The Red Cloud chief., 1908-01-17

IContinucu I,r

hoarseIy, IN damned lie! You wouldn't
let me In for fear I'd kick. chI Well.
you were right. | will kick. You've
hiuicd 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
ms tell you further that you won't
break into her house and hang her IN
cic. ever If he Is n rcprobate. No. sir!
This isn't the time for violence of that
sort. Wen win without 1t. If we
can't, let's fight like men and not hunt
n . 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 assasslna-
ton and the tactics Of the Mafa!'
ave knew you would make that kind
II a talk" said the speaker, while the
rest murmured grudgingly. One Of
them spoke up.
we've talked this over In cold blood,
GteOister, and it's n question Of their
lives or our liberty. The law don't
enter into It."
That's right" echoed another ut his
tJIoWs we Cun l StlSt Tie NlIlllIN,
because McNamara's got soldiers to
back him up. They'd shoot us down.
You ought to be the last one to object"
tie 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 lynching. but Stillman doesn't.
He's a weak old man'-some n
laughed derisively-"and there's a
In the house. He's all she has
Ia tho world to depend upon. and you
would have to kill her to get at him.
II o must follow this course. take
tho 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
sltem. The life and welfare Of the
north were In their hands. a. they
thought. and there was not II to hest
tate. Glenister implorcd the chairman.
bat the man answered him:
cts too late for further discussion.
aod. let mt remind you of your prom
tse. You're bound by every OBLIGATION
that exists for an honorable man
"Oh. don't think that I'll give the
snap away!' said the other: but |
warn you again not to enter Stillman's
house"
lie followed out into the night to
find that Dextry had disappeared. evil
IDENTITY wishing to avoid argument.
Roy had seer signs OF unrest beneath
the prospector's restraint during the
past few days, and indications OF a
fierce hunger TO vent his spleen on the
men who had robbed him Of his most
sacred rights. He was OF an intolerant,
wudictivc nature that would go to any
length for vengeance. Retribution was
part OF his creed.
On his way home the young man
looked Mt his watch to find that he had
bat an hour TO determine his course.
Tnstinct prompted him to Join his
friends and to even the score with the
t who had injured him so bitterly,
Tor. measured by standards Of the
frontier, they were pirates with their
ltves forfeit. Yet he could not coun-
tenauce this step. If only the vigi-
lantcs would he content with making
III example-but he knew they would
not. The blood hunger of a mob IL
easy to whet aud hard to hold.
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 yigilnntcs would rout them with
out question. for every citizen of the
north would rally to their aid, and such
men could not be stopped. The judge
would 30 down with the rest of the
ring, and what would happen to-her?
lie took down his Winchester, oiled
and cleaned it, then buckled on q belt
~ cartridges. Still he wrestled with
himself. He felt that he was being
ground between his loyalty &c the vigi,
iantes and his own conscience. The
girl WAS one of tie gang, he reasoned
she had schemed with them to betray
aim through his love, and she was
pledged to the one man in the world
whom he hated with fanatical fury.
Why should he think OF her In this
hour? Six months back he would have
looked with Jealous eyes upon the right
10 lead the vlgilantes, but this change
that had mastered him-what was III
Not cowardice, nor caution. No. Yet,
being Intangible. II was none the less
mnrkNd. MS his friends had shown him