er self-defence we've got ter terrify mankind so they won't dast
utter what disgust they feels. Old Jim's nigh ter death an' we don't
need ter bother with him; Hump Doane kin wait--one blow's done fell on
him already--but thar's yit another man thet won't never cease ter dog
us whilst he lives, an' thet's Parish Thornton--so ternight we aims ter
hang him."

Once more there was a pause, then as though pointing his moral the
spokesman supplemented his remarks:

"Hit hes need ter be a thing," he said, solemnly, "thet's goin' ter
terrify this whole country in sich dire fashion thet fer twenty y'ars
ter come no grand juror won't dast vote fer no investigation."

There remained those exact details that should cause the elaborate
operation to function together without hitch or miscarriage, and to
these Rick Joyce addressed himself.

The mob was to participate in force of full numbers and no absentees
were to be tolerated.

"When ther game starts up hit's got ter go quick as a bat flyin' through
hell," enjoined the director. "Every man teks his slicker an' his
false-face, an' goes one by one ter ther woods eround Thornton's house
es soon es dusk sottles. Every man's got ter be nigh enough afore
sun-down ter make shore of gettin' thar on time. Then they all draws in,
holdin' ter ther thickets. Ther signal will be ther callin' of
whippoorwills--a double call with a count of five betwixt 'em. When
we're all drawed up eround ther house, so no way hain't left open thet a
rabbit could break through, I'll sing out--an' when I does thet ye all
closes in on ther run. Thar's a big walnuck tree right by ther door ter
hang him on--an' termorrer mornin' folks'll hev a lesson thet they kin
kinderly take ter heart."

* * * * *

On his way back from Hump Doane's house that morning Parish Thornton
made a detour for a brief visit upon Jase Burrell, the man to whose
discretion he had entrusted the keeping of Bas Rowlett's sealed
confession. From the hands of that faithful custodian he took the
envelope and thrust it into his breast pocket. Now that his own pledge
of suspended vengeance had been exonerated he would no longer need that
bond of amnesty. Moreover, he knew now that this compact had been a rope
of sand to Bas Rowlett from the beginning, and would never be anything
else. It only served to divert the plotter's activities and treacheries
into subtler channels--and when the sun set to-day there would