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Show LSVEH 0 C 1 0 to Si it ! CHAPTER X Continued 10 "It looks pretty had for you, Baxter," Bax-ter," he had said at the end of a Ion? Interview, "but there's only one thing for you to do. People don't want to believe yon killed your father, and that's a' big advantage. So it is up to you to stand your ground and face whatever comes. Don't talk. Keep your trap closed. I called your uncle up on the telephone Just before I came here this evening. He is coming over tomorrow morning to see if he can identify the body. Of course he can't. You seem to be (lead sure that It isn't your father. So is Mr. Sikes and Undertaker Un-dertaker Link. You all claim that your father was shorter by several Inches and had lost several of his teeth. But your lawyer will look after all these points. Just sit tight, Baxter, Bax-ter, and keep cool. Don't leave (own. Understand?" The company in Oliver's sitting-room sitting-room included the redoubtable and venerable Messrs. Sikes and . Link, Judge Shortridge, Mr. and Mrs. Sage and Jane, Doctor Lansing and Mrs. Grimes. Sammy Parr was expected. He was to bring in the news of the streets. Oliver, a trifle pale, but with a stubborn stub-born frown on his brow, listened calmly calm-ly to the animated conversation that went on about him. lie sat beside Jane on the sofa In the corner of the room. "I don't see how you can be so unmoved, un-moved, so calm, Oliver, dear," whispered whis-pered Jane In her lover's ear. "Just think what they are talking about ' and as if you were not here at all." He stroked her band. "I've been thinking of something else, Jane." "Of me, I suppose, and the silly notion no-tion you have of releasing me from my promise." "I do release you, dear." "I refuse to release you so that's that, as mother says. I am ready and willing to have father marry us tonight, to-night, Oliver." "We will have to wait, dear," he Bald, rather wistfully. CHAPTER XI Oliver in Danger The front door opened suddenly and In walked Sammy Parr. "Excuse haste," he said, tossing his hat and gloves on a chair. "I'm back. Say, gee whiz, everybody In town is out on Clay street. Lts of them down this way, strolling past V "What are the people saying, Sammy?" Sam-my?" Judge Shortridge broke In, grasping his arm. "Well, I hate to tell you, but as far as I can make out, Judge, there seems to be a general feeling that that Oliver Oli-ver did it," ,said Sammy, wiping his moist forehead with the back of a hand that shook slightly. "Snap Judgment," said the lawyer, after silence had reigned for a few Seconds. "That is always the way with the Ignorant and uninformed. msm HI ip rf I r-i Mi Itflft I He Stroked Her Hand. "I've Been Thinking of Something Else, Jane." Nothing to worry about. Oliver. They will be on your side tomorrow when they understand 11 little bettor. It's always the way with a crowd." Josephine Sago spread her hands in a gesture of contempt. " "What fools these mortals he,'" she declaimed theatrically. It was after cloven o'clock when Guar's Gu-ar's friends departed, lie stood on the porch and watched them drive off In tlie Iwo automobiles. A few persons per-sons hud stopped at the bottom of the drive to see who were in the cars. The f.nrinsr headlights fell upon white, indistinct in-distinct faces and then al.nost Instantly Instant-ly left tlieni in pitch darkness. "I wish you had let Mr. Sa;e marry you and Jane tonight, Oliver." said Mrs. ((runes, at tils side ou the top step. "Vou have the license and every, tliinf. nnJ H could all have been over a 11 tew minutes. And J.ir.e begged you so hard.' "I couldn't do It. Aunt Serepta," he dejectedly. "I don't know what ' Ey George Earr McCufcfcesn WNU Service Copyriiht, Bell Syndesis is ahead of me. I may be in Jail before be-fore I'm a day older. He gave her a wry, bitter smile as he put his arm over her shoulder and walked beside her Into the house. "Pleasant thought, isn't it, old dear? as the celebrated Josephine would say." Clay street was almost deserted as Lansing and Sammy Parr drove through It after leaving the Baxter place. The Sages were in the former's car. In front of the hotel Sammy, who was some distance ahead and who had dropped the two old men at Silas Link's home, slowed down and waited for Lansing to draw alongside. "I don't mind saying to you that there was a lot of ugly talk earlier in the evening," said Sammy uneasily. "A lot of nasty talk. I didn't tell Oliver, but I heard more than one man say he ought to be strung up." "Oh, Sammy, do you think " began Jane, in a sudden agony of alarm. "Xonsense !" cried the minister, instantly in-stantly sensing her fear. "Such things don't happen in these days and in this part of the country. The people will let the law take its course. Have no fear on that score." "Well, anyway, it looks mighty queer to me," said Sammy tactlessly shaking shak-ing his head. "I don't like this awful stillness. It isn't like this even on ordinary nights." Jane clutched Lansing's arm and shook It violently. "Doctor Lansing," she cried, "we must return to Oliver's house immediately. immedi-ately. He will have to come over to our houses Better still, Sammy, you must drive him up to the city. Tonight At once. I am frightened. Something terrible is afoot. I know It. I feel It. It Is so still. Look ! Why aren't the street lamps In Maple avenue lighted? It Is as dark as " "By Jingo, Lansing," exclaimed Sammy, starting up from his seat to peer over the windshield. "See that? Men running across Maple avenue. 