The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1908-02-11


limited about my feelings for Miss
Chester. Let me tell you that she is
engaged TO marry Mcnamara and that
she's nothing TO me. Now, then, let
me tell you further that you won't
break into her house and hang her I'M
Gle, even II he Is a reprobate. No, sir!
This isn't the time for violence OF that
sort. Well win without II. III we
can't. let's fight like men and not hunt
In pack like wolves. If you want to
do something, put us back on our
mines and help us hold them, but for
Gods sake. don't descend to assassina-
tlon and the tactics of the Malta"
1--WE knew you would make that kind
Of n talk" said the speaker. while the
rest murmured grudgingly. One OF
them spoke up.
"We've talked this over in cold blood.
Glenister. and it's a question Of their
lives or our liberty. Tne law don't
enter into IT,"
| That's right" echoed another at his
elbow. I'VE can't seize the claims,
because McNamara's got soldiers to
1 back him up. They'd shoot us down.
You ought to be the last one to object
He saw that dispute was futile. De
termination was stamped on their
faces too plain for mistake, and his
argument had no more effect on them
than had the pale rays OF the lantern
beside him. yet he continued:
II don't deny that Mcnamara de-
serves lynohing, but Stllman doesn't
He's weak old man"-some one
laughed derisively-"and there's a
| woman In the house. He's all she has
In the world to depend upon, and you
would have to kill her to get at him.
n, you must follow this course, take
the others. but leave him alone"
They only shook their heads, while
several pushed by him even as he
spoke. Were going to distribute our
favors equal" said a man as he left.
They were actuated by what they
called Justice, and he could not sway
them. The life and welfare Of the
north were In their hands. as they
thought. and there was not one 10 hesi-
tate. Glenister implored the chairman.
but the man answered him:
Its too late for further discussion,
and let me remind you Of your prom
Use. You're bound by every obligation
that exists for an honorable man
''Oh, don't think that I'll give the
snap awayr' said the other; but l
warn you again not 10 enter Stillman's
house,
he followed OF. into tho night 70
find that Dextry had disappeared. evil
IDENTIFY wishing to avoid argument.
Roy had seer signs of unrest beneath
the prospector's restraint during the
past few days. and indications OF
fierce hunger to vent his spleen on the
men who had robbed him OF his most
sacred rights. He was OF an lntolerant,
yindictive nature that would go to any
length for vengeance. Retrlbution WAS
part of his creed.
On his way home the young man
looked at his watch to find that he had
but an hour to determine his course.
Instinct prompted him TO join his
i friends and to even the score with the
men who had injured h..n so bitterly,
for. measured by standards OF the
frontier, they we're pirates with their
lives forfeit. Yet he could not coun-
tenance this step. II only the vigi-
lantes would be content with making
an example-but be knew they would
not The blood hunger OF mob Is
easy 20 whet and hard 10. hol'.
Mcnamara would resist. as would
Voorhees, and the district attorney
then there would be bloodshed. riot.
chaos. The soldiers would be called
out and martial law declared. the
streets would become skirmish grounds
The vigilantes would rout them with
,ut question. for every citizen OF Il
north would rally to their aid, and such
men could not be stopped. The judge
would 90 down with the rest OF tn,
ring. and what would happen to-her;
lie took down his Winchester. oiled
and cleaned II. then buchled on a belt
OF cartridges. Still he wrestled with
himself He felt that lie was being
ground between his loyalty 10 the yigi-
lantes and his own conscience. The
girl was one OF the gang. he reasoned
-.she had schemed with them TO betray
MIN tuTOutu loNt, was
pledged to the one man in the world
whom he hated with fanatical fury.
Why should be think OF her In this
hour? Six months back he would have
looked with Jealous eyes upon the right
to lead the vigilantes, but this change
that had mastered him--what was II?
Not cowardice nor caution. No. Yet.
being intangible. 1t was none the less
marked. as his friends had shown him
an hour since.
He slipped out into the night. The
mob might do as IL pleased elsewhere.
but no man should enter her house. lie
found a light shining from her parlor
window, and. noting the shade up n
few inches, stole close. Peering
through. he discovered Strive and
Helen talking He skunk back into
the shadows and remained hidden for
considerable time after the lawyer
| left, FOR the dancers were returning
from the hotel and passed close by.
When the last group had chartered
away down the street. he turned to the
front OF the house. and mounting the
steps. knocked sharply. AS Helen APP