\"Yes，sir——abouteight。\"
\"Couldyousayexactlyeight？\"
\"Well，no，Icouldn’tbethatexact。\"
\"Um。Ifapersonhadbeenpassingalongtherejustaboutthattime，hewouldhavebeenalmostsuretoencounterthatassassin，doyouthink？\"
\"Yes，Ishouldthinkso。\"
\"Thankyou，thatisall。Forthepresent。Isay，allforthepresent。\"
\"Dernhim。he’slayingforArchy，\"saidFerguson。
\"It’sso，\"saidHamSandwich。\"Idon’tlikethelookofit。\"
Stillmansaid，glancingattheguest，\"Iwasalongtheremyselfathalf—
pasteight——no，aboutnine。\"
\"In—deed？Thisisinteresting——thisisveryinteresting。Perhapsyouencounteredtheassassin？\"
\"No，Iencounterednoone。\"
\"Ah。Then——ifyouwillexcusetheremark——Idonotquiteseetherelevancyoftheinformation。\"
\"Ithasnone。Atpresent。Isayithasnone——atpresent。\"
Hepaused。Presentlyheresumed:\"Ididnotencountertheassassin，butIamonhistrack，Iamsure，forIbelieveheisinthisroom。Iwillaskyoualltopassonebyoneinfrontofme——here，wherethereisagoodlight——sothatIcanseeyourfeet。\"
Abuzzofexcitementswepttheplace，andthemarchbegan，theguestlookingonwithanironattemptatgravitywhichwasnotanunqualifiedsuccess。Stillmanstooped，shadedhiseyeswithhishand，andgazeddownintentlyateachpairoffeetasitpassed。Fiftymentrampedmonotonouslyby——withnoresult。Sixty。Seventy。Thethingwasbeginningtolookabsurd。Theguestremarked，withsuaveirony:
\"Assassinsappeartobescarcethisevening。\"
Thehousesawthehumorifit，andrefresheditselfwithacordiallaugh。
Tenortwelvemorecandidatestrampedby——no，dancedby，withairyandridiculouscaperswhichconvulsedthespectators——thensuddenlyStillmanputouthishandandsaid:
\"Thisistheassassin！\"
\"FetlockJones，bythegreatSanhedrim！\"roaredthecrowd;andatonceletflyapyrotechnicexplosionanddazzleandconfusionofstirringremarksinspiredbythesituation。
Attheheightoftheturmoilthegueststretchedouthishand，commandingpeace。Theauthorityofagreatnameandagreatpersonalitylaiditsmysteriouscompulsionuponthehouse，anditobeyed。Outofthepantingcalmwhichsucceeded，theguestspoke，saying，withdignityandfeeling:
\"Thisisserious。Itstrikesataninnocentlife。Innocentbeyondsuspicion！Innocentbeyondperadventure！Hearmeproveit;observehowsimpleafactcanbrushoutofexistencethiswitlesslie。Listen。Myfriends，thatladwasneveroutofmysightyesterdayeveningatanytime！\"
Itmadeadeepimpression。MenturnedtheireyesuponStillmanwithgraveinquiryinthem。Hisfacebrightened，andhesaid:
\"Iknewtherewasanotherone！\"Hesteppedbrisklytothetableandglancedattheguest’sfeet，thenupathisface，andsaid:\"Youwerewithhim！Youwerenotfiftystepsfromhimwhenhelitthecandlethatbyandbyfiredthepowder！\"（Sensation。）\"Andwhatismore，youfurnishedthematchesyourself！\"
Plainlytheguestseemedhit;itlookedsotothepublic。Heopenedhismouthtospeak;thewordsdidnotcomefreely。
\"This——er——thisisinsanity——this——\"
Stillmanpressedhisevidentadvantagehome。Heheldupacharredmatch。
\"Hereisoneofthem。Ifounditinthebarrel——andthere’sanotheronethere。\"
Theguestfoundhisvoiceatonce。
\"Yes——andputthemthereyourself！\"
Itwasrecognizedagoodshot。Stillmanretorted。
