The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-03-28
roe. Finding him re,o,uteiy silent,

throes. Finding him resoiuteiy silent.
save for an occasional Groan. ! stretched
myself before the fire, drcwsily specnlat-
Ing on the chances Of Horton getting over
bis mood by morning. The old chapel
was Of comfortable temperature, the fire
sulsidinR from blaze to cmber. The I'M
Welding quality OF my bed made itself
more perceptible than In tile old times.
Cgly ridges and intrusive nail heads con
spired TO keep me wakeful. A dim, red
dish glow from the Goals gave ghostly,
shadowy aspect to the place. remember
thinking Of It, and Of that other fatal 10Th
in "'G2 y
The impression may have been on my
mind as slumber--a deep, heavy slumber
--enfolled my senses. I mnst have slept
soltudly for hours, when sudden cry
rang through the church | started TO
my feet Horton and the negro man
sprang up at the same moment. Tie
church was crowded with dlsmayed and
panic stricken troopers snatching their
arms and rushing frantically TO the wide
open door Horses and men crowded the
crossroads, and that terrible thunder Of
hoofs came down the road. rushed out
with the men Horton shouted To them
to mount" While cries OF 'Mosbyl
Mosbyr echoed on every side. | laid
my hand on the pommel Of the saddle
one instant more and | would have
yaulted upon the animals back-when
pistol shot cleft the din. With the mag
ical celerity OF vision | beheld Blake fall,
and the murderer Strengthening himself
Io1S HI fapo toward
IL was Horton! Despite the wild STAN
pede recognized distinctly Horton ana
then he vanished in the tumult, fighting
and hard pressed with us all by the
enemy
This re-enactment OF that tragic event
on the Identical spot may not be remark
able-the reader may call il what seems
good 10 him-but | do assert that what
followed has neither solution nor parallel.
Suddenly I awakened, chilly, shiyering
and exhausted. found myself standing
on the roadside close 10 clump Of pines.
The church was nowhere visible, and III
the east the streaks Of dawn tinged the
horizon. A few yards from lie perceived
Horton.
where are we;' | asked III dazed be-
am GNdhNt
He came slowly toward me. Don't
you see we have halted in the same place;'
he said In husky voice | stared at the
pines above me, at the fenceess fields, the
winding road and the farm house on the
hill 20 the left--it was absolutely true
stood on the identical spot upon which |
had halted in '62
"You are lame-how did YOU walk this
far" | demanded, rubbing my eyes and
temples in desperat effort to clear away
the vivid, realistic delusion.
II did not walk" Ike returned, without
meeting my eyes The subtle indeilnablc
consciousness of detected guilt recalled
the one revelation Of the night.
| walked up and confronted Horton
You are Blakes murderer You are the
enemy who killed bin that night"
Horton shuddered. Il am Blake's muir
derer." he repeated slowly. Il am the
enemy who killed him that night"
"Why did YOU commit the crimef"
"He was my yi:'al ! have never known
u moments peace since that night. lie
has come back to finish his retribution, ~
he rejoined hopelessly.
A few minutes later the negro man APP
peared II nebber knowed they's comm
tell you run in en- called the men, he
said, for, strangely enough, the same de-
fusion, or whatever it might me, had
driven the negro from the chapel; zen
mastah, | nebber stopped runnin' tell l
seen 'em tu'n off ut dat ar road dar. "
The man refused TO return TO the church,
but set off on foot thea aud there for Cul-
pepper.
Tom found us on the roadside when he
arrived with the wagon-none too soon,
for Horton was desperately III and died
few days later, first making full contes-
sion. Then related the mystery OF the
night to Tom. Blake said that | should
know some day, and he kept his word" /
concluded. Tom had no solution 10 offer
If anybody has shall be glad to hear
for the fact remains that we went 10 sleep
In the chapel and awakened four miles
from it-inde in New York Mercury.