. Wright will try to do something if these fellows
really mean to hang Brace?"

"They are bound to help him; but I don't see what can be done against so
many."

Owing to the crowd around him it was impossible for the boys to see the
prisoner. The men swayed to and fro as if fighting among themselves, and
after a time the reason of these movements was made plain.

Two long pieces of timber had been lashed together at one end, and set
up like the letter V inverted. These were held in place by some of the
mob, and drove through the fastenings at the top was a long rope.

Billings was on hand acting as master of ceremonies, and when this
portion of the work had been finished, he shouted:

"Half a dozen of you take hold of the rope, an' when I count three,
string him up."

In an agony of apprehension Fred looked toward the store. No one
appeared at the door; it seemed as if the bosses had abandoned Joe
Brace.

"Stand ready, boys!" Billings shouted. "We'll soon show 'em how we serve
out spies."

There was a moment of painful silence, during which more than one of the
mob acted as if frightened because of the terrible crime about to be
committed, and then an old miner cried:

"Hold on! This thing has gone far enough!"

"What do you mean?" Billings asked angrily.

"Just this: I joined your crowd to stand up for my rights not to commit
murder. There's been mischief done already, an' the most of us will be
sorry when we've had time to think the matter over."

"Hold your tongue and go home like the rest of the old women."

"I'll stay where I am, an' you'll be the one to go home if the boys take
my advice."

Then continuing, the old man reminded the throng that he had worked at
Farley's longer than the majority could remember. He spoke of the fact,
that until this day, there had been no mob rule; intimated that they
were blindly following one in whom very few ever reposed confidence, and
asked if they were willing to hang a friend simply because Billings
commanded it.

The speech was a long one, and before twenty words were spoken as many
determined-looking men gathered around Brace to prevent any harm from
being done.

"Don't listen to the old fool," Billings cried, in a voice hoarse with
rage; but now very few paid any attention to him, and, when the
prisoner's friend finished his appeal there was no danger a human life
would be taken.

Some of those who had been most eager to drag Brace away unloosened his