The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-08-13

revolver hing upon ne ioor. and
Swung slaVlns discarded belt across
bis shoulder
stand aside. gentlemen be con
handed step back. ard LEI ne
psss.r
They obeyed He swept them Nth
vafchfnl eyes stepped past and Slam
NED he d6of behind him. hen were
aifeady inning 70 pour into he 81
lcon 1neeftaln yet d tie taets ard
shouting questions % each .cther To-
tiny ignorilg these Hampton thrust
himself :reeklessly through the crowd
Halfway down he broad steps Buck
Mason faeed him: II shirt Ileeyess his
head uncovered. a rgiy '45' IN his
uplfftsd hand. Just an Instant the
eyes q ne two men net neither
doubted the grim purpose q the other
You've gDt ter DO Il Bob : an
ncuneed the marshall shortly, dead
er aIivs.s
Hampton never hesitatet I'm scr
n / met yuu. / don't want TO get
anybody else mixed up n this fuss
II youu promise me . chance for my
life, Buck. IN throw up my hands.
But / prefer . bullet 70 amob-r
The little marshal was saniy=haired.
frecklef faced, and an nerve The
crowd tammed within the Occidental
had already turned and were surgtng
toward the door. Hampton knew from
long experience what this meant;
these were the quickly tnaamed Co
horts Of Judge they would act
first, and reflect later. His square
jaws set Ike trap.
+An right Bob" said the marshal.
You're my prisoner. and theren be
one hen Of q fight afore them lads
git ye. There's q chance left-leg It
after me"
Just as the mob surged out Of the
Occidental, curstng and struggling.
the two sprang forward and dashed
into the narrow space between the
livery stable and the hotel. Monat
CHANGED to be IN the pasageWay, and
pausing TO ask no questions, Mason
promptly landed that gentleman on
the back Of his head in a pile Of dis
earded tin cans, and kicked viciously
At q yellow dog which Ventured 70
snap At them as they swept past Be
hind arose Z yolley Of eurses, the thud
Of feet, an oecasionn voice roaring
out orders. and sharp spat Of re
volTer shots One BAN plugged into
the siding Of the hotel. and a second
threw 4 spit Of sand into their lower
ed faces, but neither man glanced
back. They we're running for their
lives now, racing for q fair chance to
turn at bay and tight, their sole hope
the steep, rugged hin in their front.
Hampton began to understand the
purpose Of his companion, the quick,
Gnerrfng instinct which had led him
to select the one suitable spot where
the successful Raging Of battle
against such odds was possible-the
deserted dump OF the SHASTA mine,
With eyery nerve strained TO the
uttermost, the two men raced side by
side down the steep slope ploughed
through the tangled undefbrush, and
toIled up the sharp ascent beyond.
At the summit of theore dump the
two men flung themselves painting
down, for the first time able to realize
what It all meant Thg could per
eeiVe the figures OF their pursuers
among the shadows OF the bushes be
low, but these were mot Tentur.ng out
into the open-the hrst mad, needless
rush had evidently ended. There were
some cool heads among the mob lead,
ers, and It was highly probable tnat
negotiations would be tiled before
that crowd hurled itsel against t~o
desperate men armed anu enslensu
ed. Both fuginVes realtea tnls' anu
lay there eooLy Watentul' lheir Dreatn
growing more regular tneif eyes sot'
ening.
@Whut Is all this fuss about any
how" questioned the marshall, evf
IDENTIFY somewhat aggrte'ed. wus
just eatin' dinner Wnen leiier sue, seueS
his head IN an .S en e..issS = A
somebody over al tne qssiuen'A
Hampton turned ms isee ss'eiy