Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1908-03-19

n Tiny CtDiu. IN tuib tiny Vhoth
have lived. q closely watched prisoner.
from that day until ! escaped"
The defendant stirred u little uneas-
ily. Was he thinking Of Nishtbird
With the dark. frozen face-who had
not answered % his call!
"Blaek left me soon after. He did
not unbind me. rather bound me the
tighter. There was no one then to
watch me. He deigned to inform me
that ~ had found II rather inconven'
lent TO kill me after the relief party
rode up. - then there was no abso-
lutte surety OF his making . clean get
away. and being caught In the act
would be bound 70 be unpleasant. very
unpleasant Just then. so he had alter
cd his plans . littie-for the present.
He gave me no hint either that time.
nor either Of the two times saw him
subsequently,. a. to what was to be his
ultimate disposal OF me. could only
suppose that after this trial was well
over In his favor. and fear Of indict.
mont for arson and murder had blown
over-if blow over II did-he would
then quietly put an end to me. Dead
men tell no tales. The shanty In the
Kuich did not seem TO be much OF
rendezvous for secret meetings. l led
q lonely existence. My jailers were
mostly Internationally Charlie
Nightbird. Two or three times Jake
Ssnderson was my guard"
Then from the doorway came
loud. clear, resonant voice. q joyful
voice, q voice whose tones fairly oozed
rapture.
"Hellity damn! The Three Bars .
gsttin' busy. Mouse-hair!"
Judge Dale started. He glared
angrily In that direction.
Remove that mani" he ordered.
CURLY. He liked Jim. but he could
not brook this crying contempt OF
court. Jim was removed. He went
quietly. but shaking his head reproach-
fully.
II never would a thought It o the
jedgS," he murmured, disconsolately.
II never would a thought It."
There vas Q movement in the back
OF the room. A man was making his
way out. slipping along, cat'like. try
Ing to svade attention. Quietly Cor
don motioned to the sheriff and
slipped . paper into his hand.
Look sharp" he whispered. his
steady eyes on the shifty ones Of the
sheriff. III you let him get away. just
remember the handwriting on the
wall. It's our turn now"
Presently there was a slight scufile
by the door and two men quietly left
the improvised courtroom.
DAY before yesterday, In the after
noon" continued Williston. Il man
aged to knock Nightbird down at the
threshold as he was about to enter. /
had secretly worked a cross'beam
from the low, unfinished ceiling. There
was nothing else In the room | might
use for q weapon. They were very
careful. think I killed him. your
honor and gentlemen Of the jury. !
am not sorry. There was no other
way. But would rather 1t had been
the maker, not the tool. BY the time
had made my way back to the Lazy
Q I was too exhausted to 60 further;
% crawlsd over to my neighbors.
the Whites. and Mother White made
me Q shake-down. lay there, nearly
dead, until this morning."
He leaned back YEARLY.
Black stood up. He was not lank
! nor lazy now. nor stunning. His body
was drawn to It's full height. In the
Instant before the spring. Mary. who
was sitting close to the attorneys
! table. met his glance squarely. She
read there what he was about to do.
Only q moment their eyes held each
! others but It was time enough for
swift message Of understanding. OF
utter dislike. and Of Q determined will
TO dsfeet the mans purpose. to pass
from tn accusing brown eyes to the
cruel onsa Of the defendant.
Quick % q Aash Black seized the
chair upon which he had been sitting
sprang clear Of the table and his law
ysrs, and landed close to Mary's side
! with his chair as weapon, he meant
| 70 force his way to the nearest win
dow. Mary's dilated. Unhesitatingly
IihS seissd the half-emptied glass on
| ne table and dashed the contents full
Into the prisoners face. Blinded. he
| halted. Q moment In his mad rush
Msry's quick maneuver made Lang
sord's opportunity. He grappled with
Black. This crowd went mad with ex
eitemsnk -
The prisoner stu retained his chair
wHsn Langford Erappled with him. he
attempted to brine'it down upon the
fair head Of his antagonist. MARY
gasped with dread, but Langfort
graspsd theeehair, with one muscular
han6. Wtosted It from the desperado'i
j hold and threw Il 70 the floor. The
two men locked In Q close embrace
Eangford's great strength was more
than suiacient to hold the outlaw until
the daxed ofacers could do their duty
had he been lot alone; but two men
Who had been standing near the dool
when the prisoner made his unex
- a.. alA.-k~ AnA .,.oannAaS