The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1912-10-25

smiled widely and sweetly. The sHer
if gave him a hostile glare. do you
know that Morrow has left town."
the judge went on.
Il amt got nothin' to do with Judge
Morrow. It's my duty to see that
this building ie ready for him when
he's a mind to open court in it,
You are willing to assume the re.
sponsibility OF throwing open these
doors?" inquired the Judge affaDly.
Il shorely am" said Belts. Why.
some of these folks are our leading
people!"
The judge turned to the crowd, and
spoke in a tone of excessive civ1lity.
Just word, gentlemen!-thes sher-
iff is right; it is your courthouse and
you should not be kept out of it. No
doubt there are some of you whose
presence in this building will sooner
or later be urgently desired. We are
going to let all who wish to enter, but
l beg you to remember that there will
be five men inside whose prejud.ceS
are all in favor of law and order"
courthouse, followed by Yancy and
Hannibal. We'll let 'em in where
can talk to en-" he said almost ga1ly.
Besides, they'll come in anyhow when
they get ready, so there's no sense in
exciting them
In the courthouse, Murrell. bound
hand and foot, was seated between
Darlington and the Earl of Lambeth
in the little railed-off space below the
judges bench. Fear and suffering had
blanched his unshaven cheeks and
given wild light to his deeply sunk
en- eyes. At sight of Yancy smoth-
cred exclamation broke from his lips;
he had supposed this man dead these
many months!
Hues had abandoned his post, and
the crowd, suddenly grown clamorous.
stormed the narrow entrance. One OF
the doors, borne from it's hinges, went
down with a crash. The judge, a
fierce light flashing from his eyes,
turned to Yancy.
mo matter what happens, this fel-
low Murrell is not to escape-if he
calls on his friends to rescue him he
Is to be shot"
The hall was filling with swearing,
struggling men, the floor shook be-
meath their heavy tread; then they
burst into the courtroom and saluted
Murrell with great shout. But Muir
rell, bound, in rags, and silent, his
lips frozen in a wolfish grin, was a
depressing sight, and the boldest felt
something of his unrestrained lawless-
ness go from him.
Less noisy now, the crowd spread
itself out among the benches or
swarmed up into the tiny gallery at
the back of the building. Man after
man had hurried forward, intent on
passing beyond the railing, but each
had encountered the judge, formida-
BILE and forbidding, and had turned
aside. Gradually the many pairs OF
eyes rowing over the little group sur
rounding the outlaw focused them
selves on Slocum Price. 1t was in un-
conscious recognition of that moral
force which was his, a tribute to the
grim dignity of his unshaken courage;
what he would do seemed worth con-
sidering
He was charmed to hear his name
pass in whisper from lip to lip.
Well, it was time they knew him! He
squared his ponderous shoulder and
made a gesture commanding silence
Battered, shabby and debauched, he
ily1 ~
shifts the odor OF battle that the wind
incontinently brings to his nostrils.
Don't let him speak," cried a
voice, ,'and a tumult succeeded.
Cool and indomitable the judge
waited for it to subside. Hesaw that
the color was stealing back into Muir
rell's face. The outlaw was feeling
that he was leader not overthrown;
these were his friends and followers,
his safety was their safety, too. In a
lull in the storm of sound the Judge
attempted to make himself heard, but
his words were lost in the angry roar
that descended on him.
Don't let him speak! Kill hint
Kill himI"
A score, OF men sprang to their feet
and from all sides came the click OF
rifle and pistol hammers as they were
drawn to the full cock. The judges
fate seemed to rest on a breath He
swung about on his heel and gave a
curt nod to Yancy and Cavendish,
who, falling back step, tossed their
guns to their shoulders and covered
Murrell. A sudden hush grew up out
of the tumult; the cries, angry and
jeering, dwindled to a murmur, and a
dead pail of silence rested on the
crowded room.
The very taste Of triumph was in
the judges mouth. Then came COM
motion at the back of the building.
A ripple of comment, and Colonel
Fentress elbowed his way through the
crowd At sight of his enemy the
judges face went from white to red,
while his eyes blazed; but for the mo-
ment the force of his emotions left
him speechless. Here and there as
he advanced, Fentress recognized
friend and bowed coolly to the right
and left.
tTo BE CoNTINUED)