The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-08-05

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heat eeaier1o ~ ends ~ j1eetce
% alloW .tAe sGnAe court'n jufiD6ic-|
10 4 this case:; and ple1ge N.Y.
eli 6 farnish evfaeace which VIII
slart hin veil a Ais road 70 tie
gallows!" The judge. 3 tremendous
preeence, staiked still nearer the
benches. Outmatchinx the crowd. .
sense d the splendor Of the part
he was being called upon to play
flowed through him like some
elixfrs he felt that he was tran
scending himself, that his inspira-
ton WAS drawn from the hidden
springs OF the spirit, and that he
could neither falter nor go astray.
You don't know what you are
meddling with! This man has
plotted to lay the south In ruins
he has been arminG the negroes-it
is incredible that You should all
know this-to such I say, 90 home
and thank God for your escape!
For the others"-his shaggy brows
met in = menacing frown-~if they
force our hand We will toss them
John Murrell's dead carcass-that's
our answer to their challenged"
He strobe out among the gun
muzxles which wavered where they
still covered him. He was thinking
OF Manipulating, who had said
he was still a man to be reckoned
with. For the comfort OF his own
soul he was proving it.
do you.know what q servile in
surrection means?-you men who
have wives and daughters, have you
thought Of their fate? OF the mon
strous savagery to which they
would be exposed? Do you believe
he could limit and control it? Look
at him! Why, he has never had a
consideration outside Of his own
safety, and yet he expects you to
AAch yOuA ACAh0 " Save hAS. LAG
would have left the state before the
first blow was struck-his business
was all down river-but We are
going to keep him here to answer
! for his crimes! The law, as i'm
| placable as 1t is impartial, has pat
its mark on him-the shadow in
which he sits is the shadow Of the
| gallows!"
! The Judge paused, but the only
sound in that expectant silence was
the heavy breathing of men. HI
drew his unwieldly form erect
while his voice rumbled on, ag.
gressive and threatening in 1t:
every information.
You are here to defend some
thing that no longer exists. YOU
organization is wrecked, your sig
nails and passwords are known
your secrets have become public
property can even produce a lis
of your members; there are none
Of you who do not stand in immi
ment peril-yet understand, l hav,
no wish to strike at those who hav,
been misled or coerced into joinin.
Murrells band!" The judges sod
den old face glowed now with tn,
magnanimity of his sentiments
But l have no feeling of mere.
for your leaders. none for Murrel
himself. Put down your guns
you can only kill US after we hav,
killed Murrell-but you can't Kill
the law! II the arch conspiracy
dies in this room and hour, OF
whose head will the punishment
fal1?" He swung round his pom
derous arm in a sweeping gestur
and shook fat but expressive fore
finger in the faces of those neares
him. "On yours-and yours-an
yours!"
Across the space that separate
them the Judge grinned his trump
at his enemy. He had known whe
Fentress entered the room that
word or sign from him woul
precipitate a riot, but he knew no,
that neither this word nor thi
sign would be given. Then quit
suddenly he strobe down the aisle
and foot by foot Fentress yielde
ground before his advance. A muir
derous light flashed from tn
judges bloodshot eyes and his RICH
hand was stealing toward the fray
ed tails of his coat.
Look out-he's getting ready {
shoot" cried frightened voice.
Instantly by doors and window
; the crowd, seized with inexplic
able panic. emptied itself into tn
court house yard. Fentress wa
caught up in the rush and born
from the room and from the build
; ing. When he reached the gravel
ed space below the steps he turn
ed. The judge was in the doorwa,
the center Of a struggling group
Mr., Bowen, the minister, Mr.. Sau
and Mr.. Wesley were vainly seek
ing to pinion his arm.
"Draw-damn you!" he roared a
, Fentress, as he wrenched himsel
free, and the crowd swayed to rign
and left as Fentress was seen
reach for his pistol.
i Mr.. Saul made a last frantic ell
fort to restrain his friend; he sell
ed the judges arm just as the la,
ter's finger pressed the trigger, an
an instant later Fentress staggere
back with the judges bullet in hi
shoulder.
CHAPTER XXI.
:, Good Times Coming.
|. Early in November the Judge 81
|. out by stage on his journey east
!, he was accompanied by Yancy an
Hannibal, from neither OF whol
could he bring himself to be seps
. | ~ntn4. h. l. a.