The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-04-29
L1k 1salhn4 zpann 4 a|lag e1a,ass = w. M4ap:y
.MlgNo!R!9!.Q! 'l|.d|
ftIi4l tyimp,s.ai ~ ~ lIStepSl hstsrsl Z.

!. ~ 7
| Wen all catch our deaths Of
cold" he Quavered. 4.
A knight OF Sparta ordered the
driver Of the hearse from his sect
and took his place. The cavalcado
moved Oh toward the square. IS
A nausea of life was BarbSra's
only sensation. Her ears were
deafened with insult. The cries Ot
these men turned beasts wero NO
longer. to,Aer understanding, words.
The distress' Of her body was no
longer pain. Her nerves cried for
the anestheSia called death. .fs$
They had torn her coat from her
when they bound her to the trunk
Of the courthouse elm. Even Ia
this extremity of bodily misery,
with thonEa which cruelty pulled
her arms back and around the
rough tree trunk biting into her
wrists, she instinctively huuche6
her shoulders forward and l0osed
from her body the clinging, driD.
ping shirt. . d
II she confessed her sex !. she
might save her life. But she feared
the alternative which might then
spring into the minds Of these mad.
dened men, to take the place OF the
blood lust there.
She couldn't understand the bon.
Ore and the cauldron which bub-
bled on the top OF It. A new horror
brought . gr0An to her lips. Were
they going to burn her ct the
stake? Sh wanted to scream, bat
fear had her by the throat. Il
A woman in the forefront of the
encircling mob suddenly picked up
cl0d Of mud and dead grass and
flung 1t 1T Barbara. 1t struck ON
her breast. !
| A cur sinking through the mob
sni6ed at her trouser Lex for Z
moment and then licked her hand.
1t WAS not the blow. but the
caress. which finally broke her
spirit. She sbAndoned hope, pite.
ously raised her face toward the
mystery which lies beyond the
skies.
Thns Bravo, hidden on the Great
Of the knoll In Courthouse Square,
saw her. He had W0rmed his way
unseen to the pyramidical mound OF
cannonballs, and these served to
conceal him from the mob. For
three minutes now his eyes had
frsntically searched for the one he
sought IN Ill the throng.
Barbara gesture, eloquent Of
her despair, wfenched 4 groAn Of
pity from him. He dropped to his
knses and mvttoSod Z strange,
pfOfane psayAr. Z H
Unless he tightly 'sripped tho
heavy round shot under his hands,
he would be torn, from Al intelli.-
gent purp0ee AMI be hurled. an
Incompetent nadman. to futile
attack on The toftufers below. He
stripped end som6ahin8 moved. Ths
cannonbals were mot held together
by anything but their own weight.
only q miracle can help me to
cave her now" he thought.
The ours set up 2 concert OF
bowling. The crowd parted to
| make an aiale no the w!aa walk to
tine courthouse steps The driver
on the heaxeAl whipped his team
toward the BONFIRE: A harridan
voice shriek4o.
Lily! Lilyl-s We're going to
give you your reyepge!" 5,
The mob pressed close upon the
; score OF Spartan knights who were
self-appointed executors OF decree
} OF infamy.
THE tar! The fsathers!"
Barbara suddenly realized the
meaning Of the Are and cauldron.
She opened her white lips and gave
voice to z long. blood fresziny
scream OF DESPAIR.
: Bravo! Bravo"
Bravo clApped q hand over his
mouth to stop his answering cry.
: Then he stood erect. He lifted tho
top cannonhali Of the pile at his
i: feet and stood q moment, poised.
A knight Of Sparta gripped the
collar Of .Barbara'S shirt In q black
mittentd hand and yanked the inert
figure erect Another dipped q
broom In the bubbling kettle of tar,
and signalled with his head. The
shirt Was ripped OF In one tug AMI
hung at Barbara's waist.
"A girl" A voice from the mute
and staring mob.
Then Bravo began his game OF
bowls. His nrSt throw landed or
the dOwn-Sl0ping turf twenty fee:
below him. bounced and sped on.
Before It struck q second was ON
its way. A third, . fourth.
!. At the foot of the hill human
ninepins fell - the heavy cannon.
balls came hurting into the square.
There were cries Of pain. A panic
brewad. - g
Bravo became mailman.
He turned and saw to his left
the expanse Of deserted asphalt oil
Main Street. He reached into his
hip pocket. drew ont q stick Of
dynamite and hurled.
The explosion threw him And
: halt Of the mob on their fscel. Il
sent the rest to Ai9ht. He stag.
gersA 70 his feet, took cut another
stick OF the explosive. and blindly
hurled It behind him.
Refore the echo had died on the
|, second explosion the courthouse
yard was cleared. Bravo staggered
down the hill With an open laelr
knife In. his hand. She rocogniaed
him Just before 10 tainted. He
! wrapped her n hie coat. shouldersd
, her and ran: The mob had Ae9
uptown. awav from the direction Of
the explesiohe.
The town vas badly dana eed.