The meeting was small, as the Virginia men were loath to act at all.

This momentous announcement of the feeling of the Lower Town was made to a cluster of men, who were deliberation behind a wagon, at the rear of a store on Main street.
The committee were most unwilling to proceed to extremities.

All the duty they had ever performed seemed as nothing to the task before them; but they had to decide, and that quickly.

It was finally agreed that if the whole body of the miners were of the opinion that he should be hanged, that the committee left it in their hands to deal with him.

Off, at hot speed, rode the leader of the Nevada men to join his command.
Slade had found out what was intended, and the news sobered him instantly.