Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-10-06

ton. would mean ueatn 10 nlms
Malcolm saw the murderer moment
later stand In the light Of the open door.
md look carefully at the loose yellow
brown pants he wore, rs If he expected 20
| fnd blood-stains there. Satisfied with the
insnection. he came back 20 the bed, taking
something from its surface and sat down
on low stool between the foot OF the bed
and the open door. The child could see
that he had small bag, and that win nm
steady hands he united II and TOOK rom y
! n roll Of hank-notes, which he connteu
over. and then quantity Of silver. For
/ this filthy lucre he had parted with all
/ natural aifection-for the miserable sum OF
| S900 he had robbed himself of those who
/ held him nearest and dearest.
! II was the price of blood he was count
/ ing A little bird. frightened. by, some
} enemy from its roost for the night, hutter-
/ ed close 10 the open door. posing itself on
/ lis wings when Iust in front, aud seeming
/ half inclined 20 take refuge within. The
noise TO the guilty man appeared Tor an
/ instant the rushing Of an army coming 10
take him, and several CONS which be had
/ not vet replaced in the bag with the Others
/ fell ringing on the floor and rolled here
and there about the room.
/ The gathering darkness made them naTd
: TO find, and as the man peered around the
AGONY of the child grew 10 the highest
/ pitch What if he should search beneath
I tho bed and find him there, One shining
/ piece had rolled behind the door. and Nal
. colin saw it catch the light from tho Gre
/ vice there The man seemed now IN neI-
vous haste TO depart, and ceased Looking
I for the missing piece or pieces. II lhueeu
he had not found them all. The bag and
/ the shirt af the foot Of the bed were
gathered up hastily, and Malcolm heard his
I footsteps grow fainter and fainter IN the
/ distance. Would be not come back again;
/ The child feard he might and waited
waited with the dread compromising IN
tho adjoining room, longing 20 90 yet fear
/ inc TO move a muscle The fear OF the
dead so near him would have been SUI
prcme if the fear Of death 10 himself had
not been greater.
At last. after the stiffness had reigned
| for q long, long time and the moonlight
/ shining in through the small window had
somewhat dispelled the darkness, Malcolm
! found courage 70 move little. once out
/ side the door his feet seemed winged.
What if Bill Sprouse was outside IN the
shadow somewhere and had seen hun leave
/ the house and even now was coming alter
with him giant strides He fancled he
/ heard his footsteps coming nearer, nearer F.
Father, Father! he cried under ms
breath. "a he dashed through the low
brush-wood and leaped a narrow raylne,
cutting unnOticed his bare feet on the
sharp stones If bis father was only there
with his strong arm he wOuld be safe. No
man on earth wGs "a stroug as his iather'
he thought. How he could WELD the large
hammer on the anvil But the strong arm
was not there and he was afraid TO call lest
his pursuer should hear. Oh, Lord. "
he cried. don't let him come; don't let
him come till get home"
AZ last. blessed moment. the home door
was reached. Painting. trembling. he pull
! ed the latch-string and, slamming the door
/ behind him, looked wildly around Tor DIS
father. But by the moonlight and the
smouldering fire he could see there wac no
ono i'm the room except his little brother
and sister asleep in their trundlc-bed. HIS
father and Aunt Selany, he reInemb ered,
/ had gone TO the cOrn-shuckng. 30 ne
iumDod into bed between the children ana
covered up his head. and. overcome Wlth
all he had undergone, he tell asleep: re
wns not aroused by the return OF MS iaiher
and aunt. nor By the coming later on 81
/ BIZ Sprouse, from whom he bod fled so
wildly. He slept sOundly till Sclauy. lean
ING over him in the morning light. shook
! him. and speaking from the depths oil her
| black sun-bOnnet. 10 which Gho Wa9 ~ de-
otedIvattached. ~ and from which she was
rarely parted, babe him 60 and get the
COWS. She was stern woman OF ICY
} words, and not much loved by the chii-
drcn left in her care since Their MothcI $
death. She told Malcolm nothing OF the
murder. but silently and erimly slited the
corn.meal for the breakfast bread
"Where's father" asked Malcolm. rs he
pulled an old tobogGan cap over his I'M
cOmbed hair.
at Mrs. Sprousc's," answered Selany,
and added a. lac fingered, Is Waltlh lot
the COWS go long"
! In the few minutes since Malcolm a"oko
he had had no remembrance OF the events
! of the night previous. There had been no.
thing to recall them. Everything Was AS
usual. apparently, but the mention OF Mrs;
| Snrousc WAS electrical. lie rccOllected
| everything in moment. There IS some
thing in the morning air and sunlight,
however. which dispes the fears
of the night. All things seem mali
anew and the hope and courage We
have lost in the darkness return with
the light. After his refreshing sleep ana
with his perfect health the remembTancG
of the past night was more Ike dread
| dream than terrible reality 10 Malcolm.
He penned UP the COWS quickly and before
he had had time 10 dwell much upon hrs
fear of the night he was running along the
mountain side toward Mrs. Sprousc's 10
find his father.
He Joined the little crowd around the
door on the southern side Of the house
and stood close beside his father. He
could not see into the room, for there were
many men and women in front of hum.
But ne could hear Mr.. Scruggs speaking
"Hit's turrible thing" he was saying
"turrible. Use lived in this here count y
man and boy, ffty-fiye years, and l ami
nuvvor heercd the like. -,
Il kin see" said George Flint, how
the old woman might ha' got Kit, but
! huccum such good-siZed man rs JACK
didn't 'fcnd hisself? II pear like thar
amt been no scuffiln' by the looks Of the
tio' and the way he's a-layin'."
"JFend hisself?" said Tom Tinker, the
| blacksmith. Glowing his way INTO the
room and stopping beside tho BODIES,
closely followed 10y little Malcolm. How S
a man goin' - 'fend hls-clt when hes my
from bchin'Y You can see by the WoWh1i
| rs Whosomever hit Jack come up Deblud
him. But who could ha' done it? Who in
| the wuIl?'
There was o moments pause and then
Bill Sprou5e sitting III the next room IN
the step OF the door facing the north,
! where he had gone 10 escape curious eyes
and the sight OF his brutal work, heard IA
child's piping voice IN answer
- knows. | seen him: he was right
thar benin the do" pointing 10 the south
| crn door, land she was q comm ~ win
chips in her apron, and he knocked her IN
the head with the axe seen MIN do 1t.
During the excitement produced 10y
Malcolm's revelation, and while he was be,
ING Piled with questions as to who had
done the deed and how he had CHANGED to
see it. Bill Sprouse had made good his
escape for the present at least. and, helped
bv the foliage, which was still thick; WAS
ont of sight long before the men he'd col
lected themselves sufficiently to think OF
| his whereabouts. o.,
Malcolm's story seemed All impossib Die
one, since there appeared to be. no mot.v
for such a ficndish act for while granted
surlv Bill Sprouse was not a passionate
man they all agreed. But when Malcolm
said he had seen him have "a heap OF
money. and that piece had rolled behind
the door in the other room. and when led
by the child they had found IL half-dollar
there between the wall and the floor OF the
il-built house, there was no longer any
question in their minds as To the truth OF
his story.
At the coroner's inquest Bill Sprouse was
charged with the murder Of his mother
and brother, and steps were Immediately
taken for his arrest. while he, flying from
iustice. had reached the summit Of the
/ mountain. and pauslng moment