The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1903-11-20

suOA oetJIe he nad l9heu 0Ozeu
steps a vol!ey OF shots struck the tree,
around him. and Hold" the ring
leader OF the posse shouted. This In
trusion seemed almost desecratiou
10 The presence OF his precious letter
and before turning 10 face the crowd
he thrust IL hastily Into his shirt.
Throw up your arms,' the voice
again commanded. Then walk ten
paces."
The original Rattlesnaxe posse. aug
mented by as many more excitement
seekers from the camp in the ravine,
lined up in a double column, leaving a
space for the Kid TO walk betw cen
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 inccntestable
fact that he did toe in.
Now don't make up your minds too
quick about this, boys" Pike spoke up;
Il 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 detec, that move.
His precious letter in the hands Of
this gang of Tuliians. Never. No,
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
III them papers We sneaked out o.
sight when we caught We Is straight,
| guess we won't mind handin' EN-
over" Pike tainted
II tell you. you are not going TO see
these papers, the Kid repeated.
fiercely.
I'VE won't. hey?" said Pike, and be-
fore Jamison had a chance to duck.
Pixies brawny right had landed him a
soothing blow.
Here now, boys, be peaceable." in
terposed the ringleader from Rattle
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
we're in hurry. Lawlessness had
been running riot long enough, they
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 Kid?" exclaimed
Pike, in well-feisned 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 "A suspicious charac-
ter. Yes, turrible dangerous Teller"
Pike ventured. seeing the scales turn
Ing against him. lie had certainly
been caught running away: the papers
hidden in his shirt we're. OF course.
one OF the missing rolls OF bank-notes
known TO have been in the murdered
mans cabin; he was pieeon-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 its 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 1
peeped out and shivered with the hor-
ror of 1t all.
Time was pressing. The Rattle
shakers had nights ride ahead OF
them, SO no time was lost on prelim-
inafies.
When the rigid body Of the Kid wa
cut down next night, Pike. honest,
Mr. Pike, still fearless
lest the murder might be traced up
10 him. managed to secure the dead
mans much-treasured papers which
still were concealed in his shirt.
Later, when he stealthiiy consigned
The letter to the campfire. he glanced
at the thirtieth page. still
bearing the imprint of Jamison's hand.
and chuckled as he read: Our meet
ne. when it does come. will be all the
'weeter for its long postponenent."
San Francisco Argcnaut.
He Got Tired.