nothing criminal and I won't run away."
"How about the robbery of Miss Prim's room and the murder of Old ManBaggs?" asked Burton. "Did they pull both of those off before theykilled Paynter or after?"
"They had nothing to do with either unless they did them after theythrew me out of the car, which must have been long after midnight,"replied the girl.
"And the rest of the gang, those that were arrested with you," continuedthe detective, "how about them? All angels, I suppose."
"There was only Bridge and the boy they called The Oskaloosa Kid, thoughhe isn't the same one that murdered poor Mr. Paynter, and the Gypsygirl, Giova, that were with me. The others were tramps who came intothe old mill and attacked us while we were asleep. I don't know who theywere. The girl could have had nothing to do with any of the crimes. Wecame upon her this morning burying her father in the woods back of theSquibbs' place. The man died of epilepsy last night. Bridge and the boywere taking refuge from the storm at the Squibbs place when I was thrownfrom the car. They heard the shot and came to my rescue. I am sure theyhad nothing to do with--with--" she hesitated.
"Tell the truth," commanded Burton. "It will go hard with you if youdon't. What made you hesitate? You know something about those two--nowout with it."
"The boy robbed Mr. Prim's home--I saw some of the money andjewelry--but Bridge was not with him. They just happened to meet byaccident during the storm and came to the Squibbs place together. Theywere kind to me, and I hate to tell anything that would get the boy introuble. That is the reason I hesitated. He seemed such a nice boy!It is hard to believe that he is a criminal, and Bridge was alwaysso considerate. He looks like a tramp; but he talks and acts like agentleman."
The telephone bell rang briskly, and a moment later the butler steppedinto the room to say that Mr. Burton was wanted on the wire. He returnedto the living room in two or three minutes.
"That clears up some of it," he said as he entered. "The sheriff justhad a message from the chief at Toledo saying that The Oskaloosa Kid isdying in a hospital there following an automobile accident. He knew hewas done for and sent for the police. When they came he told them he hadkilled a man by the name of Paynter at Oakdale last night and the chiefcalled up to ask what we knew about it. The Kid confessed to clearhis pal who was only slightly injured in the smash-up. His storycorroborates Miss Penning's in every detail, he also said that afterkilling Paynter he had shot a girl witness and thrown her from the carto prevent her squealing."
Once again the telephone bell rang, long and insistently. The butleralmost ran into the room. "Payson wants you, sir," he cried to Burton,"in a hurry, sir, it's a matter of life and death, sir!"
Burton sprang to the phone. When he left it he only stopped at thedoorway of the living room long enough to call in: "A mob has the twoprisoners at Payson and are about to lynch them, and, my God, they'reinnocent. We all know now who killed Paynter and I have known sincemorning who murdered Baggs, and it wasn't either of those men; butthey've found Miss Prim's jewelry on the fellow called Bridge andthey've gone crazy--they say he murdered her and the young one did forPaynter. I'm going to Payson," and dashed from the house.
"Wait," cried Jonas Prim, "I'm going with you," and without waiting tofind a hat he ran quickly after the detective. Once in the car he leanedforward urging the driver to greater speed.
"God in heaven!" he almost cried, "the fools are going to kill the onlyman who can tell me anything about Abigail."
*****
With oaths and threats the mob, brainless and heartless, cowardly,bestial, filled with the lust for blood, pushed and jammed into thenarrow corridor before the cell door where the two prisoners awaitedtheir fate. The single guard was brushed away. A dozen men wieldingthree railroad ties battered upon the grating of the door, swinging theties far back and then in unison bringing them heavily forward againstthe puny iron.
Bridge spoke to them once. "What are you going to do with us?" he asked.
"We're goin' to hang you higher 'n' Haman, you damned kidnappers an'murderers," yelled a man in the crowd.
