The Arvada enterprise., 1921-02-03

about TIE hofoo. The Pearihuntee
was the tallest man there. His height
enabled him to see with tolerabls
ciearness to the outskirts Of the
crowd. He swept his eyes over the
heads Of the others like 4 man looking
for something hs fully expected to
ind. 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 out Of the Mod Hen at the
beginning Of the uproar but had taken
no part In the lynching. He didn't
need to. He had q whole town 10 do
1t for him.
The Pearlhunter was not surprised
to see him there. Why shouldn't he
be there. q very much interested spec
tator at the final working out Of his
well'laid plot, 4 plot that had worked
out 10 Infinitely better than he had
plannedf Why shouldn't . man come
to see himself hangedf
And there the Pearlhunter 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 Q splinter Of nre. He turned to
the man on the horse.
"Sheriff. II you'll stick my gun back
and cut my hands loose, I'll rope you
the real Red Mask"
II was an unwise thing to say. He
knew II the moment he'd said It. It
was unlike him. The man leaning In
apparent carelessness against the
hitch rack was probably quite IN.
aware that he was suspected. It
might prove a costly mistake to let
him know that he was. Besides, Il
was extremely unlikely that he would
have the pearl still on him. With the
pearl gone. the proof would be gone.
The Pearlhunter's usual slow caution
should have brought good many con-
siderations to his mind before he said
that. But rope around q mans neck
makes prOdigious difference In the
look Of things. One cannot help won
derink 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
pened fast.
The sheriff laughed; q hard. raspy
laugh. good many things In that
laugh: the jangle Of handouts; the
CRATE Of keys in stin locks-but never
q mite of mirth.
Hes roped now"
Hes not" was the Pearlhunters
lncautious answer. hut he's handy"
He had purposely raised his voice.
But the man for whose ear II was IN
tended never shifted his position; ;
never changed. even In the slightest.
his easy smile. He did slip his hand
down the front Of his frock coat and
loosen II against his side. bot that
was all.
The sheriff swore: turned slowly In
his saddle and glanced the crowd over.
Ladies' an gentlemen" he said. rails
Ing his voice. 'as ! said before. this
man 10 entitled to q trial. an q trial
he'll lit. He'll haug-but it'll be the
law that hangs i'm, an not you. ad-
vise you to break up this damn fool
ishnesa an 70 home"
II could be seen with half an eye
that the sheriff was In NO humor to
stand any hack talk. The crowd didn't
try II: they obeyed-many sullenly.
sOme grumbling openly. A few stayed.
The man leaning against the hitch
rack went hack 70 the Mud Hen.
The villnge Of Buckeye straggles
for quarter Of mile along the river
road. The road Ia bigger institution
than the town. II formed the princi-
pal street. The village lookup. or
Jail. stood la plain sight short wny
to the west en- the north side Of the
rOnd.
The sheriff dismounted. picked up
the slit and trampled blouse. threw It
about the shoulders Of his n1isOner
and united the severed rope end still
knotted about his neck. With NUT
tered command. he made a slight mo-
tlOn toward the jail with his revolver.
The Pearihunter. still with bound
hands. his shirt 70 tattered that II
left him half.naked from his waist up.
the blood upon his face and body fast
stiRening into clotx. obeyed the COM
mand.
inaide the lookup the sheriff cut his
hands loose. and Immediately stepped
outside and locked the door. seeming
to have M fancy to larry after his
prisoners hands were free. Turning
back to his prisoner he pointed out
his house and told him he would bring
over some supper later on.
The Buckeye lookup was q two
story. rectangular structure of heavy
iog~. Thers were ewo cells. with n
hallway between. IN the first hoor.
and the anne arrangement above. The
rcarlhunter WAS the only prisoner. 40
ne had free range of both lower cells.
The barred gate opening to the stair
leading Ia the upper floor was heavily
pndlocked. The door Of the JnIi faced