The Western news., 1908-11-18

.Qp right now.
D. A half-dozen men were starting t
sclimb the hillside, following a din
trail through the tangled underbrush
Mason stepped up to the ore dunn
,Yhere lie could see better, and watch
ed their movements closely.
s. Hi, there" ne cried his voice
sharsh and;:strdent. you fellers are
not invited to this picnic, an there1
*be somethin' doin' if you push along
'any higher
a. Thee little bunch halted instantly
fjust without the edge of the heavy
climber, turning their faces up toward
dhe speakerss:.: o..
81 Now see, here, Buck" answered
Zone, taking a single step ahead of the
"'others, and following his hand as a
trumpet to speak through 'it don't
4look to us fellers as If this affair was
sany of your,fm eral, nohow, and we we
4come long, ahead of the others just
s0tr purpose to give you a fair show to
pull out of it afore the real trouble
begins, sabe?''
~ Is thet so?'
The little marshal was too far away
Iop them to perceive how his teeth
set beneath the bristly mustache.
''r'sYou bet. The boys don't consider
thet it's hardly the square deal your
,takin up agin 'em in this way. Thet's
too stiff fer us to alb de by SO come
,9n down, Buck, an leave us to at
tend to the cuss"
'If you mean Hampton, he's my
prisoner. Will you promise to let me
take him down to Cheyenne fer
trial."
., 'Wal, reckon not, old man We
kin give him a trial we'll nough here
in Glencaid" roared another voice
from one of the group, which was ap-
parently growing restless over the de-
lay But we ant inclined to do you
no harm unless ye ram in too far
SO come on down Buck, throw up yer
CARDS; we've got all the aces, an We
cant bluff this whole durn camp"
- Mason spat into the dump contemp-
suously his hands thrust into his pock-
cts. You're a fine lookin' lot O. law
fbidin' citizens, you are. Blamed if
you amt. This yere man, Bob Hamp-
ton. IS my prisoner an TIL take him
to Cheyenne if have ter brain every
fough in Glencaid to do it. Thets
me, gents"
"Oh. come off; you can't run your
potions agin the whole blame moral
sentiment of this camp"
: Moral sentiment I'm backin' up
the law, not moral sentiment, We cross
eyed beer singer, an if We try edgin'
up ther another step I'll plug you with
This As
W There was a minute of hesitancy
while the men below conferred, the
sparshal looking contemptuously down
apon them. his revolver cleaning ON
inously in the light
-T."Oh, come ON. Buck, show little
Moss sense" the leader sang ont
We've got every feller in camp along
-Tith us, an there amt no show fer
the two o ye to hold out against that
sort of an outfit"
Mason smiled and patted the barrel
of his Colt.
~ 'Oh, go to blazes. When I want
any advice, Jimime, I'll send fer ye."
Some one fired, the ball digging up
1he soft earth at the marshal's feet,
and flinging it in binding cloud into
hampton's eyes. Mason's ansyer
was sudden fusilade, which sent the
crowd flying helter skelter into the
hnedrbrush. One among them stag
gered and half fell, yet succeeded in
dragging himself out of sight.
Great Scott, if l don't believe
winged James," the shooter remarked
cheerfully, reaching back into his
pocket for more cartridges Maybe
them boys will be bit more keerful
it they once understand they're up
agin the real thing. Well, perhaps
better skin down. fer recon it's LA
BILE ter be rifles next"
1t was rifles next and the wing
ing" of Big jim. however, it may have
inspired caution, also developed fresh
animosity in the hearts of his fol-
lowers, and brought forth evidences
of discipline in their approach Peer
ing across the sheltering dump pile,
the besieged were able to perceive the
dark figures cautiously advancing
through the protecting brush; they
spread out widely until their two flanks
were close in against the wall of rock,
and then the deadly rifles began to