n
living in Paloma. Are you ready to give us your word to leave Paloma
before daylight, and never come back?"

"No," Tom replied flatly.

"Then," sneered the gambler, fixing the gaze of his snake-like eyes on
the young chief engineer, "I'll tell you what we have provided for you.
We shall take you to the edge of the town, at once, and there hang you
by the neck to a tree. After you've ceased squirming we'll fasten this
card to you."

From another man present Jim snatched a printed card, bearing this
legend:

"Gone, for the good of the community!"

CHAPTER XIV. THE COUNCIL OF THE CURB

"How soon are you going to carry out your plans?" Reade demanded.

"Then you won't leave Paloma?"

"I certainly won't--as far as my own decision goes," Reade replied
firmly. "Furthermore, I should feel the utmost contempt for myself if I
allowed you to drive me away from here before my work is completed."

"You're a fool!" hissed Duff.

"And you're a gambler," Tom shot back. "If you won't change your trade,
why should you expect me to change mine?"

"I reckon, gentlemen," said Duff, turning to the others present, "that
there's no use in wasting any more time with this fellow. He'd rather
be hanged to a tree than take good advice. If the rest of you agree with
me, I propose that we take the cub to his tree at once."

Several spoke in favor of this plan. Tom, seeing this, felt his heart
sink somewhat within him, though he was no more inclined than before to
accede to the demands of the rascals.

"Grab him! Throw him down; tie and gag him," were the gambler's orders.

Two men nearest the young engineer sprang at him.

"We'll play this game right through to the finish, then!" burst from
Tom's lips, and there was something like fury in his voice.

Biff! Thump!

Two of the townsmen of Paloma, wholly unprepared for resistance, went
down before the engineer's telling blows.

"Your turn, Duff!" rumbled Reade's voice, as he sprang forward and
launched a terrific blow at the gambler.

Duff went down, almost doubling up as he struck. He had been hit
squarely on the jaw with a force that made even Tom Reade's hardened
knuckles ache.

"Shoot him!" rose a snarl, as others moved toward the boy.

"All right!" assented Tom, his voice ringing cheerily despite his anger.
"Be cowards, as comes natural to you. Yet, if you have the courage of
real men I'll agree to fight my way out of this place, meeting you one
at a time."