As he drew up the cinch another shout came
from the street, but this time very close.
When he raced around the jail he saw the crowd pouring into the house
of the deputy sheriff. He ran on till he came to the outskirts of the
mob. Every man was masked, but in the excitement no one noticed that
Dan's face was bare. Squirming his way through the press, Dan reached
the deputy's office. It was almost filled. Rogers stood on a chair
trying to argue with the cattlemen.
"No more talk, sheriff," thundered one among the cowpunchers, "we've
had enough of your line of talk. Now we want some action of our own
brand. For the last time: Are you goin' to order Lewis an' Patterson
to give up Haines, or are you goin' to let two good men die fightin'
for a damn lone rider?"
"What about the feller who's goin' to take Lee Haines out of Elkhead?"
cried another.
The crowd yelled with delight.
"Yes, where is he? What about him?"
Rogers, glancing down from his position on the chair, stared into the
brown eyes of Whistling Dan. He stretched out an arm that shook with
excitement.
"That feller there!" he cried, "that one without a mask! Whistlin' Dan
Barry is the man!"
CHAPTER XXIV
THE RESCUE
The throng gave back from Dan, as if from the vicinity of a panther.
Pages:
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223