\"Itiswax——abreedunknowntothiscamp。Iamreadytobesearchedforthebox。Areyou？\"
Theguestwasstaggeredthistime——thedullesteyecouldseeit。Hefumbledwithhishands;onceortwicehislipsmoved，butthewordsdidnotcome。Thehousewaitedandwatched，intensesuspense，thestillnessaddingeffecttothesituation。PresentlyStillmansaid，gently:
\"Wearewaitingforyourdecision。\"
Therewassilenceagainduringseveralmoments;thentheguestanswered，inalowvoice:
\"Irefusetobesearched。\"
Therewasnonoisydemonstration，butallaboutthehouseonevoiceafteranothermuttered:
\"Thatsettlesit！He’sArchy’smeat。\"
Whattodonow？Nobodyseemedtoknow。Itwasanembarrassingsituationforthemoment——merely，ofcourse，becausemattershadtakensuchasuddenandunexpectedturnthattheseunpractisedmindswerenotpreparedforit，andhadcometoastandstill，likeastoppedclock，undertheshock。Butafteralittlethemachinerybegantoworkagain，tentatively，andbytwosandthreesthemenputtheirheadstogetherandprivatelybuzzedoverthisandthatandtheotherproposition。Oneofthesepropositionsmetwithmuchfavor;itwas，toconferupontheassassinavoteofthanksforremovingFlintBuckner，andlethimgo。
Butthecoolerheadsopposedit，pointingoutthataddledbrainsintheEasternstateswouldpronounceitascandal，andmakenoendoffoolishnoiseaboutit。Finallythecoolheadsgottheupperhand，andobtainedgeneralconsenttoapropositionoftheirown;theirleaderthencalledthehousetoorderandstatedit——tothiseffect:thatFetlockJonesbejailedandputupontrial。
Themotionwascarried。Apparentlytherewasnothingfurthertodonow，andthepeoplewereglad，for，privately，theywereimpatienttogetoutandrushtothesceneofthetragedy，andseewhetherthatbarrelandtheotherthingswerereallythereornot。
Butno——thebreak—upgotacheck。Thesurpriseswerenotoveryet。ForawhileFetlockJoneshadbeensilentlysobbing，unnoticedintheabsorbingexcitementswhichhadbeenfollowingoneanothersopersistentlyforsometime;butwhenhisarrestandtrialweredecreed，hebrokeoutdespairingly，andsaid:
\"No！it’snouse。Idon’twantanyjail，Idon’twantanytrial;I’vehadallthehardluckIwant，andallthemiseries。Hangmenow，andletmeout！Itwouldallcomeout，anyway——therecouldn’tanythingsaveme。
Hehastolditall，justasifhe’dbeenwithmeandseenit——Idon’tknowhowhefoundout;andyou’llfindthebarrelandthings，andthenI
wouldn’thaveanychanceanymore。Ikilledhim;andyou’dhavedoneittoo，ifhe’dtreatedyoulikeadog，andyouonlyaboy，andweakandpoor，andnotafriendtohelpyou。\"
\"Andservedhimdamnedwellright！\"brokeinHamSandwich。\"Lookyhere，boys——\"
Fromtheconstable:\"Order！Order，gentlemen！\"
Avoice:\"Didyouruncleknowwhatyouwasupto？\"
\"No，hedidn’t。\"
\"Didhegiveyouthematches，sureenough？\"
\"Yes，hedid;buthedidn’tknowwhatIwantedthemfor。\"
\"Whenyouwasoutonsuchabusinessasthat，howdidyouventuretoriskhavinghimalong——andhimadetective？How’sthat？\"
Theboyhesitated，fumbledwithhisbuttonsinanembarrassedway，thensaid，shyly:
\"Iknowaboutdetectives，onaccountofhavingtheminthefamily;andifyoudon’twantthemtofindoutaboutathing，it’sbesttohavethemaroundwhenyoudoit。\"
Thecycloneoflaughterwhichgreetedthisnativedischargeofwisdomdidnotmodifythepoorlittlewaif’sembarrassmentinanylargedegree。
