The Washington critic., 1889-02-05

with darkness and oblivion, the quick mes.
senger burst shaitering through nerve aud
sense, aud the seventh miserable victim fell
heavily across LIS own threshold.
But BY az Ingenious elaboration OF ven
geanoe, the most terrible torture Of all had
been reserved for llinch. His imagination
had become HIS hell. lie died, through II,
thousand deaths. He had been passed by
TO see his comrades, one by one, fail from
ground him, with the consciousness that
the relentless hate aud marvellous skill
which struck them down, was strung with
tcnfold stornncss against himself. one,
two, three, four, five, six, seyen--he had
counted them all many time They had
all gone down under his eye, and, rs each
one fell, came the question, "Shall II be my
turn uextT" From the certainty that IL
would come there was no escaping. II0
had put forth all the malignant feroclty OF
cunning and brutal passions IN vain And
as successfully he missed his mlnlons from
his side, the dark circle grew narrower aud
narrower, closing in terrible gloom about
him, I'LL lie stood almost singly in the light,
the very spot where the bail should
strike him was distinctly placed
by seven several instances And
the wretch cast his hand before
his eyes and shiyered through every fibre
as he felt the keen shock strike IN bluclsness
through tissues so sensitive that even hair
touching them now was agony. Such u
consciousness of coming doom was too
much to be endured Within a few weeks
he shrunk like rank weed from which the
sheltering boughs had been cleft.
His bloated face became pallid and
wrnkled. lie grew so nervous that the
tap Of crisp leaf driven by the winds
against bis windows made him shudder aud
glare his eyes around, expecting that dark
tube to grow through upon him from some
crevice Of his log house.
There were yet two other men besides
himself-Davis and Williams; but they
were young men, much the youngest of
The band. They sold their property, and
one night were permitted to escape.
1liDch caught at this incident with the
frantic hope OF despair. They succeeded In
getting of, and why not hep lie managed
very secretly to secure one OF the best
horses in the country, and get forth one
dark night for Red River. The news that
he was off caused strong sensation
through the country.
Hinch reached Red River after desperate
ride. He sprang from his foaming horse
at the top. of the bank, and the poor animal
fell lifeless from exhaustion as his feet
| touched the ground. He descended TO the
waters edge and threw himself upon the
| ground to wait the coming Of boat In
| about two hours hoarsc, belchiug sound
grew upon his ear through the heavy still
ness. He sprang to his feet a new fire in
his eye.
| In short time the white eddes of the
smoke rose above the trees. Oh! what a
| sight was this-whnt tumult OF joyful
relief Now another life careered through
his veins aud rushed up to his clammy
| brow.
| Everything OF hope-years of new ex-
cesses or OF calm repentance-crowded In
one moment OF time upon his heart The
boat rounded the bend, cleaving up the
headstrong current with her victorious
prov. lie signaled her. Her yawl is low
| cred. With what uncomfortable eagernsss
does the wretch,..w so long felt himself
doomed, watch the sweeping strokes OF the
long oars, which are 80 soon to place an
impossible gulf between him aud that pur-
suing fate They had nearly reached the
land when a sudden click, click, made his
heart jump. Hnch turned, the cold sweat
bursting from his face. HIS presentiment
was right.
Standing out from the shadow Of the
folage--distlnctly before him-was the I'M
couth figure OF Jack Long.
For Il moment-with the upright gun
pressed In one hand to the ground--the
hunter stood confronting the appalled, mis-.
creant. For q moment he turned his slow
gaze to the sublime mingling Of sky and
forest AROUND, ana the VIDE rusnlng OF the
strong river before him, as IL 1t were toe
hard for even such wretch to be cut oil
SO suddenly from the light of life and the
glorious face OF nature. But he heard the
sound Of the oars grow louder he saw the
boat that was TO bear off his victim rapidly
drawing near, and the Regulator, recover
ing from the stupor OF an instant, wal
stealthily raising his hand to q pistol con
cealed In his bosom, The long rifle Of tn,
hunter rose to the level, the cold eye
shone along the barrel, and before Hincl
could utter ''God help me" the crash came
and all was darkness with the Captain o
the Regulators.
The boatmen landed and found the ex
pected passenger PROSTATE by the rive
side, pierced through the eye and brain will
rifle ball Of an unusual size, and climbing
hastily to the top Of the bank, saw wild
looking, ungainly horseman gallopini
swiftly over the plain.