The news & observer., 1903-02-08

| land Tor half the year mat they may not
find Him; so they grope in darkness,
and it is not to be wondered that they
often doubt and deem the Decalogue out
of gear.
Jan ran blindly, reckoning not of the
way of his feet, for he was mastered by
the verb Ito live" To live! To exist!
Buck flashed gray through the air, but
missed. The man struck madly at him
and stumbled. Then the white teeth OF
Bright closed on his mackinaw jacket and
he pitched into the snow.
To live, To exist! He fought wildly.
as ever, the centre of tossing heap of
men and dogs. His left hand grpped
wolf dog by the scruff of the back while
the arm was passed around the neck OF
Lawson. Every struggle of the dog help.
ed to throttle the hapless sailor. JAMS
right hand was buried deep in the curl
ing tendrils of Red Bills shaggy heaG.
and beneath all Mr.. Taylor lay, pinned
and helpless 1t was a deadlock, for the
| strength of his madness was prodig gious,
but suddenly, without apparent reason,
Jan loosed his various grips and rolled
over quietly on his back. His adversa-
! ries drew away little, dubious and dis
concerted. Jan grinned viciously.
Mine friends" he said, still grinning,
you half asked me to be polteful, und
now l am politeful. Vot piziness wood
you do nit me?'
That's right, Jan. Be cam" soothed
Red Bill. II knowed you'd come to yeI
sinses afore long. Jes be cam, now, an
we'll do the trick with neatness and dis
patch
"Vot piziness? vot trick?'
fThe hangin. And yeh oughter thank
yer lucky stars for havin' man what
knows his business. I've did it aforc
now, more'n once, down in the States,
an I can do it to a T.
Hang who? Me?"
Yep"
"Ha! ha! Shust hear der man speak
foolishness! CT me a hand Bill, and l
; will get up und be hung" He crawled
stiffly 10 his feet and looked about him.
) Her Gott! listen to der man! He
wood hang me! Ho! no! ho! l tank not!
Yes l tank mott"
And L tank yes, you swab,' Lawson
, spoke up. mocSingly, at the same time
cutting a sled lashing and coiling it up
5 with ominous care. Judge Lynch holds
: court this day"
, Won liddle WHILE Jan stepped back
from the proffered moose. Il half some
NlHSo W DON dliu " Iilche ttl SA1dC plO-
position. Kentucky, you know about her
Shudge Lynch?"
Yes, sir. 1t is an institution of free
men and of gentlemen. and it is an old
: one and time honored. Corruption may
. wear the robe of magistracy. sub. but
r Judge Lynch can always be relied upon
to give justice without court fees. i
repeat, sub, without court fees. Law
may be bought and sold, but in this en-
!. lightened land Justice is free as the air
We breathe, strong as the Ticker we
drink, prompt as----"
"Cut it short, Find out what the beg
p gar wants." interrupted Lawson, spelling
the peroration.
We'll, Kentucky, tell me dis: Won man
. kill Won odder man, Shudge Lynch hang
e dot man."
c IF the evidence is strong enough-yes,
G suh"
4 "And the evidence in this here case is
g strong enough to hang dozen men.
e JAM broke in Red Bill.
Meier you mind Bill. I talk NIT you
next. Now Won anodder ding ask Ken
r tucky. If Shudge Lynch hang not der
3 man, vot den?'
eff Judge Lynch does not hang the man,
r then the man goes free, and his hands
e are washed clean of blood. And further,
sub, our great and glorious constitution
/. has said, to wit: that no man may twice
/, be placed in jeopardy of his life for one
G and the same crime, or words to that
, effect"
Unit dcy can't shoot him, or hit him
4 nit a club over der head alongside. or
do holdings more nit him?"
r mo, suh.'
c "Goot, You hear vot Kentucky speaks,
all you noddleheads? Now 1 talk NIT
: Bill. You know der piziness, Bill. und
you hang me up brown, eh? Vot you
D say"
4 "Betcher life. an, Jan, if yeh don't give
no more trouble yell be almighty proud
4 | of the job. I'm connesoor."
You half der great head, Bill una
know Something's or two Und you know
Il two unde one makes tree-ain't it,"
c Bill nodded.
t "Und when you haf two dings you hat
J. rot tree dings-ain't it. Now you follow
nit me close und 7 show you It takes
: tree dings to hang. First ding, you halr
q to haf der man.. Goot, l am der man.
. Second ding. you half to half der rope.
d Lawson haf der rope Goot, Und third
e ding, you haf to haf someding to tie
der rope to- Sling your eyes over der
= landscape und find der third ding to tie
e der rope to? Eth? Not you say?"
t Mechanically they swept the ice and
q snow with their eyes. 1t was a homo
n geneous scene. devoid Of contrasts or
0 bold contours, dreary, desolate and
e monotonous-the ice-packed sea- the
slow slope of the beach, the background
of low-lying hills. and over all thrown
the endless mantle of snow. mo trees,
= no bluffs no cabins, no telegraph poles
nothin'," moaned Red Bill "nothin' re-
u spectacle enough nor big enough to swing
$ the toes of a ive-foot man clear O. the
ground. I give it up" He looked yearn
ingly at that portion of JAMS anatomy
: which Joins the head and shoulders.
{ Give it up" repeated sadly to Lawson.
Throw the rope down. Gawd never in
i tended this here country for livin' pur-
poses, an that's cold, frozen fact"
4 "Ostensiblee y'r correct, Bill, me son. =
D spoke up Lawson. "but y.r dummy. ana
/ you can lay to that for another cold.
frozen fact. Takes a sea farmer to learn
l.