Year: 1879

then approached the window and open
ed 1t quietly, so as not to disturb her
father, who was sleeping soundly. AS
she did so, voice from below said:


:" Miss Mary, Elliot is not dead"


Her heart throbbed wildly as she
asked


:" Where is he Oh, tell me where
he isl"


But no response came to this appeal
all was silent as the grave. The she de-
cided that the words were only the effect
of her excited Imagination.


The next morning when the man
brought their breakfast, he whispered:


Black Bill and one or two others
talk of taking your father out to-day
and forcing confession from him.
The men are greatly excited, and If they
once get started In that sort of business
they may lynch him whether he is in
nocent or guilty. 1 thought Black Bill
was friend of your fathers, but he has
done more than all the rest to keep up
the excitement


The landlord, who was kind-hearted
man, looked pltyingly at Mary's white
face as he added:


"Cheer up, my girl, am sorry for
you, and will do what 1 can to save
your father"


When he left the room Mary stood
like one petrified, as the peril of her
fathers position burst upon her. Joe
Knight was still sleeping. His daugh-
ter awoke him. and after he had made
his toilet, served his breakfast. she ex-
hibited more reverential tenderness than
usual, feeling that each little act of kind
ness might be the last she could ever
bestow upon him. She decided not to
tell her father of his danger, it would
do no good, and she wished to spare
him the horror of knowing his life
hung by a thread as it were.


Toward evening the door was unlocked,
and several of the most desperate char
acters of the mining district entered the
room. Jim Snyder, the leader of the
party, staggered up to Joe Knight, and
said they had not succeeded in finding
Burnett, but were convinced he had
been murdered, and that he, Joe Knight,
had committed the deed, and if he re-
fused to confess they would lynch him
on the spot.


Joe told them the same story he had
told his daughter, but his denial only
exasperated the desperate men.


WE'LL" said Snyder, tive will see
when you get the halter around your
neck if you will still defy u.s."


Poor Mary pleaded earnestly for her
father; but in spite of her tears and re-
monstrances they pinioned his arms,
and led him to the place where the mob
was collected. She, accompanied by the
landlady, followed the crowd. Her
white face and despairing cries touched
the hearts of the spectators, yet they
dared not interfere with the desperadoes.


The men formed themselves into q
jury, and appointed one of the gang
judge-when, after going through the
form of trial, Joe Knight was pro-
nounced guilty of numbering Elliot
Burnett, and was sentenced to be hung
then and there.


When Knight realized that all hope
was over he asked for writing material,
that he might revoke the will he had
made, appointing Black Bill trustee Of
his daughters fortune. But his quOn-
dam friend determined, if possible, to
prevent this, and told his desperate COM
panions it was only ruse to gain time
Mary would soon be of age and mis-
tress of her own fortune. His influence
prevailed, and Joe was forced to submit
to their decision.


When they attempted to put the hall
ter around the prisoners neck, Mary
broke away from her companions, and
running up to her father, threw her
arms around him, and fought desperate
ly for his life. Her wild, unearthly
looking eyes, and her face convulsed
with the agony of despair, sent thrill
of pity through the crowd-pity for the
poor frenzied girl rather than for the
supposed murderer; still the work of
death went on. Some of the men un-
clasped Mary's arms from her fathers
neck, while the others arranged the
rope.


"God bless and watch over you, my
poor girl ~ said knight, in a broken
voice. 81 am innocent, Mary. Oh, be-
lieve it, child, when 1 am gone.