Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-05-20

Bach other with a significant silence.
He was going to speak TO Harlan. when
that young nan slowly motioncd to
him to cave the machine. lie de.
scended and went along the rail fence
from the Others.
Wiley" muttclcl Harlan, will YOU
go in there"
Wiley glanced ut the L.indstrom fort.
Il gray and silent frame shack in the
midst of the corn stubble: a stack. a
broken down wagon. and the we'll
house. No sign of life. nothing. yet
from Il window here and there. with
~bewlldcring ubiquity. the deadly rifle
SHOTS mad runs whenever Il man had
approached. John will treat with YOU.
He SWore YOU were the only man in
the count he would trust. L rode near
sage. Gave him two hours to sur
render or take the consequences"
Harlan, those children!"
Il know. And his wife-and that
sneak of a Frenchman is there. But"
he glanced at the t~ownspeople reso-
endure this! Dead or alive. We'll take
him this morning-and I'll not answer
for any one. I'll lead the boys when
the rush comes. Wiley!"
The elder man looked up at him.
Yes. I'd expect YOU" He was eek
ing an answer in Harlan's eyes-Har-
Ian must know-Surely he knew! But
Curran could not speak, SO great was
the press of this other greater matter.
Harlan put out his hand, Wiley. 1
depend on you. III they can be saved
it will be YOU"
Curran looked about. Some notion
that Harlan was doggedly suffering
tors at the safe distance-the mob who
knew nothing of the eNigencies of the
to him. Some idea that
the day would be crucial for the
OUNCE man, if he flinched under the
responsibility.
IN 60" he answered. N for the
first time since his own tragedy began,
a trace of the old friendly smile came
to his lips. At the fence he called
back: "And if he does not Gomez"
The law will have to take it's course.
l promise nothing!"
from his pocket as he crossed the field.
He was vaguely aware that Arne
Vance's machine had turned Town the
creek road back to town. But keener
still was the impression that the thou
sands of eyes were watching him.
Presently ne heard a mulmur among
tn deputies. taken up, growing, spread
ing to the masses of people away be-
yond. He did not look back. They
knew him. they would recognize him.
the recreant, the fallen man If the
county Who would have been their
leader. Even hen a struggling shout
went up he did not turn; it rang with
tility it seemed to Curran. Then the
watchers saw him reach the house,
pause at the door. n be admitted.
The throng began to murder again,
and shift. But many stared silently at
the house i'm the bleak field. John had
mot irn3 Oft ss(N,,rv.nn Af t1,o M -
They began to mutter and argue ex-
plantations. The correspondents went
off to put more stuff on the wire
about this turn of affairs. And after
Is minutes, that seemed an hour, they
saw Wiley Curran come out of the
house. He seemed pleading: and they
saw a boys tow head in the door.
And presently, Curran came on. He
crossed the field in a great silence.
Even the nearer people did not crowd
up to listen when he reached Harlan
sitting on his horse on the creek road
Curran spoke quietly, vet it seemed his
voice reached them all, So acute the
stiffness.
He will not surrender. I pleaded
every point. Told him tina LATE Mason
offered to defend him. That he'd have
a fair trial. THAI our people were peo-
pie of the law-they would give him
justice. ] begged for his wife and chill
~ 1DuS wv NOh0 Ah"p IN LAAN~
a was his. No man could put foot
on it until he was paid. He told his
old grievance. The law sent him to
jail-it made him what he was. Never
again would he face mans Justice
God was the supreme judge-and not
Van Hart"
Van Harris son was pale. There
seemed challenge and Indictment in the
others tone. He gathered his reins
tighter. Well, We'll take him."
"Harlan-in Gods name--those chill
dren!"
He had his choice"
wait" Curran stepped nearer,
hen faced as If to the others
Harlan turned in the saddle. He
lifted his hand solemnly. mo more.
There is your answer-there is the law!
The people! Ask them. Wiley!"
Curran glanced back, an impulse to
make a last passionate cutlery to some
thing. he knew not what. But the peo-
ple-the Midlanders, indomitable, con-
tanned, unfearing the final issues Of
nothing. Their land, their law-their
Saxon strength a won and made it
through bloody centuries. The man
standing alone seemed to read their
will. He checked his cry. What would
it be but h cry of a broken man, a
%discredited leader?-himself without
place among them? They had not
spoken now at the crisis-they had
approved by this silence. Curran
bowed his head in a sorrow that only
the light of heart may know.
Then, with a swift remembrance, he
stretched his hands to Harlan.
For Gods sake, boy. Wait
Aurelie is coming! And you love her,
Harlan"
But the other man had galloped
down the road, speaking to a group
here and there. The deputies sprang
up in a struggling line. Some one up
in the quarry face fired a shot. and a
shout ran from the father woods. The
man by the fence watched them Silent