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ness, there -- shouts 'Lynch him, lynch him!' you're afraid to back down

afraid you'll be found out to be what you are -- cowards -- and so you raise a yell,

and hang yourselves onto that half-a-man's coat tail, and come raging up here,

swearing what big things you're going to do. The pitifulest thing out is a

mob; that's what an army is -- a mob; they don't fight with courage that's born

in them, but with courage that's borrowed from their mass, and from their

officers. But a mob without any man at the head of it, is beneath pitifulness.

Now the thing for you to do, is to droop your tails and go home and crawl in a

hole. If any real lynching's going to be done, it will be done in the dark,

Southern fashion; and when they come they'll bring their masks, and fetch a

man along. Now leave -- and take your half-a-man with you" -- tossing his gun

up across his left arm and cocking it, when he says this.

The crowd washed back sudden, and then broke all apart and went tearing

off every which way, and Buck Harkness he heeled it after them, looking toler-

able cheap. I could a staid, if I'd a wanted to, but I didn't want to.

I went to the circus, and loafed around the back side till the watchman went

by, and then dived in under the tent. I had my twenty-dollar gold piece and

some other money, but I reckoned I better save it, because there ain't no telling

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