He's been there ever sence nine o'clock, an' it's half-past two now." "Roscoe's helpin' him," muttered Anderson, abashed.
At that instant there came a rush of footsteps across the front porch and in burst Ed Higgins and "Blootch" Peabody, fairly gasping with excitement.
"Hurry up, Anderson--down to the jail," sputtered the former; and then he was gone like the wind.

"Blootch," determined to miss nothing, whirled to follow, or pass him if possible.

He had time to shout over his shoulder as he went forth without closing the door: "The old woman has lynched herself!" It would now be superfluous to remark, after all the convulsions Tinkletown had experienced inside of twenty-four hours, that the populace went completely to pieces in face of this last trying experiment of Fate.

With one accord the village toppled over as if struck by a broadside and lay, figuratively speaking, writhing in its own gore.

Stupefaction assailed the town.