The Irish standard., 1902-05-03
His Friend,
The Enemy
BY wILL1An WALLACE COOK
Author of Rogers Of Butte. THE Spur Of
Necessity, Mr.. Fit, Astrooger." etc.
CHAPTER Iv,-CoSr,SuEp.
Copyright, l.Ul. by the S. S. Mcclure Col

Rumors of the excitement had
spread to the four quarters of the
town and citizens came running from
every direction, adding their numbers
and their excitement to the tumult-
uous gathering in the hotel.
''Give the man show" cried Chris
topher Waffle, shrilly, springing upon
chair in the Office. Don't act like
lot of hyenas! There's law in this
town and Waffle knows how to deal
it OUT"
'Down with old Wafle!" beloved
the crowd: ''lct's take the law into
our own hands!"
The mob swarmed about Waffle's
chair, overturned it, and the judge
went down and was lost i'm the hui
man wave that rolled over him.
Meantime Guy and Pedro had been
doing ycoman servict in behalf of the
headstrong Dinglc. The little man
had been crowded into five-by-
seven linen closet off the upper hall
and the door locked on him. Guy,
the key in his hand. turned away and
confronted the clrmoring multitude
that struggled up the stairs.
You are men. not brutes," he
shouted. "ciyiIizcd citizens and not a
barbarian h"r,lc." He had used that
speech once in his caIow youth for
Il school defamation. and he poured
forth that much of it with all his
power. 1t sounded well, caught the
ears Of the unruy townsp"oplc, and
proved the entering wedge for a lit
tie reason. "Looli." Guy waved the
key. I'VE have locked Col. Dinglc in
a closet. and if yon will appoint some
one to guard him, some one whom
you can all trust, we will proceed to
debate this question and decide, as
ispasSionatriy as we can, what shall
BE dnLe with our prisoner. Don't be
like ravrning wolves'-more of the
dcclama tiol-"but prove that you are
reasonable beings. Let us go down
into the office and reason together"
"llerbert has got the right end OF
The stick seconded Judge Waffle,
lifting up his voice from the top of
the Office counter. do as he says
and let's have conccnsus of opin-
ion"
THAT is my wish," shouted Col
Kcever from the foot of the stairs,
"Come down, fellow citizens, come
down and we will talk the matter
over"
To have their leader add his per-
sonal request settled the matter, and
the riotous citizens on the stairs be-
gan to descend.
"Who shall guard the prisoner?''
asked Guy. "Mr. Pedro Smith,"
"No," thundered Keever; "let
Sampson stand in the hall before the
door,
Sampson pushed up the stairs with
n1acrity, took tle key from Guys
hand and proceeded at once to his
post. When all the others we're on
the Office floor debate as to the
punishment which should be mcted
out to Col. Dingle was at once be.
gun.
y few suggested hanging in nc
cquivocal terms; a large number
were of the opinion that tarring and
fcathcring WAS as far as they should
go, while a conservative element be.
sufficient punishment if he were set
estriuc Il pole and ridden out of town
There was but one point on which
he agreement was any hing like be,
ing unanimous, and that was that
Ding!e. before he was dealt with in
any manner whatever, should &C
down on his knees to Col. Keever
and implorc his pardon.
Guy was against this and so was
Waffle. and. of course. Hill Comfort
Arguments pro and con came fast
and furious and an hour passed with.
out bringing the d;>st ntiny factions
any closer together than they were
at first. misunderstanding began tc
crop ont and NOR" than one harsh
word was bandic,' ba' * and forth.
jus, when it srmcd that the
wrnngiinw citizens would come tC
blows Il dcspairing cry for help float.
ed down from upstairs. 1t was Samp,
sons voice. What had happened:
In Il flash every voice was hushcd
and the crowd caught it's breath
Then came the slamniny of door
followed by Il crashing sound and a
hollow grunn.
Guy led the rush for he sccond
story and found. when he reached tho
top of the stairs, that the closet
door was jar. the prisoner gone nnC
Sampson lying in Il hu,!ulrd heap or
the floor without sound or move
mrnt.
The asst oundrd citizens looked from
one to another. and, as they looked
the swift fall of a horses hoofs
echoed up from the street, accom-
panied by shrill and triumphant
yell. With one accord the crowt
tlocked to the windows and caught +;
tleeting glimpse of Col. Dinglc ca
reering madly in the direction O.
Harmony. He WAS mounted on tn.
horse which Guy had ridden the nigh
before. and was waving over his heat
the weather vane that had been re
Gently affixed to the roof of the new
courthouse.