Page:By Sanction of Law.pdf/270

 One spirit, bolder than the others, now that the sun was shining, started for the gate. "I want a piece of that rope for a remembrance. I'll show it to the next one of them that gets fresh with me."

"So do I.—So do I.—Me too," various others repeated as they followed the leader into the yard preparing to cut ends from the dangling ropes. They had each secured a piece of the rope and started for the gate again when, as they were passing the body of Professor Armstrong, the latter regained consciousness, opened his eyes, turned over and started to rise. With a yell of fear the four souvenir hunters tossed their bits of rope into the air and ran.

Professor Armstrong staggered to his feet, looked wildly at the retreating four as they broke through the crowd, then cursed them.

"Cowards—brutes that you are. Run, you curs who call yourselves men—white men at that. Behold your work, and but for Providence I might have been one of them, pointing to the general direction of the three bodies. You don't know what you've done. Killed three innocent persons, one of them white, just to please your greed for blood.

"Behold your work, you beasts. You've killed a white man.—A real man—as well as two absolutely innocent human beings. God will curse this town for this as He will curse this whole land unless you change."

With that he strode toward the gate. The crowd, in awe, stood aside to allow a path through which he walked.