It seemed that the child had been under his care, and looking at the matter from a cold-blooded, scientific standpoint, it appeared to me not impossible that the doctor _had_ disinterred the body, and I soon realized that should he be found guilty, or even be unable to prove his innocence, it would go hard with Dr. Bethel.
Among those who cautioned the overheated ones, and urged prudence, and calm judgment, was Arch Brookhouse; but, somehow, his words only served to add fuel to the flame; while, chief among the turbulent ones, who urged extreme measures, was Tom Briggs, and I noted that he was also supported by three or four fellows of the same caliber, two of whom I had never seen before.
Having satisfied myself that there was not much time to lose if I wished to see fair play for Dr. Bethel, I turned away from the crowd, unnoticed, and went out to where Jim waited.
"Jim," I said, touching him on the shoulder, "they mean to make it hot for Bethel, and he will be one man against fifty--we must not allow anything like that."
"Now ye're talkin'," said Jim, knocking the ashes from his pipe, and rising slowly, "an' I'm with ye. What's yer idee?"
"We must not turn the mob against us, by seeming to co-operate," I replied. "Do you move with the crowd, Jim; I'll be on the ground as soon as you are."
I turned back toward the telegraph office, that being midway between "Porter's" and my hotel.
The men were still there talking excitedly. I looked in at the window and beckoned to young Harris. He came to me, and I whispered:
"The men at Porter's mean mischief to Dr. Bethel; your father may be able to calm them; he had better go down there."
"He will," replied Harris, in a whisper, "and so will I."
Carnes was lounging outside the office. I approached him, and said:
"Go along with the crowd, Carnes, and stand in with Briggs."
Carnes winked and nodded, and I went on toward the hotel.
On reaching my room, I took from their case a brace of five-shooters, and put the weapons in my pockets. Then I went below and seated myself on the hotel piazza.
In order to reach Dr. Bethel's house, the crowd must pass the hotel; so I had only to wait.
I did not wait long, however. Soon they came down the street, quieter than they had been at Porter's, but resolute to defy law and order, and take justice into their own hands. As they hurried past the hotel in groups of twos, threes, and sometimes half a dozen, I noted them man by man. Jim Long was loping silently on by the side of an honest-faced farmer; Carnes and Briggs were in the midst of a swaggering, loud talking knot of loafers; the Harrises, father and son, followed in the rear of the crowd and on the opposite side of the street.