The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-03-21

der strong guard began to gather and /
sort his papers at desk inside the T
bar. This took him perhaps five min I
utes, and when he had finished there I
were only three people left in the room I
"a clerk. a negro janitor with broom I
and the darky friend who always hope I
fully accompanies q colored man hold /
ing high public office. These two ap- +
provingly greeted the young lawyer
the janitor handing him note from
Norbert Flitcroft and the friend me-
chanlcally borrowing quarter from
him as he opened the envelope.
"I'll be roun' yo' way to sit q box @
se-gahs." laughed the friend, ''soon ez
de campaign open up good. Dey all
goin' vote ye' way down on de levee
bank, but dey sho' expecks to git TO
smoke q little TO Ieckshun dayl We
knows who's Ow frien'!'
Norberts missive was lengthy and
absorbing. Joe went on his way, pc
rusing it with profound attention. but
as he descended the stairway to the
floor below q loud burst of angry shout
hasten toward the big front doors
which faced Main street. The doors
opened upon an imposing vestibule,
| from which a handsome flight of stone
steps. protected by a marble balus-
trade. led to the ground.
| Standing at the top of these steps
and leaning over the balustrade, he had
clear view of half the yard. No one
was near him. Everybody was run
ming in the opposite direction, toward
that corner of the yard occupied by the
Jail, the crowd centering upon an agi-
tated whirlpool of men which moved
slowly toward a door in the high wall
that inclosed the building, and Joe saw
that Happy Fears guards. conducting
the prisoner back to his cell. were be-
ing jostled and rushed The distance
they had made was short but as they
reached the door the pressure upon
them increased dangerously. Clubs
rose In the air, hats flew, the whirlpool
heaved unanimously, and the steel door
changed.
Happy Fear was safe inside, but the
jostlers were outside, bafhed, ugly and
stirred with the passion that changes
Il crowd into a mob.
Then some of them caught sight of
Joe as he stood alone at the top OF
the steps. and a great shout of rage
and exutation arose.
For a moment or two he did not see
his danger At the clang of the door
his eyes, caught by the CLEAN of Il
wide white hat, had turned toward the
street, and he was somewhat fixedly
watching Mr.. Ladew extricate Ariel
and her aged and indignant escorts
from an overflow of the crowd in
which they had been caught. But a
voice warned him. the wild piping of
a newsboy who had climbed into a tree
near by.
"Joe Louden," he screamed, "look
outr'
With a muff1ed roar the crowd surged
back from the jail and turned toward
the steps. Tar and feather himt'
'Take him over to the river and throw
him in" Drown him. Hang him.
Then thing happened which was
dramatic enough in its inception, but
almost ludicrous in its effect Joe
, walked quietly down the steps and
toward the advancing mob with his
head cooked to one side, one eyebrow
, lifted and one corner of his mouth
| drawn down in a family distorted
| smile.
/ He went straight toward the yelling
forerunners, with only a small bundle
/ of papers in his hands, and then, while
: the nonpartisan spectators held theii
l breath, expecting the shock of contact
: straight on through them.
3 A number Of the bulge checked form
ed the scattering van of these forerun
8 ners. charging with hoarse and crue
I shrieks of triumph. The first, appar
! emily about to tear Joseph Louden tt
4 pieces, changed countenance at arms
, length, swerved violently and with thu
{ loud cry, "Head him off, dashed OF
up the stone steps. The man next be
hind him followed his lead, with TIT
: same shout, strategy and haste. TheI
the others of this advance attack, find
: ing themselves confronting the quie
!, man, who kept his even pace and show
ed no intention of turning aside 70
:, them, turned suddenly aside for hin
;, and, taking the cue from the first, pur
\ sued their way, believing: Head hin
ITO Be Continued
II DIZZY A crnYAT crnpv