The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-06-23

be obeyed Drunk? Nav! He wasn'i
drunk. He just dore that way to kidc
of educate both Runty and the boys.
After that evening Lonesome. Pap
Johnson. Big Bill Jernigan, Billy Earle
Windy Jenkins and one or two others
conspired together that Marshal Smith
ers might serve his municipality with
nopor-and safety. Paradise was
blessed in that it had a corps of mar
shals instead of one. The change in
the morale of the town was noticeable
At intervals one of the eonspirators
would get on stage drunk and let
Runty lock him up.
1t didn't do us no HARM explained
Windy, AN il sorteT gle Runty conf
dence in hisseH Lord, we just en-
joyed it"
Whenever one Of the Enthusiastically
citizens Of Paradise filed UP on ba6
whiskey aud there was danger of gen
uine trouble. one Of the boys would be
detailed to keep Runty occupied in
remote quarter while Lonesome or Big
Bill Jerrigdn quieted the Obstreperous
party.
The months wore on and Runty re
joiced in the thoroughness of his work.
He walked more erect. He felt he was
a man among men and almost guilt
waited a bold and fearless aspect. MOI
that he believed his personality was
the cause of the change in the mora
atmosphere of Paradise. Not at all. II
was the natural effect of law. Runty's
respect for the law was that of a mar
| of good parentage raised in one of the
older parts Of the country, and lie never
/ doubted but that it was regard for the
/ law of which he was simply the, ac-
credited representative, that had worked
| the comparative reform in Paradise.
He even threatened to put on paper his
| observations on the Psychic Effect OF
Law in New and Remote Communi-
ties
One Monday morning Lonesome Lin
| thicum received a message calling him
! to a ranch 200 miles up the valley on
mission that would require his at
tention three or four days. With
word of warning to a few of the boys.
ne rode out of town. The following
day announcement was made of
dance to be given at Boomers Gulch
on Saturday night. All Paradise was
invited. and most of it accepted. Jerni-
/ gan, Windy, Billy Earle, Pap Johnson
and others tried to prevail on Runty
to join them, but the marshaPs con-
ceptiOn of his duty would not permit
him to leave his post.
You fellows g-g-go on and have the
t-t-time of your lives" he said. I'm
| stay right mere anu see liAdl ilOOcON
c-c-carries off the town.
| As nearly every one that had the
| evening free was expecting to attend
the dance, Runty's self-appointed guar
dams could see no risk in leaving him
uncared for that one night, and it was
so decided.
At 10 o'clock that Saturday night,
while all was peacefully quiet in Para
disc, four men, masked and heavily
l. = he s,4-
trail. In silence they passed through
the deserted streets to where the lights
from Three-F'ingered Pete's saloon and
gambling house shone across the dark
ened thoroughfaTe. NOiselessly dis
mounting, they hitched their ponies
readjusted their masks and surveyed
the room from their concealment in the
outer shadow. Pete's bartender
| Dutch Henry the sole occupant, was
doing in a chair at the end of the bar.
With one swift stride he who acted as
leader of the outlaws was in the saloon
la forty-fOur in each hand covering
Dutch.
Hands up" short and sharp.
A glance toward the door, an almost
involuntary movement of the hand
toward the gun under the par, a SHARP
report, and Dutch Henry had paid the
debt of indiscretion. The outlaws hast
room where Pete kept his bank roll.
Finding it locked, the leader gave quick
and decisive orders.
Jake, knock that knob off with the
hammer. Squint, get out your brace
and bit Here's the dynamite. Jerry
go outside and watch. There may be
some one left in this cursed town after
all"
There was. The words were scarcely
spoken when Marshal Smithers stepped
! into the saloon. Even his defective
vision could not mistake the visible evil
derces of crime. Hating inside the
door, he said:
Men, c-c-come with me-
: At the sound of his voice the leader
: of the outlaws whirled on his heel
/ fired-and missed. Runty had never
: been shot at before. His Sard-foundet
confidence fed in a flash. His face
: turned ashen gray as his soul was sud.
denly STEPPED into the agony Of physi
cal fear. His frame trembled With tbs
! wild desire to turn and fee. His lip.
n went dry, cold sweat bathed his body
} and the horror of cowardice cried alouC
) within him. But he walked steadil,
forward, pointed to the star on his coal
J lapel, and said:
Men, c-c-cOme with me-"
} The amazement that an unar,ne5
man, and one of such peaceful assur-
ance. should venture to challenge then
{ held the outlaws spellbound for mo.
ment, but now, with an oath, tho
; leader fired again. the report OF his
, revolver barely preceding fusiliade
from those of his followers and Mar
shat Runty Smithers sank to the floor