The Columbus journal., 1907-09-11

00roe.
TAe shock Of tbs discovery stsaA1sd
him. He realized the meaninG the
dread, terrible meaning. for he knsw
tAo west. IL fierce. impaacable spirit
q vengeance. In mesciIess code q
Nneh-laW. The vigilante0 a he nh
lnx camps were to him IN old seosy:
moeo than once he had Witnessed
theif vofk. beea eonisant q t1sl1
power. TIN Was no tine - pol3ey -
o hesafate. He gEab0ed tAe loo6o9
revolver lying upon tho 0ooe. and
sWung Slayin's discarded belt across
his shoulder.
Stand aside, ge0tlemen." he con-
manded. step bAck. and let ne
pass!"
They obeyed. He swept them With
watchf1l eyes. stepped past and Siam
med the door behind him. Men were
already beginning to pour into tho -
loon, uncertain yet oe the faets. and
shouting questions to eaeA othsc. To-
tally Ignoring these. Hanptoa thrust
Aimseh recklessly through tie crowd.
Half.Way down the broad steps Buck
Mason faced him. IN shirt sleeves. his
head uncovered. IN ugly rs" IN his
uplifted hand. Just IN instant the
eyes a the two men met neither
do1bted the grim purpose a the other.
You've eot ter do II, Bob" an
nounced the marshall. shortly, dad
q alive"
Hampton never heettated. Tn soe-
~ met you. I don't want 10 get
anybody else mixed up IN this fass.
II youu promise me . chance for my
life. Buck. I'm throw up my banda
But prefer Q bullet 70 . mob"
Tho little marshal was sandy-Aaired.
freckle-faeed. and al nerve. The
crowd jammed within the Oecidental
had already turned and were surging
toward the door. Hampton knew ffo0
long experience what this meant:
these were the quickly in1amed CO
horts Of Judge Lynch-they would oct
Arst, and reflect later. His square
Jaws set like trap.
AN right. Bob" said tho marshal.
you're my prisoner. and there'1l b
one he'll Of q tight afore them lAds
git 70. There's . chance LEFT Il
after me-"
just - the mob surged out a he
Occidental. cursing and struggling
the two sprang forward and dashsd
into the MARROW space between the
livery stable and The hotel No9at
chanced to b IN tie passagsway, md
pausing to ask 10 Questioos. Mason
promptly landed that esatlemaa On
the back Of his head IN . PIE a d.
carded tin cans. and Kicked yic1ously
1t . yellow dog which vsatnred to
snap 1t them - they swept past Be-
hind arose . v0lley q curses, the tAud
ol feet, IN oceasioaal voice roaring
out orders. and . sharp Spot o( 70
volver shots. One ball plusged into
the siding Of the hotel, and second
threw . spit Of sand into their lower
ed fIces, but neither man glanced
back. They were running for their
lives now, racing for . fair chance TO
turn at bay and fight. their sole hope
the steep. rugged hin In their froat
Hampton began to understand the
purpose Of his companion, the quick.
unerring instinct which had led him
to select the one suitable spot where
the successful Vaging of battle
against such odds Vas possible -the
deserted dump a ths Shasta mine.
with every nrvs stTainsd % Tie
uttermost, tAe two msa loeod s1de By
side down the stesp sloDa. p1oaghed
through the tangled undsebruGA. and
toiled up the sharp assent bsyo0d.
At the summit q Tie ore dump tie
two men Aung themselves painting
down. for the Arst time able to realize
what Il an meant They eould per
eeive the figures ol their pursusss
among the shadows a The bushes be-
low. but these were not veaturing out
into tho open-tho Arst mad. needless
rush had evidently saded. There were
some cool heads amoag the mob Lad
en-, and Il vas highly probable that
negotiatioos would b tTied before
that crowd hurled itself aGainst two
despesate men, armed and entrsaeh-
Cd. BoGh fugitives realised this. and
by there coolly wateAf1l tAsir breath
groving more regular. their eyes SOFT
eninG
"Whut q IN this fus0 abou2, any
howr Questioned he marshan. evf
dently somewhat aggrieved. Il Vus
lust eatin' dinner vhsn . fellef stuck
his head IN an yelled y6d killed
somebody over at The Occidental"
Hampton turned his face gravsly
toward him. Buck. don't know
whether you'n believe mo o. not but
guess you never heard No tell . H.
Or knew of my trying TO dodge out of
q bod scrape. Besides, haven't any
thing % min now. for I reckon you're
planning 10 say with me-. guilty q
not guilty, but did not KIN that 1sa
low. I don't s1actly 80 how I can
prove II, the way II IN happsnsd. but
slvs you my word - . 1aA. I ID
not kin him."
Mason looked him sQuaroly ID tAe
eyes. his teeth showing behind his
stiR. closely clipped mustaehe. TAso
he deliberately extended his hand. an6
srippod Hampeoo'a 'Of course -
hevo 70. Not that you'fo any too
blame eood, Bob. but you AMT tie
hind what pleads the baby acG Who
Vas the fellef?
Red SlaVin."
moi" and The hand grip pereepdbay
tiGhtenOd. Holy Moses. what ingrafi-
tude! Why, the camp ought 70 get n