Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-10-08
THE NET. !
BY REX BEACH. !
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By REX BEACH.
Copyright. 1912. By Rex Beach.D

hammering. hollow. measured: above IL
sounded the faint cries OF terrified pris-
oners. This died away after a time and
some one said:
They're into the corridors at last. II
won't be long now
A moment later a dull unmistakahle
Regeneration rolled forth like the smoth-
cred sound OF "A subterranean explosion:
II was followed by another and another
gunshots fired within brick walls and
flag-paved courtyards
II shattered that sickening. amending
suspense which caused the pulse to nut-
| ter and the breath to lag: the crowd gave
tongue in howl of hosrse delight. Then
| followed peculiar. shrilling chorus
that familiar signal known a. the "daeo
! whistle which WAS like the piercing
cry of lost souls. 4" :. no kllla da chief
screamed the hoodlums then puckered
their lips and piped again that knocking
signal As the booming Of the guns con-
tinued. now singly. now I'm volley. the
maddened populace squeezed toward that
narrow entrance through which the
avengers had disappeared. but they We're
halted by the guards and forced to CON
tent themselves by greeting every shot
with an eNultant cry. The streets in all
directions We're tossing and billowing Ike
the waves Of the sea: men capered ar !
flung their arms aloft. shrieking: women
and children waved their aprons and kerr
chiefs. sobbing and spent with excite
ment. 1t was wild and grotesqun
scene. unspeakably terrible, nhumanly
ferocious
Through it the two Sicilian girls chung
to each other. fainting, revolted. fasci-
mated. When they could summon
strength they descended to the street and
fought their way out of the bedlam.
Norvin Blake was not a willing par
ticipant In the lynching. although he had
gone to the meeting at the Clay statue
determined to do what he considered his
duty. He had felt no doubt as to the
, outcome OF the mass meeting even be-
fore he saw it's giant proportions. and
even before 1t had sounded its approval
Of the first speakers words. for he knew
how deeply his tSwnspeople were stirred
by the astounding miscarriage of Justice
At the rally of the committee the after
noon previous 1t had been urged to pro-
coed with the execution at once, and the
counsel OF the more conservative had
barely prevailed. Blake knew, perhaps.
| better than his companions to what
| lengths the rage OF a mob will GO and
he confessed to secret fear OF the re-
suit. Therefore. although he marched
In the vanguard of the storming party. IL
was more TO exercise restraining infiu-
ence and to prevent violence against un-
offending foreigners than TO take part in
the demonstration. AS for the actual
shedding of blood his instinct revolteI
from ii. while his reason recognized its
necessity and defended it.
Bernie DreuX's amazing assumption Of
dictatorship had relieved him of the duty
OF heading the mob-a thing for which
he was profoundly grateful When the
main body of vigilantes had armed Itself
he fell in beside his friend with some no
| ton OF helping and protecting him. But
the little man proved amply equal TO the
occasion. He was unwaveringly grim
and determined. 1t was he who faced
the oaken gate and demanded entrance
in the name Of the people; IL was he vino
suggested the use OF the battering ram,
and it was he who first fought his way
through the breach. at the risk of bullets
from within. Blake followed to find him
with his fowling-piece at the head Of the
prison captain. and there followed a de-
lay while the gate was broken down.
Meanwhile from within came the sound
Of turning locks and of Changing steel
doors. also shutting of many feet and
tries of mortal terror. which told that the
prisoners had been freed to shift for
themselves in this extremity.
Go be continued tomorrow