Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-24

trembling from the window. The clock
struck the half hour: half past eleventh
next?"
Stephen signiied his eagerness to play
"peek-a-boo,' and they began the game.
Meantime the pole had fallen and twenty
they passed the window a burly Kentuck-
ian. who led them. looked up.
stop heah. boys" he said goodnaturedly.
less rest Ourselves. Let the Hoosie' his
finish this job
Laying 1t down they crowded close to
the window and watched the mother and
child. The delay in forming another squad
to carry the pole was considerable gain.
''Peek-a-boo" had given way to This little
pig went to market when Mrs. Ballantyne
heard the orders:
"Clear a space there! Further back,
you, out Of their way?" olive them room
for a rum, Now! Come with rush
one, two, three, four!'
from the mob, one long terrified shrek
from inside the jai-the door was down!
The sherin's wife buried her face on the
protect her husbands trust.
The tumult inside the jail downed the
noise without. Above the voices of ex-
cited men and the din Of trampling feet.
came the cries Of prisoners locked in their
cells and uncertain what was happening
Some shrieked fire" In mortal terror. ali
pounded the cell doors and begged to be
of all this footsteps in the private hall
added for Mrs Ballantyne the thrill of
personal fear, but it was only Barnett
crane era come he explained. to stay with
A fierce. wild animal cry went I'D from
the waiting crowd outside. The murderers
were being brought out-one shrieking like
maniac, one silent and obedient, They
were dragged across the yard to a manic
tree which shaded the side windows of the
s sa parior. 1t was near the electric
h tigne. ana gently shaken by the night
breeze all its tender new leaves twinkIetl
ana snone. 1t was beautiful tree-a little
peculiar in form because of the great size
OF Two lateral branches which spread its
night as a natural gallows.
IN Inc leaders OF the mob halted under It,
and boy climbed 1t with a rome In bts
aa 1;t., Barnett Crane watched them from
nttie balcony which hung under the side
window. Then he went In to Mrs. Baian-
tyne. an
Can't you sing?" he asked. .It might
put them on moment or two"
1T Is too late" she whispered in desna,r
he "a answered confidently.
HIS faith In her husband gave her cour-
age She stood against the Iron railing Of
the balcony with little Stephen in her arms
Whl!e barnett Crane called out over the
heads Of the crowd:
Boys, stop q moment You'ya oot those
Fellows and can do what you please with
tnem Give them a minute or two to repent
In, Tor Mrs Ballantyne's sake"
From the street came a voice: Don't
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 'em 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 1t before at public meeting and
entertainment. from the church choir .r at
funerals, and tonight its glorious notes
were more thrilling than ever before. The
heard 1t swelling on the soft night air and
recognized 1t.
The boy who had taken the rope up the
tree with such lively sense of the honor
slid down the dark side of the trunk and
disappeared. The masked desperados lis
tened to the Understanding melody:
''Jesus. lover Of my soul,
Let me to thy 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. already inside the
yard and making his way impetuously 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. extended over the
murderers who groveled at his feet held
a revolver. The leaders saw in his blue
eyes that startling fire which shows the
man at white heat. the point beyond which
death may 1ie-but never surrender. He