The Savannah morning news., 1903-01-25

game. Meanwhile the pole had fall
len and twenty men were carrying it
toward the jail AS they passed the
window a burly Kentuckian, who
led them, looked up.
stop heah, boys" he said good
naturally, less rest ourselves. Let the
Hoosiehs finish this job"
Laying it down they crowded close
to the window and watched the
mother and child. The delay in form
irg another squad to carry the pole
was a considerable gain. "Peek-a- boo"
had given way to This little pig went
to market" when Mrs. Ballantyne
heard the orders.
Clear space there! Further back,
boys! Further YETI 80, get back,
can't you, out of their way?" "Give
them room for a rum" "Nowl Come
with rush-one, two, three, four!"
There was splintering crash,
shout from the mob, one long terrified
Shrek from inside the jail-the door
was down! The sheriff's wife buried
her face on the shoulder of her child
she had failed to protect her hus-
bands trust.
The tumult inside the Jail drowned
of excited men and the din of tram
ping feet, came the cries of prisoners
locked in their cells and uncertain
what was happening. Some shrieked
fire in mortal terror, all pounded
the cell doors and begged to be let
out to die like men. To the horror
of all this footsteps in the private
private hall added for Mrs. Bal
lantyne the thrill of personal fear. but
Il % he
explained, to stay with her and the
body"
A fierce, wild animal cry went up
from the waiting crowd outside. The
murderers were being brought out
one shrieking like a manic, one silent
and obedient. They were dragged
across the yard to a maple tree which
shaded the side windows of the sher-
IFS parlor. 1t was near the electric
light, and, gently shaken by the night
breeze, all it's tender new leaves twinkl-
ed and shone. 1t was a beautiful tree
"a little peculiar in form because of
the great size of two lateral branches
which spread it's shadow widely and
recommended it tonight as a natural
gallows.
The leaders of the mob halted I'M
der it, and a boy climbed it with a
rope in his hand. Barnett Crane
which hung under the side window.
Then he went in to Mrs. Ballantyne.
Cant you sing?" he asked. at
might put them off a moment or two"
"It is too late" she whispered in
despair.
'Twouldn't be if Steve could get
here" he answered confidently.
His faith in her husband gave her
courage. She stood against the iron
iliptr IF the haIPonv with LITTLE
Stephen in her arms while Barnett
Crane called out over the heads of the
crowd
Boys, stop a moment You've got
those fellows and can do what you
please with them, give them minute
or two to repent in, for Mrs. Ballan-
tyne's sake"
give them an instant! We don't want
them to repent"
But there were others who were
faithful to the mother and child.
Five minutes, boys! Give EN- that
long!'
But it might not have been done
had not Alice begun to sing. Her
voice was the pride of the county.
Many in that crowd had heard it be-
fore at public meeting and entertain
ment, from the church choir or at
funerals, and tonight its glorious
notes were more thrilling than ever
before. The sheriff, riding GREATNESS
ly toward his duty, heard it swelling
on the soft night air and recognized
it.
The boy who had taken the rope up
the tree with such a lively sense of
the honor, slid down the dark side of
the trunk and disappeared. The mask
desperados. listened to the heart
searching melody.
Jesus, lover of my soul,
Let me to they bosom fly"
and more than one of them brushed
away the tears.
By some occult power the singer
knew that she was melting them, and
sang on as By angelic inspiration. And
thrilling with triumph she saw. al
ready inside the yard and making his
way inapetuously to his prisoners,
Stephen.
BY the time her song was finished
he had taken his place. His back was
against the tree, his right hand. ex-
tended over the murderers who grow
elled at his feet. held a revolver. The
leaders saw in his blue eyes that star
Ting IRE which shows the man at