, then. And I was supposed to be
the slayerl
In horror l spoke out again: Great
heavens, men, don't hang an innocent
person." but before l had quitefnished
the big man turned, and the fierce
young man seized me by the back Of
the neck and held mc while the gray
beard jammed a quadrupled section of
lariat into my mouth, after tying its
ends together with rawhide thongs.
which he finally tied behind my head.
1t almost choked me; the taste was
slckening and I thought l should
faint with pain and terror. Now
could not even plead for my life.
They took me two miles farther. and
then l saw the river and a much larger
company of men under a solitary great
oak tree. The big graybeard had al
ready gallOped forward. and suppose
he had told the others the murderer
was captured, for a man was out on q
long, low branch fixing a dangling
rope
AS | came near it I struggled to re-
lease my arms and made some sound
with my mouth, trying to shrek pro.
| tosiatiOns Of innocence ana demands
that Nixon be brought, but they gave
me little attention, and 1 could effect
nothing until they pulled me down
from the horse. Then / took them by
| surprise, for l began q series Of kicks
ana before they had knocked me down
and bound my legs the fierce young
man, who had struck me three times.
was doubled up, holding his stomach
with his two hands and gasping, while
TWO others were little better off.
Pretty good for a man with his
hands tied" said the grayeard. appre.
ciatively. First time 1 ever see "A reg.
ular numbering villain that was so
game. I'd feel like givin' him a square
trial if it wasn't a clear waste of timc,o
and with that he looked hard at my
| blue-tOpped boots.
Amt he got 'em onf' said another.
Let him die in 'cm, seeing he killed
Jim in 'omw
! Then guessed the truth quite accur.
atcly. In fact, an unknown man in
blue topped boots had killed Jim Suther-
land, general favorlte. near the door
OF Jim's own house on the river front.
win no witnesses except the poor wife
and two little children Blue.topped
boots were rare, and / corresponded in
all respects to the description Of n
smooth-faced young man with blue.
topped boots, which the distracted
widow had given to the collected ayon.
gers.
| T., I -