"Why don't you give us a chance?" asked Bridge in an even tone,unaltered by fear or excitement. "You've nothing on us. As a matter offact we are both innocent--"
"Oh, shut your damned mouth," interrupted another of the crowd.
Bridge shrugged his shoulders and turned toward the youth who stood verywhite but very straight in a far corner of the cell. The man noticed thebulging pockets of the ill fitting coat; and, for the first time thatnight, his heart stood still in the face of fear; but not for himself.
He crossed to the youth's side and put his arm around the slenderfigure. "There's no use arguing with them," he said. "They've madeup their minds, or what they think are minds, that we're guilty; butprincipally they're out for a sensation. They want to see something die,and we're it. I doubt if anything could stop them now; they'd think we'dcheated them if we suddenly proved beyond doubt that we were innocent."
The boy pressed close to the man. "God help me to be brave," he said,"as brave as you are. We'll go together, Bridge, and on the other sideyou'll learn something that'll surprise you. I believe there is 'anotherside,' don't you, Bridge?"
"I've never thought much about it," said Bridge; "but at a time likethis I rather hope so--I'd like to come back and haunt this bunch of ratbrained rubes."
His arm slipped down the other's coat and his hand passed quickly behindthe boy from one side to the other; then the door gave and the leadersof the mob were upon them. A gawky farmer seized the boy and struck himcruelly across the mouth. It was Jeb Case.
"You beast!" cried Bridge. "Can't you see that that--that's--only achild? If I don't live long enough to give you yours here, I'll comeback and haunt you to your grave."
"Eh?" ejaculated Jeb Case; but his sallow face turned white, and afterthat he was less rough with his prisoner.
The two were dragged roughly from the jail. The great crowd which hadnow gathered fought to get a close view of them, to get hold of them, tostrike them, to revile them; but the leaders kept the others back lestall be robbed of the treat which they had planned. Through town theyhaled them and out along the road toward Oakdale. There was some talk oftaking them to the scene of Paynter's supposed murder; but wiser headscounselled against it lest the sheriff come with a posse of deputies andspoil their fun.
Beneath a great tree they halted them, and two ropes were thrown overa stout branch. One of the leaders started to search them; and when hedrew his hands out of Bridge's side pockets his eyes went wide, and hegave a cry of elation which drew excited inquiries from all sides.
"By gum!" he cried, "I reckon we ain't made no mistake here, boys. Lookahere!" and he displayed two handsful of money and jewelry.
"Thet's Abbie Prim's stuff," cried one.
The boy beside Bridge turned wide eyes upon the man. "Where did you getit?" he cried. "Oh, Bridge, why did you do it? Now they will kill you,"and he turned to the crowd. "Oh, please listen to me," he begged. "Hedidn't steal those things. Nobody stole them. They are mine. They havealways belonged to me. He took them out of my pocket at the jail becausehe thought that I had stolen them and he wanted to take the guilt uponhimself; but they were not stolen, I tell you--they are mine! they aremine! they are mine!"
Another new expression came into Bridge's eyes as he listened to theboy's words; but he only shook his head. It was too late, and Bridgeknew it.
Men were adjusting ropes about their necks. "Before you hang us," saidBridge quietly, "would you mind explaining just what we're being hangedfor--it's sort of comforting to know, you see."
"Thet's right," spoke up one of the crowd. "Thet's fair. We want to dothings fair and square. Tell 'em the charges, an' then ask 'em ef theygot anything to say afore they're hung."
This appealed to the crowd--the last statements of the doomed men mightadd another thrill to the evening's entertainment.
"Well," said the man who had searched them. "There might o' been somedoubts about
you before, but they aint none now. You're bein' hung ferabductin' of an' most likely murderin' Miss Abigail Prim."
The boy screamed and tried to interrupt; but Jeb Case placed a heavyand soiled hand over his mouth. The spokesman continued. "This slickeradmitted he was The Oskaloosa Kid, 'n' thet he robbed a house an' shota man las' night; 'n' they ain't no