Cleveland County herald., 1920-12-16

the man he was expecting to see. He had come out of the Mud Hen at the beginning Of the uproar but had taken no part in the lynching. He didn't need to-. He had whole town to do 1t for him.
 The Pearlhunter was not surprised to see him there. Why shouldn't he be there. very much interested spec tator at the final working out ef his well-laid plot a plot that had worked out so infinitely better than he had planned2 Why shouldn't man come to see himself hanged?
 And there the Pearihunter stood, with the rope around his neck-the wrong neck--and no proof to put it 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
 Sheriff, if you'Il stick my gun back and cut my hands loose. I'll rope y0a the real Red Mask"
 It was an unwise thing to say. He knew if the moment he'd said it. It was unlike him. The man leaning in apparent careleSsness against the hitch rack was probably quite nn- aware that he was suspected It might prove costly mistake to let him know that he was. Besides, it was extremely unlikely that he would have the pearl still on him. With the pearl gone, the proof would be gone. mn e-f, ion should have brought a good many con alterations to his mind before he said that. But a rope around q mans neck makes a prodigious difference in the look of things. One cannot help won- dering what would have been the out come had the sheriff needed the re- quest and cut loose the hands of his prisoner Things would have hap pened--and they would have hap l pened fast
 The sheriff laughed; a hard, raspy laugh 4 good many things in that hugh the jangle of handcuffs; the grate of keys in stiff Iocks-but never a mite of mirth.
 "He's roped now"
 "He's not" was the Pearlhunter's incautious answer "but he's handy"
 He had purposely raised his voice. l But the man for whose ear 1t was in- tended never shifted his position; 1 never changed. even in the slightest, his easy smile He did slip his hand 1 down the front of his frock coat and loosen if against his side, but that was all.
 The sheriff swore; turned slowly in his saddle and glanced the crowd over. Ladies an gentlemen" he said, rais- 1 ing his voice. "as I said before. this man is entitled to a trial. an a trial l he'll git. He'll hang-but itll be he law that hangs i'm, an not you. ad- 1 wise YOU to break Up enls damn feoi- ishness an go home"
 Ii could be seen with half an eve that the sheriff was in no hum0r to stand any back talk The crowd didn'tl try it; they obeyed-many sullenIy,l some g1'umbling openly. 4 few Staved. The maH leaning aeainst the hitch l f9ci- wers hnoI. to tho Mud Hen ff
 The village Of puckeye st.aaales 1 for a quarter of mile along tho river road. The road is a bigger institutionj than the town f formed the princi- pal street. The village lookup. orI 1 jail stn'ei in plain sight short way to the west on the rcrth side of the | road.
 The sheriff dismounted. picked mp l the slit and trampled blouse, threw It about the shoulders Of his prisoner and united the severed rope end still l,nottea about his neck With 2 nut tered command he made q sight mol 1 tion toward the iaiI with his revolver. The Pearlhunter still with bound hands his shirt co tattered that itl left him half-naEed from his waist up, i fhe blood 7pon his face and body fast stiffenng into clots. obeyed the com mand.
 Inside the lookup the sheriff cut his hands loose, and immediately stepped outside and locked the door seeming to have no fancy to tarry after his prisoners hands were free TurningI back to his prisoner he pointed out ! his house and told him he would bring 2ver some supper later on.
 The Buckeye loeEup was two story, rectangular structure of heavy Logs. There were two cells. with a hallway between. on the first floor, end the same arranoement above The pearlhrnter was the. only prisoner. so he had free rance Of both iower coils. The barred gate onenine to the stair leading to the upper floor was heavily padlocted The door of the lall faced south-faced the river road Each cell had one wine'nw; the window of the one io0l5ipg east the window of the other lool,isc west. These win dows were both rather larger than might have been expected. Each con- tained single sash, with the four bars to each window. set in aueer holes in the logs at the top and bot tom. The sash was hinged af the side so as to swing in.
 The Pearlhunter opened the sash at