nnocence to the moon as
to get them to listen to denials, even if I could have made my voice
heard.

The lariat was dropped over the cross-piece, and as a man adjusted the
noose a sudden silence fell. I thought it was a little sense of what
they were doing, but it was merely due to the command of Baldwin, who,
with Camp, stood just outside the mob.

"Let me say a word before you pull," he called, and then to me he
said, "Now will you give up the property?"

I was pretty pale and shaky, but I come of stiffish stock, and I
wouldn't have backed down then, it seemed to me, if they had been
going to boil me alive. I suppose it sounds foolish, and if I had had
plenty of time I have no doubt my common-sense would have made me
crawl. Not having time, I was on the point of saying "No," when the
door of 218, which lay about two hundred yards away, flew open, and
out came Mr. Cullen, Fred, Albert, Lord Ralles, and Captain Ackland,
all with rifles. Of course it was perfect desperation for the five to
tackle the cowboys, but they were game to do it, all the same.

How it would have ended I don't know, but as they sprang off the car
platform Miss Cullen came out on it, and stood there, one hand holding
on to the door-way, as if she needed support, and the other covering
her heart. It was too far for me to see her face, but the whole
attitude expressed such suffering that it was terrible to see. What
was more, her position put her in range of every shot the cowboys
might fire at the five as they charged. If I could have stopped them I
would have done so, but, since that was impossible, I cried--

"Mr. Camp, I'll surrender the letters."

"Hold on, boys," shouted Baldwin; "wait till we get the property he
stole." And, coming through the crowd, he threw the noose off my neck.

"Don't shoot, Mr. Cullen," I yelled, as my friends halted and raised
their rifles, and, fortunately, the cowboys had opened up enough to
let them hear me and see that I was free of the rope.

Escorted by Camp, Baldwin, and the cowboys, I walked toward them. On
the way Baldwin said, in a low voice, "Deliver the letters, and we'll
tell the boys there has been a mistake. Otherwise--"

When we came up to the five, I called to them that I had agreed to
surrender the letters. While I was saying it, Miss Cullen joined them,
and it was curious to see how respectfully the cowboys took off their
hats and fell back.

"You are quite right," Mr. Cullen called. "Give