FOR FREEDOM'S SAKE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 21, 26 January 1900, Page 4

FOR FREEDOM'S SAKE

Bx ABTBUB Pateksok, Author of "A Minof Bb Wort," "Ataritln Pifiluj '' lie, etc. ("Fbrftaadam'iSak*" tnptind In radal (ana ia thi Weekly Ediths of ni Tim IS, Februiir- I June, 18W.J

CHAPTER Hl,—Continued. THI MEN or BANTONK. The sight o! the hotel-keeper walking up to the platform caused & general l cheer. Shappett got leisurely upon the toetram, 8ho)k bands with the chairman, nOddedto his audience, and, barely raising b» voice above a conversational tone yet heard by every one, S he delivered himself of the following remarks:

"Friends all—You will agree with me that it is refreshing to hear honest men speak their minds. But there are oicnainps —I mean no offence—when a little of that—that phizz goes a long way. Most of you here are mighty busy men, and ain t got time to spend on firewr rks. So I rise to propose, with the chairman's permission, that this thing be settled at once. How shall we employ our time this afternoon ? That, I take it, is the question. Wa—al, we number one hundred here, may be one handled and fifty—the Missourians number tw.> hundred, i happen to know a few of those bovs, and, to my knowledge, one and all are spoiling, just gnspin' and cryin* out, for a good square fight. They believe- of course it's a lie—that 'bout half the Free State men in Santone prefer conversation to warfare; and that those who are spunky ain't aimed. I know there are two hundred free-goiters besides those here who use big words | wbon you ta'k of f.ee elections; but, if yon will believe me, so there was when i Dow was killed, and when Hoyt's mangled body were brought home by: his friends—yet, I never beard that any of the streets lan with Missourian blood.

"Consider things well, boys. Two courses lay before you; tlie last speaker laid tbem out. First to go to the polls in a body baldkeaded and nay to all the whisky-barl company, ' This town is ours, clear oat'; or to stand by, and drop down then quiet aud put in votes the usual way. I hev nothing to propose, still less would I advise.' But I will ask the cliaiiman to call upon a'l those resolved to play for high stokes and pi t the Missourians down tp stand up where we can see tbem." Mr. Elmore rrse with a smile, and gave tike onier. The first on bis feet was Robert Holdenough, the next! former, Miner Hubb; following these were the we.'e the two young Browns, and then—no more! A dead silence for several seconds; then the chairman rose again. "Those in favocr of peace signi'y the same by holding up the ri'-ut hand." , * I

A forest of hands arose immediately, nnd the four forlorn men sat down. Without further remerk Allen Elmore vacated the chair rad the meeting began to disperse. The doorway of the hall was a narrow one for so large a building, and Robert, at the back of the room, stood for some minutes wedged among a crowd of men waiting to find their way oat. He felt in no mood to wait for Shappett, so hj« edged his way to the door with the rest. A buzz of conversation went on about him, mostly enquiry and conjecture about the chances of fair play in the voting. Some said they should not vote at all, bat the majority appeared in favour of going quietly. As Robert drew nearer . the door the crush became somewhat s_ .'Oppressive, and the thought struck him ■ —what an excellent opportunity this would be for a body of Missourians to' make an attack had the vote to fight! * been earned. Whether the ideal quickened his sense of hearing we can- j not say, but a muttered conversation behind, which had been going on for some moments, suddenly became audible to him. The talkers apparently counted upon the general bustle and tramping of feet to drown their voices. But Robert heard the words distinctly. " You are sttte it was the same ?" "Pshaw, man, ain't you no ears? Why, that wretched skunk who talked before Isaac called him by name. Miner Hubb it is, sure enorgb. And mind you mark him well." " I hev. Well make him dance for it." _ M You bet—and a few more. Wait till Buford's boy come in from Alabama, . well bum out every darned Abolitionist of them all."

" How about the Browns V " They are dowa. We're watching 'em night and day." " That's about »U who'll fight, ain't it?" I All?—tlod's I.nth, you know less than nothing. AH? The rats are everywhere, and each day another creeps over the border. Tiic.e'U be lively times 'fore we are quit of the brood; but they won't have no show when we get started. Hush now, there are too many ears here!' The voices stopped, aud Robert, though he purposely lingered near the speakers to catch any further hints of then'intentions, heard nothing more, and >1 the course of a few minutes found himself in the open air - alone. (To be continued.)