THE ROOF TREE



  With its blackened end Sim drew a line across the
planks of the floor between himself and Rick Joyce.
  " Thar, now," he passionately importuned his hearers.
"Thar hain't room in this country fer a lot of warrin'
enemies thet would all be friends save fer mischief
makers. Parish Thornton hes done admitted thar's
good men amongst ye, an' we've agreed ter punish them
briggatty fellers thet kilt Pete Doane, so thar hain't
rightfully no grudge left outstandin'. I takes up my
stand on this side of thet line, along with Parish Thorn-
ton, an' I summonses every man thet's decent amongst
ye all ter come over hyar an' stand with us. We
aims ter hev our hangin' without no deefault, but with a
diff'rent man swingin' on ther rope!"
  For the space of forty seconds that seemed as many
minutes a thunder-brooding tension hung in the still-
ness of the room-then without haste or excitement
Rick Joyce took off his hat and dropped it to the floor.
After it he flung his mask, and when he had crossed the
line, he turned.
  " Come on, men," he gave brusque and half-perempt-
ory invitation, "this hyar's whar we b'longs at."
  At first they responded singly and hesitantly, but
soon it was a small stampede-save for those who kept
guard at the doors-and ten minutes later Parish
Thornton stood free of limb and Bas Rowlett trembled,
putty pale, in the centre of the room with bound wrists
and a noose draped across his shoulders.
  "I only asks one thing of ye," faltered Bas, from
whose soul had oozed the last; drop of manly resistance,
"I come hyar ter crave this woman's pardon-I still
wants ter do thet-without nobody else ter heer what I
says."
  " Ef she's willin' ter listen, we'll let ye talk," acceded
Squires, who found himself unchallenged spokesman
now. "But we won't take no chances with ye. When



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