The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-08-01

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al Read 1t in Your Face" He Insisted,
at Told of Love-"
which had been torn afresh In his ef-
forts to bear Hampton to safety Just
below them a mounted trooper caught
sight Of them and came forward. He
failed to recognize his officer in the
begrimed person before him, until
called TO attention by the voice of
command
Sims, If there Is any water in your
canteen, hand it over Good; here,
Marshal, use this. Now, Sims, note
what l say carefully, and don't waste
minute. Tell the first sergeant to
send a file of men up here With some
sort of a litter, on the run Then you
ride to the Herndon house-the yellow
house where the roads fork, you re-
member-and tell Miss Nadia ellis
(don't forget the name) that Me.
Hampton has been seriously wounded,
and we are taking him to the hotel.
Can you remember that?"
Yes, sir"
Then off with you, and don't spare
the horse"
He was gone instantly, and Brant
began bathing the pallid, upturned
face
You'd better lie down. Marshal"
he commanded. You're pretty weak
from loss of blood and l can do all
there is to be done until those fell
lows get here"
In Is minutes they appeared, and
five minutes later they were toiling
slowly down to the valley, Brant walk
ing beside his still unconscious rival
Here and there down the street. but
especially about the steps of the Occi-
dental, were gathered the discounted
vigilantes, busily discussing the affair.
and cursing the watchful, silent
guard. AS these caught sight of the
little party approaching there were
shouts of derision. The sight and
sound angered Brant
Carry Hampton to his room and
summon medical attendance at once"
he ordered. Il have word to say to
those fellows"
Seeing Mr.. Wynkoop on the hotel
porch, Brant said to him: Miss
Spencer informed me that you saw a
man leap from the back window of the
Occidental Is that true?"
The missionary nodded
Good; then come along with me.
1 intend breaking the back of this
lynching business right here and
now"
He strobe directly across the street
to the steps of the Occidental, his
clothing scarcely more than smolder-
ing rags. The crowd stared at him
sullenly; then suddenly a reaction
came, and the American spirit Of fair
/ play, the frontier appreciation of bull
dog courage, burst forth into a con-
/ fused murmur, that became half a
cheer. Brant did not mince his
words
Now, look here, men! II you want
/ any more trouble, we're here to ac-
commodate you. Fighting IS our
! trade and we don't mind working at
! it. But l wish to tell you right now,
/ and straight off the handle, that you
+ are simply making a parcel Of fools
of yourselves. Slavin has been killed,
and nine out of ten among you are
secretly glad of it. He was a curse
to this camp, but because some of his
+ friends and cronies-thugs, gamblers
and dive keepers-accuse Bob Hamp-
ton of having killed him, you start in
blindly to lynch Hampton, never even
waiting to find out whether the charge
is the truth or a lie. You act like
/ sheep, not American citizens. Now
that we have pounded a little sense
into some of you, perhaps you'll listen
to the facts, and if you must hang
some one, put your rope on the right
man. Bob Hampton did not kill Red
Slavin. The fellow who did kill him
climbed out of the back window of
the Occidental here, and got away,
while you were chasing the wrong
man. Mr.. Wynkoop saw him, and so
did your school teacher. Miss Spen-
Ger"
Then Wynkoop stepped gamely to
the front 'All that is true, men.
ave been trying ever since to tell
you, but no one would listen. Miss
Spencer and both saw the man jump
from the window; there was blood on
his right arm and hand. He was mis-
shapen creature whom neither of us
ever saw before. and he disappeared
on run up that ravine. I have nc
doubt he was Slavin's murderer
Now, you fellows. think that over =