IV
FromalettertoMrs。Stillman，datedmerely\"Tuesday。\"
FetlockJoneswasputunderlockandkeyinanunoccupiedlogcabin，andlefttheretoawaithistrial。ConstableHarrisprovidedhimwithacoupleofdays’rations，instructedhimtokeepagoodguardoverhimself，andpromisedtolookinonhimassoonasfurthersuppliesshouldbedue。
NextmorningascoreofuswentwithHillyer，outoffriendship，andhelpedhimburyhislaterelative，theunlamentedBuckner，andIactedasfirstassistantpall—bearer，Hillyeractingaschief。Justaswehadfinishedourlaborsaraggedandmelancholystranger，carryinganoldhand—bag，limpedbywithhisheaddown，andIcaughtthescentIhadchasedaroundtheglobe！ItwastheodorofParadisetomyperishinghope！
InamomentIwasathissideandhadlaidagentlehanduponhisshoulder。Heslumpedtothegroundasifastrokeoflightninghadwitheredhiminhistracks;andastheboyscamerunninghestruggledtohiskneesandputuphispleadinghandstome，andoutofhischatteringjawshebeggedmetopersecutehimnomore，andsaid:
\"Youhavehuntedmearoundtheworld，SherlockHolmes，yetGodismywitnessIhaveneverdoneanymanharm！\"
Aglanceathiswildeyesshowedusthathewasinsane。Thatwasmywork，mother！ThetidingsofyourdeathcansomedayrepeatthemiseryI
feltinthatmoment，butnothingelsecaneverdoit。Theboysliftedhimup，andgatheredabouthim，andwerefullofpityofhim，andsaidthegentlestandtouchingestthingstohim，andsaidcheerupanddon’tbetroubled，hewasamongfriendsnow，andtheywouldtakecareofhim，andprotecthim，andhanganymanthatlaidahandonhim。Theyarejustlikesomanymothers，theroughmining—campboysare，whenyouwakeupthesouthsideoftheirhearts;yes，andjustlikesomanyrecklessandunreasoningchildrenwhenyouwakeuptheoppositeofthatmuscle。Theydideverythingtheycouldthinkoftocomforthim，butnothingsucceededuntilWells—FargoFerguson，whoisacleverstrategist，said:
\"Ifit’sonlySherlockHolmesthat’stroublingyou，youneedn’tworryanymore。\"
\"Why？\"askedtheforlornlunatic，eagerly。
\"Becausehe’sdeadagain。\"
\"Dead！Dead！Oh，don’ttriflewithapoorwrecklikeme。Ishedead？
Onhonor，now——ishetellingmetrue，boys？\"
\"Trueasyou’restandingthere！\"saidHamSandwich，andtheyallbackedupthestatementinabody。
\"TheyhunghiminSanBernardinolastweek，\"addedFerguson，clinchingthematter，\"whilsthewassearchingaroundafteryou。Mistookhimforanotherman。They’resorry，buttheycan’thelpitnow。\"
\"They’rea—buildinghimamonument，\"saidHamSandwich，withtheairofapersonwhohadcontributedtoit，andknew。
\"JamesWalker\"drewadeepsigh——evidentlyasighofrelief——andsaidnothing;buthiseyeslostsomethingoftheirwildness，hiscountenanceclearedvisibly，anditsdrawnlookrelaxedalittle。Weallwenttoourcabin，andtheboyscookedhimthebestdinnerthecampcouldfurnishthematerialsfor，andwhiletheywereaboutitHillyerandIoutfittedhimfromhattoshoe—leatherwithnewclothesofours，andmadeacomelyandpresentableoldgentlemanofhim。\"Old\"istherightword，andapity，too:oldbythedroopofhim，andthefrostuponhishair，andthemarkswhichsorrowanddistresshaveleftuponhisface;thoughheisonlyinhisprimeinthematterofyears。Whileheate，wesmokedandchatted;
