The Rangeland Avenger

n, and you're wron

ulled us clear. Steady, boys. T

the sort of a frien

orry,

of pictures. At the farther end a great fireplace filled the width of the room. The inside of the log walls had been carefully and smoothly finished by some master axman. There were

is voice lar

his hand on the butt of his gun and waited. The

Sinclair, and a little ma

e had a head of bright blond hair, thick and rather on end. The face was thin and handsome, and the eyes impres

nd the arms of the schoolteacher flew up over his head. Lean, fragile hands, Riley saw them to

They's some gents here th

itched so low as to be almost uni

nt to see a gent that lets a

k into its holster. Now he waved the scho

his arms still held stiffly above his head, but, at the sight of the masked faces, one arm dropped

lence. "Guilty, boys. Ain't one loo

and legal, gents

de straight up

Quade's house y

way from the exten

ed. "I-I-what doe

ompanions, still point

m, boys. Can't you

on took one of Gaspar's arms and Montana took the other. Sally Bent ran fo

coldly. "You go inside

them with ex

u-all ain't going to let it hap

ssion moved on, Buck and Montana in the lead, with the prisoner between them. The others followed, Judge Lodge uncoili

el the eyes of Sandersen upon him, for presently he turned

at I cou

at. Ever see anyt

hem, his feet trailing weakly and aimlessly behind him, his whole bod

sen to himself. "After all nobody can blame hi

t distance from the ground. There was a businesslike stir among the others. Denver, Larsen, the judge, and Sandersen hel

to of killed him, Jig. These here killings has got to sto

t the rope end that bound his hands. Then, as if he realized that struggling would not help him, and that only speech could give him a chance for life, he checked t

bling voice, "you look to me like an hon

," said Riley S

high up on the rope, ready for the tug whi

ime, ourselves," said Riley

mptation. In the first place it would be impossible to convince five men who had already made up their minds, who had already acquitted Sinclair of the guilt. In the second place, if he

en know what you accuse me of. Kill a man? Why should I w

as seen to murder. You're going to hang. If

but his weight struck against the rope. He sta

s sake-" be

s!" cried Buck Mas

Gaspar would dangle in the air. Now Riley Sinclair made his decision. The agonized eyes of t

ai

ng tense for th

stice in it-it's just plain torture." "Partner," declared Riley Sinclair, "I'm sure glad to see that you got a good appetite for a killing. But

r that!" excl

or being yaller. But concerning this here matter, gents, it looks to me l

on. "Don't we all know

, except to give

selves. Let's get in the evidence and hear the witness and make out the case. If we decide they ain't enough agin' Gaspar

a courtroom. That there stump is for the judge, and the black rock yonder is where the prisoner sits. That ther

ely unresponsive, but to the chance to play a

"I'll act as the judge. I k

ed Riley. "I thought up

hen he stepped to the s