The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1903-11-20

calculated the distance of the horse
men, Before he had taken dozen
steps a vOlley of shots struck the trees
around aim, and Hold" the ring
leader of the posse shouted. This in
| trusion seemed almost a dissertation
to the presence of his precious letter,
and before turning to face the crowd
he thrust it hastily into his shirt.
Throw up your arms!" the voice
again commanded. Then walk ten
| paces!"
The original Rattlesnake posse, aug
mented by as many more excitement
| seekers from the camp in the ravine,
! lined up in double column, leaving a
space for the Kid to walk between
them.
Gentlemen" the spokesman an
nounced, solemnly, you kin all see he
| is pigeon-toed."
JamiSon, looking at the familiar
faces in the crowd, wondered if this
were some clumsy joke, and admitted
cheerfully enough the incontestable
| IdcC LndC ne QlQ Toe III.
Nov don't make up your minds too
quick about this, boys" Pike spoke up;
81 reckon them papers he hid in his
shirt when we come up will prove his
innocence" Pixies ferret-like eyes had
been the only ones to detect that move.
His precious letter in the hands of
this gang of ruffians! Never! mo,
boys" the Kid said, positively, what
ever you may want with me can have
nothing to do with these papers"
This stand on the Kids part seemed
to make the chain of circumstantial
evidence complete in the minds of his
pursuers.
eff them papers We sneaked out O.
sight when we caught we is straight,
l guess We won't mind handin' 'em
over" Pike tainted.
81 tell you, you are not going to see
these papers" the Kid repeated,
fiercely.
1--WE won't, hey?" said Pike, and be-
fore Jamison had a chance to duck,
Pixies brawny right had landed him .
soothing blow.
Here now, boys, be peaceable," in
snake, ''all we want is to see justice
prevail in these parts and we want to
be peaceable about it,
1t was growing late; the pursuing
party had had long ride, and they
were in a hurry. Lawlessness had
vi
were all agreed, and summary justice
wreaked on the head of the first avail
able miscreant would be a wholesome
example for long time to come
wall, now, whoever would "a
thought that of the KIDD" exclaimed
Pike, in well-feigned surprise, draw
ing an discriminating bank-note from
somewhere, and displaying it to the
crowd. And the boys from the camp,
who had known him best, looked sor-
rowfully at this proof of the Kids
guilt.
Jamison rode back to camp at the
head of the party, while the ringlead-
ers dropped back, and weighed his
case. From the testimony gotten from
the men around the Round Tent he
was recognized as suspicious charac-
ter. Eyes, turrible dangerous feller,"
Pike ventured, seeing the scales turn
ing against him. He had certainly
been caught running away; the papers
hidden in his shirt were, OF course,
one of the missing rolls of bank-notes
known to have been in the murdered
mans cabin; he was pigeon-toed, as
were also the tracks leading from the
cabin.
There was no guard-house at the
camp, nor secure tent even, so as a
matter of eXpediency the men lined up
into hollow square. A gnarled old
oak stretched it's gaunt arms across
the creek that babbled down the hill
side, and under this the party stopped.
The grinning moon hung low over the
CHASTITY scene, and a few faint stars
peeped out and shivered with the hor-
ror of it all.
Time was pressing. The Rattle
shakers had a nishss ride ahead of
them, SO no time was lost on prelim-
inaries.
When the, rigid body of the Kid was
cut down next night, Pike, honest,
justice-loving Mr.. Pike, still fearless
lest the murder might be traced up
to him, managed to secure the dead
mans much-treasured papers which
still were concealed in his shirt.
Later, when he stealthily consigned
the letter to the campfire, he glanced
hurriedly at the thirtieth page, still
bearing the imprint of Jamison's hand,
and chuckled as he read: Our meet
ing, when it does come, will be all the
sweeter for its long postponement-" >
San Francisco Argonaut.