'Way up yonder where that arc light Is at Fiddler street. Three or four men. Didn't you see them?" "We must beat It back to Oliver's," half-shouted Lansing, excitedly. "Take the women home first," ordered or-dered Sammy, "and then come back. I'll go ahead." "Wait !" commanded Mr. Sage. "Drive on up Maple, Sammy. Follow those men. See what they are up to. They are headed for the swamp road. Lansing and I will follow you in a Jiffy. Drive like the devil!" he shouted shout-ed in ringing tones. "No, no, no !" screamed Jane. "The other way! To Oliver's! I will not go home. I'm going to him ! Turn around turn around ! Do you hear me?" , "Where in God's name are the police?" po-lice?" cried Josephine. "We can't take you back there," cried Lansing. "II 1 may be to pay. It's no place for women, Jane. Sit still ! I'll have you home in two minutes." min-utes." "I will Jump out! i swear to heaven I will," she cried shrilly. "Turn back !" commanded Jane's mother. "I am not afraid of them. Jane is not afraid. We cannot desert Oliver if he is in danger. Please God, he may not be. Turn back. I say !" "Yes !" cried the minister. "We must get to Oliver all of us!" The two cars matje reckless turns In the narrow street and were off like the wind. CHAPTER XII The Hanging Since ten o'clock men by twos and threes and fours had been making their way through back streets and lanes to an appointed spot an eighth of a mile east of the Baxter home, the tree-bordered swale that marked the extreme northern end of the slough. Whispers-swelled into hoarse, guttural mutterings as the mob, headed by its sot-faced, scowling leaders, left the swale and started its deadly march. Quickly the house was surrounded. No avenue of escape was left unguarded. unguard-ed. A small, detached group advanced ad-vanced toward the porch, above the roof of which were lights in the windows win-dows of what everyone knew to be young Oliver Baxter's bedroom. A loud voice called out: "Come out ! We want to see you, Oliver Castor." Oliver raised the window and lear.Dd out. "Who is It? What have you got down there? A mob? I'll see you in h 1 before I'll come out !" A deep growl rose from a hundred throats, stilled almost instantly as the clear voice of the leader rang out again. "We will give you one minute to come out." Oliver glanced over his shoulder. Mrs. Grimes had come to his bedroom door. "Telephone for the police. Serepta." be cried out shandy. "No! Wait! You nuisin't be here if that mob breaks in and " He did not finish the sentence. There was a rush of footsteps in the tall, thin Mrs. Grimes was Hung acirie and Into the room leaped three, four, half a doTfn men. ; Oliver knocked the lirsf Mian sprawl-in;, sprawl-in;, but the others were upon him like an avalanche. ... As they led h'.m. now unresisting, from the ro..;:j his wild, beaten gaze fell upon tne huddled form of Serepta Griiu s lying inert in the hull "For God's sake, be decent enough j to look after her," he panred. They dragged him down the stairs. Out of the house and down into the yard they hurried him. There they I paused long enough to tic iis hands j securely behind his back. An awed silence had fallen upon the crowd the shouts ceased, curses, died on men's lips. They had him ! Tragedy was at hand. "In Heaven's name, men what are you going to do with me?" Oliver cried out in a strange, piercing voice. "Shut up!" Something fell upon his head, scraped down over his face. He stifled a scream. He felt the slack noose tighten about his bare throat. He was shoved forward, protesting shrilly, impatiently. They had picked the spot the place where father and son parted on that "5" &.. 1 "Corn on!" He Yelled. "Come on, You Dirty Cowards!" distant night. And the tree the sturdy old oak whose limbs overhung the road. They had picked the limb. There was no delay. . . . The stout rope was thrown over the limb, the noose was drawn close about his neck by cold, nervous fingers. . . . A prayer was strangled on his writhing writh-ing lips. Strong hands hauled at the rope. He swung in the air. . . . A great white flare of light burst upon the grewsome spectacle the roar of a charging monster the din oi shrieking klaxons and then the piercing pierc-ing scream of a woman. The dense mob in the road broke, fighting frantically to get out of the path of Lansing's car. Some were struck and hurled screaming aside and on came the car, forging its way slowly but relentlessly through the struggling mass. Up to the swaying, wriggling form shot the car, a force irresistible, guided guid-ed by a man who thought not of the human beings he might crush to death in his desire to reach the one he sought to save. "Let go of that rope!" yelled this man. , Behind him came another car. Panic seized the mob. The compact mass broke and scattered. A writhing, tortured figure lay in t lie middle of the road, a loose rope swinging swing-ing free from the limb. The bewildered, bewil-dered, startled men who hail held it in their hands fell back uncertain, bewildered. Lansing, unafraid, sprang from the car and rushed to the prostrate form. ' In a second lie was tugging at the noose, cursing frightfully. Now a woman flung herself down beside the man with the rope around ' his neck, sobbing, moaning, her arms , straining to lift his shoulders from the ground. A baffled roar went up from the j mob. Men surged forward and hands were laid upon the rope too late j The noose was off and Sammy Parr, ; standing over the doctor and the dis- , trailed girl, had a revolver in his hand. '('o:ne on!" Ii relied. "Come on. j you dirty cowards! You swine! You ' d d Huns! Come on and get a man- sized pull !" j (TO EE CONTINUED.) |