andwhenhewasfinishinghefoundhisvoiceatlast，andofhisownaccordbrokeoutwithhispersonalhistory。Icannotfurnishhisexactwords，butIwillcomeasnearitasIcan。
THE\"WRONGMAN’S\"STORY
Ithappenedlikethis:IwasinDenver。Ihadbeentheremanyyears;
sometimesIrememberhowmany，sometimesIdon’t——butitisn’tanymatter。AllofasuddenIgotanoticetoleave，orIwouldbeexposedforahorriblecrimecommittedlongbefore——yearsandyearsbefore——intheEast。
Iknewaboutthatcrime，butIwasnotthecriminal;itwasacousinofmineofthesamename。WhatshouldIbetterdo？Myheadwasalldisorderedbyfear，andIdidn’tknow。Iwasallowedverylittletime——
onlyoneday，Ithinkitwas。IwouldberuinedifIwaspublished，andthepeoplewouldlynchme，andnotbelievewhatIsaid。Itisalwaysthewaywithlynchings:whentheyfindoutitisamistaketheyaresorry，butitistoolate——thesameasitwaswithMr。Holmes，yousee。SoI
saidIwouldselloutandgetmoneytoliveon，andrunawayuntilitblewoverandIcouldcomebackwithmyproofs。ThenIescapedinthenightandwentalongwayoffinthemountainssomewhere，andliveddisguisedandhadafalsename。
Igotmoreandmoretroubledandworried，andmytroublesmademeseespiritsandhearvoices，andIcouldnotthinkstraightandclearonanysubject，butgotconfusedandinvolvedandhadtogiveitup，becausemyheadhurtso。Itgottobeworseandworse;morespiritsandmorevoices。Theywereaboutmeallthetime;atfirstonlyinthenight，theninthedaytoo。Theywerealwayswhisperingaroundmybedandplottingagainstme，anditbrokemysleepandkeptmefaggedout，becauseIgotnogoodrest。
Andthencametheworst。Onenightthewhisperssaid，\"We’llnevermanage，becausewecan’tseehim，andsocan’tpointhimouttothepeople。\"
Theysighed;thenonesaid:\"WemustbringSherlockHolmes。Hecanbehereintwelvedays。\"
Theyallagreed，andwhisperedandjibberedwithjoy。Butmyheartbroke;forIhadreadaboutthatman，andknewwhatitwouldbetohavehimuponmytrack，withhissuperhumanpenetrationandtirelessenergies。
Thespiritswentawaytofetchhim，andIgotupatonceinthemiddleofthenightandfledaway，carryingnothingbutthehand—bagthathadmymoneyinit——thirtythousanddollars;two—thirdsofitareinthebagthereyet。Itwasfortydaysbeforethatmancaughtuponmytrack。
Ijustescaped。Fromhabithehadwrittenhisrealnameonatavernregister，buthadscratcheditoutandwritten\"DaggetBarclay\"intheplaceofit。Butfeargivesyouawatchfuleyeandkeen，andIreadthetruenamethroughthescratches，andfledlikeadeer。
Hehashuntedmealloverthisworldforthreeyearsandahalf——thePacificstates，Australasia，India——everywhereyoucanthinkof;thenbacktoMexicoanduptoCaliforniaagain，givingmehardlyanyrest;butthatnameontheregistersalwayssavedme，andwhatisleftofmeisaliveyet。AndIamsotired！Acrueltimehehasgivenme，yetIgiveyoumyhonorIhaveneverharmedhimnoranyman。
Thatwastheendofthestory，anditstirredthoseboystoblood—heat，hesureofit。Asforme——eachwordburntaholeinmewhereitstruck。
Wevotedthattheoldmanshouldbunkwithus，andbemyguestandHillyer’s。Ishallkeepmyowncounsel，naturally;butassoonasheiswellrestedandnourished，IshalltakehimtoDenverandrehabilitatehisfortunes。
Theboysgavetheoldfellowthebone—smashinggood—fellowshiphandshakeofthemines，andthenscatteredawaytospreadthenews。
