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362 fraud upon the community as this one. I go fur all sich, every time, you bet!"

"I guess we'll have to go fur you," said Husker, as he laid his hand upon the shoulder of the murderer. "Don't you lay yer hands on me, or by the holy St. Paul I'll put daylight through you," yelled the gambler as he leaped back and made a motion as if to draw a weapon.

"That's played out, and it won't be remarkably healthy fur you to attempt to draw yer weapons on old Gabe. He has fit too many grizzlies to be afeard of such a catamount as you. Ef you surrender yerself into custody, I'll see that you have a fair, square trial, but ef you make a dern fool of yerself, you'll go up the flume without judge or jury."

"I don't propose to have you interfere in my affairs, and I guess I'll prepare you for a funeral," cried the gambler, as he drew his pistol and pointed it at Gabe.

Before the desperado had time to pull the trigger, his arms were beaten down and he was seized from behind by some of the miners, who soon overpowered and securely bound him, hand and foot, and carried him into the tavern, around the door of which a number of excited persons instantly collected. Some proposed to satisfy the ends of justice by hanging the prisoner at once, but Gabe, who appeared to have been intuitively accepted as a leader, declared that the fair name of the Rabbit Creekers should not be tarnished by acts of lawlessness.

The prisoner, notwithstanding that he was bound