The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-03-13

been together"
You promised. I want you to go to
the Lescotts in New York. In a year,
you can come back-if you want to;
but you must promise that"
81 promise" she reluctantly yielded.
1t was haIf-past nine o'clock when
Samson South and Sidney CaIIomb
rode side by side into Hixon from the
east. A dozen of the older Souths,
who had not become soldiers, met
them there, and, with no word. sepa-
rated to close about them in a circle Of
protection As Callomb's eyes swept
the almost deserted streets, so silent
that the .strident switching of a freight
train could be heard down at the edge
Of town, he shook his head As he met
the sullen chances of the gathering in
the courthouse yard, he turned to Sam
son.
They'll fight" he said, briefly.
Samson nodded.
81 don't understand the method" de-
INJURED the officer, with perplexity.
why don't they shoot you at once.
What are they waiting fOr?"
They want to see" Samson assured
him, what tack mean to take. They
want to let the thing play itself out
They're inquisitfve-and they're eau
tious, because now they are bucking
| the state and the world"
Samson with his escort rode up to
the courthouse door and dismounted.
| He was for the moment unarmed and
his men walked on each side of him,
while the Unlocking HoIImans stood
o1z - 70 To&
In the office of the county judge Sam
son said briefly:
q want to get my deputies sworn
in"
We've got plenty of deputy sher-
ifs" was the quietly insolent rejoin-
der.
Not now-we haven't any" Sam
sons voice was sharply incisive- I'll
name my own assistants"
Whats the matter with these
boys?" The county Judge waved his
hand toward two hold-over deputies
They're fred
The country judge laughed
well, reckon can't attend to that
right now"
Then you refuse?"
'Mebby you might call it that"
Sampson leaned on the judges table
and raped sharply with his knuckles.
His handful of men stood close and
/ Callomb caught his breath in the
heavy air of storm-freighted suspense
| The Holman partisans filled the room
and others were cTowding to the doors
I'm high sheriff of this county now"
said Samson, sharply. You are cOun-
ty judge. Do we co-operate-or fght?"
Ct reckon" drawIed the other, that's
a matter Wen work out as we goes
along. Depends on how obedient ye
air"
I'm responsible for the peace and
quiet of this county" continued Sam
son. We're going to have peace and
quiet"
The judge looked about him. The in
dications did not appear to him indica,
tive of peace and quiet
Air WEI" he inquired.
I'm coming ba1k here in a half
hour said the new sheriff. This is
an unlawful and armed assembly.
When 1 get back want to find the
courthouse occupied only by unarmed
citizens who have business here"
when ye comes back" suggested
the county Judge, I'D advise that ye
resigns yore job. A half-hour is about
es long as We ought ter try ter hold
HIT
Samson turned and walked through
the scowIing crowd to the courthouse
| steps.
"Gentleme7,'' he said. in a clear, far
carrying voice, there is no need Of an
armed congregation at this court
house. 1 call on you in the name Of
the law to lay aside your arms or scat
ter"
There was muTmur which for an in
slant threatened to become a roar, but
trailed into chorus of derisive laugh
ter
Samson went to the hotel. accompa-
MED by CaIIomb. A half-hour later the
two were back at the courthouse with
| a haIf-dozen companions. The yard
| was empty. Samson carried his faith
| er's rife. In that half-hour telegram,
prepared in advance, had flashed to
| Frankfort
Mob holds courthouse - need
troops"
And a reply had flashed back:
use local ompany-CaIlOmb com-
| m2nQllR- % L1dL lOIL14 u Law HeS
met
The courthouse doors were closed
and its windows barricaded. The place
was no longer a judicial building It
! was a fortress AS SamsOn's party
paused at the gate a warning voice
called:
Don't come no nigherI"
The body-guard began dropping
i back to shelter
81 demand admission to the court
house to make arrests" shouted the
new sheriff. In answer a scattering Of
! rife reports came from the Jail win
| dows Two Of the Souths fell At
word from Samson Callomb left on
| run for the hotel. The sheriff himself
! took his position in a small store
across the street, which he reached IN
| hurt under a desultory ire
l CTO BE CONTNUED.O
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