AtdawnnextmorningWells—FargoFergusonandHamSandwichcalledussoftlyout，andsaid，privately:
\"Thatnewsaboutthewaythatoldstrangerhasbeentreatedhasspreadallaround，andthecampsareup。Theyarepilinginfromeverywhere，andaregoingtolynchtheP’fessor。ConstableHarrisisinadeadfunk，andhastelephonedthesheriff。Comealong！\"
Westartedonarun。Theotherswereprivilegedtofeelastheychose，butinmyheart’sprivacyIhopedthesheriffwouldarriveintime;forI
hadsmalldesirethatSherlockHolmesshouldhangformydeeds，asyoucaneasilybelieve。Ihadheardagooddealaboutthesheriff，butforreassurance’ssakeIasked:
\"Canhestopamob？\"
\"Canhestopamob！CanJackFairfaxstopamob！Well，Ishouldsmile！
Ex—desperado——nineteenscalpsonhisstring。Canhe！Oh，Isay！\"
Aswetoreupthegulch，distantcriesandshoutsandyellsrosefaintlyonthestillair，andgrewsteadilyinstrengthasweracedalong。Roarafterroarburstout，strongerandstronger，nearerandnearer;andatlast，whenweclosedupuponthemultitudemassedintheopenareainfrontofthetavern，thecrashofsoundwasdeafening。SomebrutalroughsfromDaly’sgorgehadHolmesintheirgrip，andhewasthecalmestmanthere;acontemptuoussmileplayedabouthislips，andifanyfearofdeathwasinhisBritishheart，hisironpersonalitywasmasterofitandnosignofitwasallowedtoappear。
\"Cometoavote，men！\"ThisfromoneoftheDalygang，ShadbellyHiggins。
\"Quick！isithang，orshoot？\"
\"Neither！\"shoutedoneofhiscomrades。\"He’llbealiveagaininaweek;
burning’stheonlypermanencyforhim。\"
Thegangsfromalltheoutlyingcampsburstoutinathundercrashofapproval，andwentstrugglingandsurgingtowardtheprisoner，andclosedaroundhim，shouting，\"Fire！fire’stheticket！\"Theydraggedhimtothehorse—post，backedhimagainstit，chainedhimtoit，andpiledwoodandpineconesaroundhimwaist—deep。Stillthestrongfacedidnotblench，andstillthescornfulsmileplayedaboutthethinlips。
\"Amatch！fetchamatch！\"
Shadbellystruckit，shadeditwithhishand，stooped，andhelditunderapinecone。Adeepsilencefelluponthemob。Theconecaught，atinyflameflickeredaboutitamomentortwo。Iseemedtocatchthesoundofdistanthoofs——itgrewmoredistinct——stillmoreandmoredistinct，moreandmoredefinite，buttheabsorbedcrowddidnotappeartonoticeit。
Thematchwentout。Themanstruckanother，stooped，andagaintheflamerose;thistimeittookholdandbegantospread——hereandtherementurnedawaytheirfaces。Theexecutionerstoodwiththecharredmatchinhisfingers，watchinghiswork。Thehoof—beatsturnedaprojectingcrag，andnowtheycamethunderingdownuponus。Almostthenextmomenttherewasashout:
\"Thesheriff！\"
Andstraightwayhecametearingintothemidst，stoodhishorsealmostonhishindfeet，andsaid:
\"Fallback，yougutter—snipes！\"
Hewasobeyed。Byallbuttheirleader。Hestoodhisground，andhishandwenttohisrevolver。Thesheriffcoveredhimpromptly，andsaid:
\"Dropyourhand，youparlordesperado。Kickthefireaway。Nowunchainthestranger。\"
Theparlordesperadoobeyed。Thenthesheriffmadeaspeech;sittinghishorseatmartialease，andnotwarminghiswordswithanytouchoffire，butdeliveringtheminameasuredanddeliberateway，andinatonewhichharmonizedwiththeircharacterandmadethemimpressivelydisrespectful。
