The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-09-16
CHAPTER IX-Continued

"We amt amin to tell 1t to no
Jury. We amt allowin' to let some
slick lawyer talk him off. Not none.
This town aims TO see justice done,
TO show these bad men who come in
an kill our citizens that we won't
stand for it minute"
The gray-haired little man rubbed
his unshaven chin and tried again.
Boys, it's a mighty serious business
to make a mistake an take mans
life without giving him show to tell
the courts his story"
A big hook-nosed man, the worse for
liquor, laughed savagely. You're
right, it's serious. Dave Stones liable
to find that out. Jas Is erect. This
fellow had ought to be strung up to a
telegraph pole. Me, l expect to do
some pulling on the rope that's round
his gullet."
The fierce murmur of assent told
VERIFY that opposition was useless. Ar
gument was waste of time.
He moved away reluctantly, forget
ting TO take his snake-bite medicine
with him when he left the saloon. For
he was troubled. This thing was
wrong, he felt. Yet he did not know
how to prevent it.
At Basford's he found little encour-
agement. On the porch were Simp
Shell, cowpuncher whom he knew as
Red, and Medford tenderfoot clerk.
Simp wanted to know in his indolent
drawing voice what was new.
"Why, nothing l reckon, except
Say, Simp, the devils broth is brewin'
in town today. The boys are amin
to lynch Dave Stone"
Looks thataway." admitted Shell.
I'm not for it myself after he come
in an give himself up-not till we
hear the right of the story, but of
course if they're hi bent on it"
The hester shook his head. Some
thing queer about this deal l don't
get it a-tall Me. l don't hold with
these killers. Time we settled down
an became decent folks an law-abidin'
citizens. But there's somethin' about
Dave Stone-well, guess he's killer
all right, but I'd trust him all the way
an back"
But Jas Stark says"
81 know what he says, an wouldn't
trust him any farther than l could
throw a bull by the tail. neither him
nor that Carl Gitner They're bad
eggs, both of 'em. There's somethin'
back of this, tell you, if we knew
what it was"
'Stone had talk with LIE Page an
then shut up like clam. under
stand. Hanks gone to Tucson on
business"
HE has?" Yerby's thoughts moved
fast. "Then they aim-the Circle
Cross outfit does-to get Stone outa
Jail an hang him while Hanks away.
They'll do it, too, sure as you're
foot high"
81 amt allowin' to stop 'em, Jim.
Are your"
IT don't know as / am" VERIFY con-
ceded reluctantly. "But looks to me
like the decent citizens would get to-
gether an serve notice that there
would be nothin' doin in necktie par
ties far as this case goes"
Simp's forefinger famed the air.
''Now tha's right where you're way
off, Jim. If Jas was fixin' to hang you
why reckon some of US would wake
up an ask some questions. But this
Stone-why. we don't care billy-be-
d-n whether he gets hung or not
They're all in the same crowd-no-
count triflin' fellows helm around an
maxim trouble for the rest of US.
There's just one plain word for killers.
They're cold-blooded murderers. Most
of 'em would just as lief shoot man
in the back as in front. Point of fact,
they'd rather, If they think they can
get away with 1t, because there's less
danger in it. You can't get me to shed
any tears about this Stone"
Yerby tried one or two other repre-
sentative citizens elsewhere and met
with the same lack of response. The
general sentiment was that neither
Jasper Stark nor Carl Gitner were any
good but so long as they confined their
attention to Stone they might go as far
as they liked.
The little man gave up with shrug
of his shoulders. The feeling of the
town had its weight with him. After
all. Stone was a bad man" and prob
ably deserved the fate hanging over
him. Yerby loaded his supplies on
the pack horse, arranged the lash rope,
and threw a squaw hitch. Presently
no was ont Of town and headed home
ward.
On the way home Yerby stopped at
the sheep ranch to leave a sack of
flour and some coffee he had bought
for the Giffords. Ann came to the
door at his call
miss Ethel not homer" he asked.
"No. She rode out with message
for Tony"