The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1935-04-26
He turned his back deliberately to

I
he reached the telephone and rang the
bell.
"Give me the Jail" he said excited
ly. "Quickl The jail!"
Outside growing, mounting roar
sounded, like the voice of an approach
ing wind, Then came sharp shout;
a loud curse. Then quick silence again
as Tim LETTERS reasserted his leader
ship and demanded that they move
only as a unit. But this order pre-
vailed for a brief moment.
Smash in the door; it's locked !"
someone cried. "Take him until he
gives Ben up!'
"Good boy"
The ball Of ice, cast in the street
from some horses foot, now picked up
and flung stoutly, crashed through an
| Office window.
Brandon covered as a yell of ap-
proval went up, and pressed his face
close to the telephone.
"Hickens? Art This Brandon
| There's a mob out here and"
"Pve seen 1t !" The sheriff's voice
trembled. 81 saw 'em come in. / don't
know what"
| "Get down here, then, and be quick
about it! Get down here and scatter
| them!''
| Brandon waited for the ready &C.
| quiescence which always had come
from the men he had made, from Off
GERS of the law and judges and public
! officials both high and low.
"Are you there" he demanded s. .
ly as shrill zip came from the
| street.
"Yes, Mr.. Brandon. | hear you but
:. But what d'you expect me to
do against mob alone? l."
"Alone! You're sheriff, you fool
You've the law behind you'll Bring a
gun and hurry!"
"But that crowd, Nick! Why, they're
the best men in the north. They'd tear
me to ribbons! They're good men and
| they're mad. You better get out the
back way if you cant"
With an oath Brandon flung the re-
| ceiver from him as another window
pane exploded to fragments. Abandon
| ed to that muttering mob, and by a
man whose political career he had
shaped with his own handsl From
safe vantage point he looked out. A
half dozen men were pulling at sign
post. The street was filling with peo-
Pile; his people, his employees. They
were wide-eyed, excited, and he saw
dozen of them, men who had whined
| and groveled before him. laugh and
| jeer as another missile spattered on
the bricks outside.
He ran down the hallway and looked
out window in the rear. grim
guard of three men stood there, ready
and waiting for him to attempt flight
that way.
He went into his sleeping chamber
and took down rifle from it's rack
on a pair of antlers. He threw open
the chamber but 1t was empty. He
jerked open a dresser drawer and
paved through it in fruitless search
for cartridges, cursing because he
found none. His breath was ragged
as he threw the rifle on the bed and
rumpled his hair wildly.
Bring Elliott out I" "Show us Ben !"
sect raill' These and other terri
flying cries stood out above the con-
slant mutter of the mob
Brandon rushed back to the front
Office and waved his arms for silence
as he stood in the shattered glass Of
his window. but the sight of him only
| provoked boots and jeers which were
forerunners of great billow of saw
age, snarling rage.
The men were having trouble with
the sign post. He heard the. stair
| door tried and voice called: "Hustle
with that postv'
Comingl They were coming in to
| get him!
He could not satisfy them! He did
not know where Elliott was. Last
night Delaney had promised to try
again but he had not come to report,
| though Brandon had waited late. And
now the crowd was bowling for FL
lott; lacking Elliott, they would take
| him.
He covered his face with his hands,
tried to stop his ears. In those menac-
ing cries he heard the knell Of this
reign. For years he had ruled by the
force Of his will and now that force
was not enough. Bit by bit, Ben FL
lott had caught the fancy Of the coun-
try and now, with that group of stout
men as rallying point, the entire
town was setting up demand for the