The Lamar register., 1920-11-10

LlE IrGIl lt-A '-4F VI A-A' A@'-A NNNNN
another likely soon 10 be.
What q difference in the crowd that
met them at the wharf, Again drir-
ing their prisoner before them. the
three grim henchnen carried the dead
man up the hill TO a small plot Of
open ground xes, Of the Mud Hen and
laid him down upon the grass.
For the second time that day the
village enptied It's houses TO meet
them. Women came this time-old
women with scared faces; girls with
blooming cheeks: and children. Hard
men that had drunk TO the Pearlhunt-
er barely two hours ago came out Of
the Mud Hen and stood staring at him
IN sullen silence. Men from the stores
and shops came running Men that
had neither stores nor shops strag-
gied IN from every quarter Of the VII
lage and Jostlsd about in the ever
growing. o1ninously muttering circle.
Suddenly. and Unexpectedly. two Of
the henchmen caught the Pearlhunter
and held him while the third tied the
red mask over his eyes. Bound as he
was. he had flung them loose In an In
stsnt and raEed the mask of against
bis shoulder. But that one brief mo-
menr was enough. The mischief was
done. Women scresmed: men NUT
tered and swore; but all shrank back,
widening the circle.
Who started IT, who said ii first,
Will never be known. Nobody knows
how the mob forms-a low humble;
a quick fare into frenzy: mild eyes
grown wild; stolid faces afire: a rab-
BILE; clsmor; reason down. blood
lust up.
Hang iml Hang I'm -
Even the women took up the cry. 80
great was the terror Of his name-the
Red Mask-a name that might have
stampeded the village. The mob
charged him. Bound as he was. he
dashed at them. A butt Of his shoul-
der caught the foremost man, a burly
blacksmith. on the jaw. He went
down like a beef under the mallet. A
drive Of his head 10 the pit OF the
stomach crumpled up another. A we'll
directed kick laid out third.
He fought as the men of his blood
had always fought But what can
one man. with his hands tied, do
against manyi They had his blouse
ripped on. his shirt in shreds. and a
hundred hands still itching to get at
him. They beat his face; his body
wherever n fist or club could reach
him. A stick Of stove wood In the
hands Of a lauky woodchopper laid
open an ugly cash across his head.
TInlN no N -ffNlr
the blood and mist out of his eyes
when roar was heard on the out
skirts Of the crowd, and the stocly
form of the old Boss ~as. seen fight
ing his way into the circle. He had
probably gone up TO Fallen Rock, AZ
he had promised the night before.
missed the Pearlhunter. and come on
to the village Tie fought well, and
opened narrow swath. halfway
through the circle to his friend. But
Just there somebody struck him above
the ear with the fat Of barrel staye
The ripple subsidized the swnth closed
The Pearlhunter's last friend was
down and out.
The rope was flung over a limb.
Half hundred hands. some Of them
women's hands. stretched up ready tc
pull. Half hundred hands did pull
The roue tiChtencd-slowly. a hush
fell on the mob: hush so deep thai
the crcnk Of the tightening rope could
he distinctly heard That last final
scene. the last stroke that stops life
1t Is solemn moment; even 10 II
mob. The Pnarlhunter was lifted
the last light tips Of his toes left the
grass; flames ran up and down his
spine; the world turned black.
There came sudden dash OF hoofs
and man rode straight at the Ennb
1t takes hardy person TO withstand
the charge of a horse. The crowd
parted. The horseman reached the
dangling man. aud with one slash Of
a huge iackknlfe cut the rope
The stroke came barely in time
The Pearlhunter, only saved from
crumpllng down to the grass by the
arm OF the horseman, dropped limp
and gasplng against the side Of the
horse. Slowly the world quit reelins
the light came back: he raised his
eyes; caught the glitter Of n sherifr's
star upon the vest of his rescuer.
II Is marvellous how one brave ma
with the law behind him, can awe
mob.
"who is this MANI" yelled the
sheriff