The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1879-01-25
A TERRIBLE DEED.
The Encounter IN tho WOos's--An I'm
pleasant Recognition d OWnin
the Cold. Dark Grave
Buried Alive
Fatal Shot.

Fatal Shot.
"Stop ~ cried voice out If a large,
low oak tree, on the edge Of the dense
woods extending north Of the pretty
town Of Salem, Virginia, about one
o'clock in the afternoon ola very fine
May day, in 1899, "Stop, or will
shoot :"
The person {" whom this threat
was addressed was an elderly gentle
man, mounted on a mule, aud dress.
ed 10 the costume Of q wealthy farmer.
His broad. brim!ned straw hat shaded
u yell ow face, pitted with small -pox
marks, and dotted with. TO small,
restless black eyes. He looked both
cunning aud INSCRIPTIONS. Looking
up tn the oak tree, he shouted:
"Who are you !"
II will let you know mighty quick
who am, Silas McKinstrey {; but
frat take that pistol out Of your belt
and throw it into the thicket. l will
give you one minute for getting rid
Of that pistol. Ifyon hesitate will
wing you with my rifle. l am a dead
shot, SiIas McKinstrey.'
Mckiostrey hesitated, but only for
u moment. Then he threw q way bic
pistol and fixed bis eyes with an ex-
preston of mingled curiosity and ter
ror upon the oak tree.
His curiosity was soon satisfied.
From the oak tree glided down tall
slender youth, with q handsome,
thought somewhat
DEsPERATE.LOOKING
Expression of c0untenance. He
was clad in tho peculiar costume Of
10 Western hunter aud trapper, and q
long doubled. barreled rifle was slung
round his shoulder.
When he had reached the ground,
he rushed up to McKinstrey, and said,
while he was Selling the mules bri.
die: F.a
''Do you know who l am I"
"l-I-I DON'T" stammered Me-
kinstrey. i
"Well, remember your villaioous
countenance very we'll, old reprobate,
land should not forget il had not
seen you for fifty years. But it lie not
been that long since We last met. That
was seven years ago. You drove me
from this town them as'
Mckinstrey, whose face had chang.
ed color upon hearing these words,
suddenly act spurs I" his mule, but
the youth checked the animal Ut once,
and, in Il half snrrring. half threaten.
ling tone. said !" the rider
| Now You will hav.. :. get down
II. ~ that mule Down, say, or will
lhrr bullet into your knee PAM"
T''nbling ali over, the very incar-
Aa"atiOn of
UTTER.WRETCHEDNEsS,
McKinstry alighted, whereupon the
youth gave the hapless mule = ire
mendOus kick, and sent him scamp
ering off at o lively rate toward the
town. Then turning toward Mckin'
strey, with q terrible frowu on biz
youthful brow, he said:
Il guess you know me now, don''
you9"
II guess do" replied McKiuistry,
shakiDg like On aspeo.leaf. ''You
. are-eh-you are Martin
"Martin Bennett; correct, Silas M
Kinstrey-the came Martin Bennett
whom, in 1892, you drove out Of So
lem by preferring against him tb'
false charge of arson. That accuse
. ton was preposterous, and you knew
: is.n
II then believed it was true," STAN
mered McKinstrey, whose face b.
this time was ashy pale.
"You lie, villain !" cried the youth
"You trumped up that charge b.
causv you wanted to drive me ava!
from here entirely, % that you coul'
get the valuable property Of %!
mother in your own hands. You hav'
got il now-she 10 10 her grave thes'
ok months. and you ore her admin
istrator. But tell no one thing
where 10 my mothers will I"
"She left 20 will, i" was McKinstrey'
quick reply. 81 III,
"Fortunately, che did not let 20
know that sh0 ma60 one. / though
you might have found it among be
things."
no, no, l did not" protested Nc
Kinstrey /; II will,let you have I'll
property il You will agree 10 writio
not to take any steps 10 Court ssaio'
me-"
Young Bennett laughed scorDfall!,
"You, cir can not Withhold ny mott
er's property from mo. ! have see
a great deal Of tho world since | le
SALEM" no added, bitterly, "and
shall take tho law into my on
hands,"
"What arc you going 70 do Wit
mo I cried McKiustrey in
TONE OF PROFOUND ANGUISH.
Al "You will go that by and by +
piled Bennett, carelessly.-''For Il
= time being, pray tell me 10 what Dire
y ny mother vas buried I" *
It "lo her old black elk dreos,n n
t. piled MeKinstrey with ehatterii
ID teeth. q.
n A CLEAN Of joy flashed from Il
" youtl's~ eyes. He reflected for
:. moment, then he said:
~ "Silas McKinstrey, you will accor
+. pany me now to my poor moths'
to grave"
D., With = profound groan from The .
" man, they both Get out for:ths cen'
; terry. ~
McKiustrey's brow va cover
Of With pearls Of perspiration vhec III
arrived .: the graveyard. 81
They directed their atsps T. pta
ID aud andecoratsd grave: spoa wht'
. : * 4 =