BURT L. STANDISH Ultimate Collection: 24 Action Thrillers in One Volume (Illustrated) - Burt L. Standish

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the train drew into Elreno, a great crowd was seen on the platform of the station, and, for the first time, a troubled look came to the face of the youthful prisoner.

      "The whole town has turned out to see Black Harry and the man who captured him," said Jones, swelling with importance.

      Frank said nothing; he knew well enough that such a crowd was dangerous in many cases. What if it were generally believed that he was, in truth, Black Harry, and the mob should take a fancy to lynch him? His chance of escaping a speedy death would be slim, indeed!

      The train stopped, and, with his hand clutching the boy's shoulder, Jones descended to the platform.

      "Thar he is!"

      The cry went up, and the crowd surged toward the two.

      "Stan' back hyar!"

      A man that was six feet and four inches in height, and weighed at least two hundred and fifty pounds, forced his way through the throng, casting men to the right and left with his muscular arms. He had a hard, weather-tanned face, and looked as if he did not fear the Evil One himself.

      "Are you Burchel Jones, ther detective?" asked this man, as he loomed before Jones and his captive.

      "I am, sir," was the dignified reply; "and this is Black Harry. I surrender him to you, and claim the reward offered for his capture."

      "Thet ther skunk known as Black Harry?" said the giant sheriff, in evident surprise. "He don't look like a desperado. Wal, we'll soon settle all doubts on thet yar point, fer Miss Dawson is hyar, an' she will recognize him ef he is Black Harry. Come on, boy."

      Kildare, the sheriff, for such the giant was, again forced a path through the crowd.

      In the station door, a woman and a girl were standing. The girl was not more than seventeen, and was very pretty, despite the traces of grief upon her face.

      Kildare led the boy up before the woman and girl, and he spoke to the latter:

      "Take a good, squar' look at this yar kid, Miss Dawson, an' see ef yer ever saw thet face afore."

      The girl looked at Frank, and then fell back, horror and loathing depicted on her face. She stretched out one hand, with a repellent gesture, as if warning them to keep him away, and with the other hand she clutched at her throat, from which came a choking sound. The woman offered to support her, but she sprang up in a moment, pointed straight at the youthful captive, and literally shrieked:

      "He is the wretch who shot my poor father!"

      CHAPTER IV.

       FOR LIFE AND HONOR.

       Table of Contents

      A sudden, mad roar went up from the crowd on the station platform. They swayed, surged, struggled, and shouted:

      "Lynch him!"

      That cry was like the touching of a torch to dry prairie grass. Men climbed on each others' shoulders; men fought to get nearer the prisoner, and the mob seemed to have gone mad in a moment.

      "Lynch him!"

      A hundred throats took up the shout, and it became one mighty roar for blood, the most appalling sound that can issue from human lips.

      The face of the menaced boy was very pale, but he did not cower before that suddenly infuriated mob. He showed that he had nerve, for he stood up and faced them boldly, helpless as he was.

      Burchel Jones, the detective, looked as if he would give something to get away from that locality in a hurry.

      A black scowl came to the face of Hank Kildare, and his hands dropped to his hips, reappearing from beneath the tails of his coat with a brace of heavy, long-barreled revolvers in their grasp. The muzzles of the weapons were thrust right into the faces of the men nearest, and the sheriff literally thundered:

      "Git back thar, you critters, or by thunder, thar'll be dead meat round hyar! You hyar me chirp!"

      Lona Dawson, the banker's daughter, was badly frightened by the sudden outbreak of the mob, and, with her older companion, she retreated into the waiting-room of the station.

      "Death to Black Harry!"

      A man with strong lungs howled the words above all the uproar and commotion.

      "Bring the rope!" screamed another.

      And then, as if by magic, a man struggled to the shoulders of those about him, waved a rope in the air, and yelled:

      "Hyar's ther necktie fer Black Harry!"

      And then, once more, there was a roar, and a surge, and a struggle to get at the handcuffed boy.

      "Stiddy!" sounded the voice of Hank Kildare. "Back! back! back! or, by the eternal skies, I'll begin ter sling lead!"

      But twenty hands seemed reaching to clutch the lad and drag him away. The sheriff saw that he would not be able to retain his prisoner if he remained where he was.

      "Inter ther station, boy!" came from the giant sheriff's lips. "It's yer only chance ter git clear o' this yar gang!"

      "Howly shmoke!" cried a familiar voice just behind the handcuffed youth. "Pwhat are they doin' wid yez, Frankie, me b'y?"

      "Yes," quavered another voice, likewise familiar, "what is this crazy mob trying to do? This is something appalling!"

      "Barney! Professor!" cried the boy, joyously. "Now I can prove that I am what I claim to be!"

      "I've got him!"

      A big ruffian roared the words, as he fastened both hands upon the manacled lad, and tried to drag him into the midst of the swaying mob.

      "Thin take thot, ye spalpane!" shouted the Irish boy, who had appeared in company with a little, red-whiskered man at the door of the station.

      Out shot the hard fist of the young Irishman, and—smack!—it struck the man fairly in the left eye, knocking him backward into the arms of the one just behind him.

      "It's toime ye got out av thot, me b'y," said Barney Mulloy, as he grasped the imperiled youth by the collar, and drew him into the waiting-room of the station.

      "That's right, that's right!" fluttered the little man, who was Professor Scotch. "Let's hurry out by the back door, the way we came in. We were detained, so we did not arrive in time for the train, but we came as quickly as we could."

      "And arrived just in time," said Frank. "I am in a most appalling position."

      "Well, well!" fluttered the professor. "You can explain that later on. Let's get away from here."

      "Look!"

      Frank held up his hands, and, for the first time, his friends saw the irons on his wrists. They cried out in amazement.

      "Pwhat th' ould b'y is th' m'anin' av thot?" demanded Barney Mulloy, in the most profound astonishment.

      "It means that I have been arrested; that's all."

      "Pwhat fer?"

      "Robbing, shooting, murdering."

      "G'wan wid yez!"

      "This is no time to joke, Frank," said Professor Scotch, reprovingly. "Are you never able to restrain your propensity for making sport?"

      "This is a sorry joke, professor. I am giving you the straight truth."

      "But—but it is impossible—I declare it is!"

      "It is the truth."

      "Who arristed yez?" asked Barney, as if still doubtful that Frank really meant what he was saying.

      "A private detective, known as Burchel Jones. He surrendered me to the sheriff of Canadian County, Hank Kildare. That's his voice you can hear above the howling. He is trying to beat the mob back, so he can

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