\"You’reanicelot——nowain’tyou？Justabouteligibletotravelwiththisbilkhere——ShadbellyHiggins——thisloud—mouthedsneakthatshootspeopleinthebackandcallshimselfadesperado。Ifthere’sanythingI
doparticularlydespise，it’salynchingmob;I’veneverseenonethathadamaninit。Ithastotallyupahundredagainstonebeforeitcanpumpuppluckenoughtotackleasicktailor。It’smadeupofcowards，andsoisthecommunitythatbreedsit;andninety—ninetimesoutofahundredthesheriff’sanotherone。\"Hepaused——apparentlytoturnthatlastideaoverinhismindandtastethejuiceofit——thenhewenton:
\"Thesheriffthatletsamobtakeaprisonerawayfromhimisthelowest—
downcowardthereis。Bythestatisticstherewasahundredandeighty—
twoofthemdrawingsneakpayinAmericalastyear。Bythewayit’sgoing，prettysoonthere’llbeanewdiseaseinthedoctor—books——
sheriffcomplaint。\"Thatideapleasedhim——anyonecouldseeit。
\"Peoplewillsay，’Sheriffsickagain？’’Yes;gotthesameoldthing。’
Andnextthere’llbeanewtitle。Peoplewon’tsay，’He’srunningforsheriffofRapahoCounty，’forinstance;they’llsay，’He’srunningforCowardofRapaho。’Lord，theideaofagrown—uppersonbeingafraidofalynchmob！\"
Heturnedaneyeonthecaptive，andsaid，\"Stranger，whoareyou，andwhathaveyoubeendoing？\"
\"MynameisSherlockHolmes，andIhavenotbeendoinganything。\"
Itwaswonderful，theimpressionwhichthesoundofthatnamemadeonthesheriff，notwithstandinghemusthavecomeposted。Hespokeupwithfeeling，andsaiditwasablotonthecountythatamanwhosemarvelousexploitshadfilledtheworldwiththeirfameandtheiringenuity，andwhosehistoriesofthemhadwoneveryreader’sheartbythebrilliancyandcharmoftheirliterarysetting，shouldbevisitedundertheStarsandStripesbyanoutragelikethis。Heapologizedinthenameofthewholenation，andmadeHolmesamosthandsomebow，andtoldConstableHarristoseehimtohisquarters，andholdhimselfpersonallyresponsibleifhewasmolestedagain。Thenheturnedtothemobandsaid:
\"Huntyourholes，youscum！\"whichtheydid;thenhesaid:\"Followme，Shadbelly;I’lltakecareofyourcasemyself。No——keepyourpopgun;
wheneverIseethedaythatI’llbeafraidtohaveyoubehindmewiththatthing，it’llbetimeformetojoinlastyear’shundredandeighty—
two\";andherodeoffinawalk，Shadbellyfollowing。
Whenwewereonourwaybacktoourcabin，towardbreakfast—time，weranuponthenewsthatFetlockJoneshadescapedfromhislock—upinthenightandisgone！Nobodyissorry。Lethisuncletrackhimoutifhelikes;itisinhisline;thecampisnotinterested。
V
Tendayslater。
\"JamesWalker\"isallrightinbodynow，andhismindshowsimprovementtoo。IstartwithhimforDenverto—morrowmorning。
Nextnight。Briefnote，mailedataway—station。
Aswewerestarting，thismorning，Hillyerwhisperedtome:\"KeepthisnewsfromWalkeruntilyouthinkitsafeandnotlikelytodisturbhismindandcheckhisimprovement:theancientcrimehespokeofwasreallycommitted——andbyhiscousin，ashesaid。Weburiedtherealcriminaltheotherday——theunhappiestmanthathaslivedinacentury——FlintBuckner。HisrealnamewasJacobFuller！\"There，mother，byhelpofme，anunwittingmourner，yourhusbandandmyfatherisinhisgrave。Lethimrest。