Pagina 105 van 439

The convict cursed, though his teeth still chattered with fright

from the narrow escape he had had, but through his prison jargon

ran a hint of some power he had over the man Dunke. It was plain

he thought the latter had incited the lynching in order to shut

the convict's mouth forever.

"Where is this shaft?" asked Neill.

"Up a gulch about half a mile from here."

Fraser's eyes fixed themselves on a young man who passed on the

run. He suddenly put his fingers to his lips and gave a low

whistle. The running man stopped instantly, his head alert to

catch the direction from which the sound had come. Steve whistled

again and the stranger turned toward them.

"It's Brown, one of my rangers," explained the lieutenant.

Brown, it appeared, had just reached town and stabled his horse

when word came to him that there was trouble on the plaza. He had

been making for it when his officer's whistle stopped him.