myself," said Brannan finally,
"they'll start proceedings probably at once."

"And they'll have the courts to back their dirty work," added Coleman,
thoughtfully. "That will never do," his teeth shut with a little click.
"I'm going to the _Herald_ office."

"What for?" asked Brannan, quickly.

"To publish the full list of names," Coleman responded. "We're all in
this together; no group must bear the brunt."

"But," objected Brannan, "is that wise?"

"Of course.... in union there is strength. These crooks will hesitate to
fight two hundred leading citizens; if they know them all they can't
pick out a few for persecution."

"Well, I'll go along," said Brannan. "Eh, what's that? What's happened
now?"

The Monumental engine bell was tolling violently. Coleman listened. "Its
not a fire," he declared, "it's the Vigilante signal. We'll wait here."

A man came running toward them from the bay. "They've captured James
Stuart," he shouted. "Bludgeoned a captain on his ship but the man's
wife held on to him and yelled till rescue came."

"But Stuart's in the Auburn jail, awaiting execution for the murder of
the sheriff," Coleman said bewildered.

"No," cried the man, "this is the real one. The other's Tom Berdue, his
double."

"Then there'll be another hanging," Coleman muttered.

CHAPTER XXXV

THE PEOPLE AND THE LAW

Frightened, desperate, angered by the usurpation of their power, varied
forces combined in opposition to the Vigilance Committee. Political
office-holders, good and bad, were naturally arrayed against it, and for
the first time made a common cause. Among the politicians were many men
of brains, especially those affiliated with the "Chivalry" faction, as
it was known--Southern men whose object it was to introduce slavery into
California. These were fiery, fearless, eloquent and quick at stratagem.
There was also Broderick's Tammany organization, an almost perfect
political machine, though as yet in the formative stage. There was the
tacit union of the underworld; gamblers, thieves, plug-uglies, servitors
of or parasites upon the stronger factions. Each and all they feared and
hated this new order of the Vigilantes.

Coleman's scheme of publishing the names of the entire committee was
carried out after a meeting of the executive committee. It had the
effect of taking the wind out of their opponents' sails for a time. But
it also robbed committee members of a certain security. In a dozen dark
an