The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-12-25

dDOul tuc HUISSs Lie cur iuuhtCs
was, the tallest man there. His height
enabled him to see with toleraDie
clearness to the outskirts Of the
crowd. He swept his eyes over the
heads OF the others like man looking
for something he fully expected to-
find. He was not disappointed. In
the outer edge of the crowd. leaning
carelessly against q hitch rack. stood
the man he was expecting to see. He
had come ont OF the Mud Hen at the
beginning Of the uprOar but had taken
no part In the iynching. He didn't,
need to. He had . whole town to do
Il for him.
The Pearihunter was not surprised
to see him there. Why shouldn't ne
be there, a very much interested spec
tator at the final working out Of his
well-laid plot. a plot that had worked
out so infinitely better than he had
planned3s Why shouldnt man come
to see himself hanged7
And there the Pearihunter stood.
with the rope around hts neck-the
wrong neck-and no proof to put II
around the right one. Something
swelled under the rope: something
that surged up to his eyes and struck
out . splinter OF fire. He turned to
the man on the horse. sak
Sheriff. n you1l stitch my gun back
and cut my hands loose. IN rope you
! the real Red Mask" "a
| II was an unwise thing 10 say. He
knew II the moment he'd said It. 1t
was unlike him. The man leaning IN
apparent careiessness against the
hitch rack was probably quite IN
aware that he was suspected. II
might prove q costly mistake to 'et
him know that he was. Besides, II
was extremely unlikely that he would
have the pearl still on him. With the
pearl gone. the proof would be gone.
The Pearlhunter'e usual slow caution
should have brought q good many con-
siderations 20 his mind before he SAID
I that. But q rope around mans neck
| makes prodigious difference In the
look Of things. One cannot help won
derjng what would have been the out
come had the sheriff Needed the re-
quest and cut loose the hands OF Ills
prisoner. Things would have hap
pened-and they would have hap
pened fast. k
I The sheriff laughed; hard. raspy
| laugh. A good many things In that
laugh: the jangle Of handcuffs: the
crate Of keys in stiff locks-but never
mite Of mirth.
"He's roped now" 5a
| "He's not" was the sPearihunter's
incautious answer. 'but he's handy.
| He had purpose!y raised his voice.
But the mar for whose ear 1t was in
| tended never shifted his position
never changed, even In the slightest.
his easy smile. He did slipahis hand
down the front Of his frock coat and
loosen It against his side. but that
was all.
4he sheriff swore: tnrned slowly In
his saddle and glanced the crowd over.
ladies an gentlemen" he said. rails
ing his voice. "as said before. this
| man is entitled to q trial, an trial
he'll git. He'll hang-but It'll be the
law that hangs i'm, an not you. ! adj
y .visa son to break up this damn fool
Il fsfY{}ess ~ ~ home
Il could be seen with half an eye
| that the sheriff was In no humor to
stand any hack talk. The crowd didn't
M hey obeyed-many sulieniy
tsome sru1hbling openly. A few stayed
The man leaning against the hitch
rack went back to the Mud Hen.
A The village Of Buckeye straggies
n Sr quarter Of mile along the rivel
road. The road IL bigger institutlor
than the town. It formed the princi
pal street. The village lookup. Of
M Stocd ~ p9al9 sight short way
& r. vest q the north side Of tht
mad. see
The sheriff disuaounted. picked NJ
fine s,it ana tfampled blouse. threw ]
about tn shoulders Of his prisoner
and unfj4Azthe severed rope end still
knotted 6b&nt his neck. With NUT
tered command. ne madeFa slight mo
tion toward the JAN with his revolver
Tine tG6FtHuutCEs. oeisa "sNsA sS~s'>
hands. his shirt so tattered that
len him half-naked from his waist np
the blood upon his face and body ~
stiffening into clots. obeyed the eon
naisd. -
sxsfnside the lookup the sheriff cut -
hands loose, and Immediately sfeppe'
outside and locked the door. seemln
to have no fancy to tarry after hi
prisoners hands were free. Turnin
hack to his prisoner he pointed gu
| his house and told him he would Drin
over some supper later on. q
The Buckeye lookup was to
story. rectangular strue ture OF heav
lcxs. There were two cells. 9Th
halfway between, On tfe first a9ol
ana the same arrangement above. tn
Pearlhunter was the only prisoner. 9
ne had free range Of both lower cell
The barred gate openin. 70 the sta'
leading to the upper floor was heavii
i .padlccked. The door Of the jail face
faced the river road. Eac
] cell & = one window; the window 9
Sstxhe one h Dtng east. the window Z
4 4 the oths king west. These vii