The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-11-02

beg you to remember that there will
be i've men inside whose prejud.ces
are all in favor of law and order"
He pushed past Hues and entered the
courthouse, followed by Yancy and
Hannibal Wen Let yem In where 1
can talk to EN-" he satd almost gaily.
Besides, they'll come in anyhow when
they get ready, So there's no sense in
exciting them
In the courthouse. Nurrell. 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 ya1cy a smoth-
cred exclamation broke from his lips:
ne had supposed this man dead these
many months!
Hues had abandoned. his post. and
the crowd, suddenly grown. aiamorous.
stormed the narrow entrance. One of
the doors. borne from its hinges, went
down with crash. The Judge, a
fierce light flashing from his eyes.
turned to Yancy.
NO matter what happens, this fell
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.
reil. bound. In rags, and silent, his
lips frozen in wolfisl. grin, was .
depressing sight, and thu boldess felt
something of his unrestrAined lawsess-
ness go from him.
Less noisy now, the crowd spread
itself out among the benches or
swarmed up into the tiny gallery az
the back of the building. Man after
man had hurried forward, intent On
passing beyond the railing, but each
had encountered the Judge, formtda-
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 SIocum Price. It was In IN
conscious recognition OF that moral
force which was his, tribute to the
grim dignity OF his mistaken courage:
what he would do seemed worth CEN
sidering.
He was charmed to hear his name
pass In whisper from lip to Up.
Well. it was time they knew him. HE
squared his ponderous shoulder and
made gesture commanding silence.
Battered. shabby and debauched. he
was like some old war horse who
sniffs the odor OF battiep that the wina
incontinentiy brings to his nostrfis.
Don't let him speak," cried .
voice. and a tumult succeeded.
Cool and indomitable the Judge
waited for, 1t to subside. He saw that
the color was stealing back into MUIR
relPs face The outlaw was feeling
that be was leader net overthrowu,
these were his friends and followers.
his safety was their safety, too. In I
IuIl in the storm OF sound the Judge
attempted to make himself heard. hut
his words were lost in the angry roar
that descended on. him.
Don't let him speak, XIII him!
Kill him!''
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 ana gave q
curt nod to Yancy and Cavendish,
who, falling back step, tossed their
guns. to. their shoulders and covered
Murreii: A sudden hush grew up out
of the tumult; the cries. angry and
jeering, dwindled to q murmur. and q
dead pail OF silence rested on the
crowded room
The very taste Of triumph was In
the judges mouth. Then came a com.
motion at the back Of the building.
A ripple of comment. and Colonel
Rsntress elbowed lis 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 ard there, ~
he advanced, Fentress recognized q
friend and bowed coolly to the right
and left.
TO BE cONTINUED)
sunaroved snsnkino M.~hsr>