Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1907-11-07

enter into IT,
"rhat's right" echoed another at his
elbow. 1--WE cant seize the claims,
because McNamara's got soldiers to
back him up They'd shoot us down. |
You ought TO he the last one TO object" |
He saw that dispute was futile. De-
termination was stamped on their |.
faces too plain for mistake, and his
argument had no more effect on them
than had the pale rays of the lantern |
beside him, yet he continued
81 don't deny that Mcnamara de. F.,
serves lynching, but Stillman doesn't.
He's weak old man"-some one
laughed derisively there's a
woman in the house, He's all she has
in the world to depend upon. and you
would have to kill her TO get at him.
If you must follow this course, take
the others, but leave him alone"
They only shook their heads. while
several pushed by him even MS he
spoke. Were going to distribute our
fuvors equal" said Il man aS he left
They we're actuated by what they
called Justice. and he could not sway
them. The life and welfare Of the
north were tn their hands. MS they
thought and there was not one to hest
tate. Glenlster implored tie chairman,
but the man answered him:
ITS too late for further discussion,
and let me remind you of your prom
Use. You're bound by every obligation
that exists for nm honorable man
ooh, don't think that I'll give the
snap away" said the other; "but
warn you again not to enter Stllman's
house"
He followed out into the night to
find that Dextry had disappeared evil
IDENTITY wishing TO avoid argument
Roy had seen Signs Of unrest beneath
the prospector's restraint during the
past few days, and indications of
fierce hunger to vent his spleen on the
men who had robbed him Of his most
sacred rights. He was Of m intOlerant.
vindictlve nature that would 90 TO any
length for vengeance. Retribution was
part of his creed
On his way lomc the young man
looked at his watch to find that he had
but an hour to determine his course.
Instinct prompted him to join his
friends and to even the score with the
men who had injured him SO bitterly.
for measured by standards of the
frontier. they were pirates with their
lives forfeit Yet he could not coun-
tenance this step. IF only the vlgl-
lantes would le content with making
an cxample-bGt he knew they would
not. The bloc hunger Of mob is
easy, to whet and hard to hold.
Mcnamara would resist, as would
Voorhees, and The district attorney,
! then there would be bloodshed, riot
/ chaos. The soldiers would be called
out and martal law declared. the
| streets would become skirmish grounds.
! The vigilantes would rout them with.
out question, for every citizen of thc
north would rally 10 their aid. and such
/ men could not be stopped The judge
would go dow with the rest Of the
ring. and what would happen to-her?
He took down MIS- Winchester. oiled
and cleaned it. thyn buckled on belt
OF cartridges. Sii he vrestled with
himself. He fo,t that he was being
ground between his loyalty to the vlgi-
lantes and his own conscience The
girl was one Of the rang. he reasoned
she had schemed with them to betray
him through his love- and she was
, pledged to the one man in the verdi
whom he hated with fanatical fury.
Why should lie think of her in this
hour? Six months back he would have
looked with jealous eyes upon the right
to lead the viglantes. but this change
that had mastered him what was it:
Not cowardice, nor caution. No Yet
being Intangible, It was none the less
marked as his friends had shown him
nm hour since.
He slipped out into the night The
mob might do ms it pleased elsewhere.
but no man should enter her house. He
found a light shining from her parlor
window, and, noting the shade up a
few inches, stole close. Peerng
through. he discovered strive and
Helen talking. He SUNK back into
the shadows and remained hidden for
considerable time after the lawyer
left, for the dancers were returning
from the hotel and passed close by
When the last group had chartered
away down the street he turned to the
front of the house, and mounting the
steps, knocked sharply. AS Helen ap
peared at the door, he stepped inside
and closed 1t after him.
The girls hair lay upon her neck and
shoulders In tumbcd brown masses
! while her breast heayed unanimously
at the sudden, grim sight of him
She stepped back against the wall. hel
wondrous, deep gray eyes wide ant
troubled, the blush Of modesty strug
Cling with the pallor Of dismay.
The picture palned him like knife
thrust. This girl was his bitteres
enemy-no hope Of her was for him
He forgot for moment that she was
; false and plotting, then, recalling 1t
spoke as roughly rs he might and stat
ed his errand Then the old man haC
! appeared on the stairs above, speech
less with fright at what he overheard
. 1t was evident that his nerves, so sore
} ly strained by the events of the pas
week, were now snapped utterly. 4
human soul naked ana panic stricken
S Is no pleasant sight, SO Glenlster drop
8 ped his eyes and addressed the cir
again:
Don't take anything with you. JUL
, dress and come with me"
The creature on the stairs aboy