Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-08-11
MYSTERY OF DEADMAN'S FLAT
A ROMANTIC STORY OF THE FAR
WEST.
BY the Author Of Love or Lie Winning
Her Inheritance" Etc.
CONCLUDED
CHAPTER Y.

1he understanding which had come
about between Elaine and Redeem had
considerably altered the young mans views
regarding his fate. He would have died
willingly in her place, keenly as he felt
her strange conduct in allowing him to do
30. He had not expected her for one mo-
ment to come forward and confess what
he had believed her to be guilty Of; bat he
had hoped that she would give one sign
TO him alone that she could understand
and appreciate the sacrifice he was max
ing. He did not want gratitude-only
recognition, to show she was what he be-
lieved her 10 be. Now he had discovered
Der innocence, he was overwhelmed at his
at his own mad and even shameful sus-
picions. How he could thus have suspect
ed her seemed incrsditable to his under
standing. Every word, every look. every
sian OF fear and confusion he could inter
pref nov in the light Of her own suspicious
of himself His soul was filed with re-
morse at his infamous doubts of her, and
he felt 10 bitterness against her for her
doubts OF him. If he, like the base, IN
thivalrous mailman he had been, could
have suspected her, was it even surpris.
ing that she should have suspected him?
He glanced up, for he had been walking
silently and mechanically along by the
side Of the two citizens Of Deadman's
Flat who mad been elected his warders; the
rest Of the men had dropped a little be-
hind. There was something in his face
they respected, And, after all, it would
not be easy for him to escape The first
attempt at flight would bring dozsn bull
lets around him. 1t would only be hasten
ing the sentence by few moments. Red
fern Churchill, however, had been too much
absorbed in his thoughts to think oftryinq
70 escape, even if he had imagined it pos.
sible. 1t was only now that, raieing his
eyes from that troubled meditation, he saw
how near they had come TO III efatal rendez
vous Then suddenly great aud terrible
revulsion of feeling set in. Ia one swift
thought he tasted to the fall all the de-
lights and triumphs Of life, all the bitter.
ness of death. He was innocent. Why
should ne suffer for an unknown murder.
er's crime.
He stopped abruptly, turning sharply
round in the dusty road, his face flushing
with wrathfulness against the men who
had condemned him so upjustly. Sudden
as the movement WIS, the closing up OF
the men lettering behind him was quite aa
swift. Careless as it apparently was, their
guard was as stern 90 their faces we're pitt
less. He saw that, aud saw how hopeless
it wBs to attempt 10 escaps-neverthelessr
be resolved TO try. |, would be death, ht
knew; but il should not be the ignominiou'
death OF dog.
He drew in his breath hard between his
clinched teeth and turned 10 walk or
again, and the men dropped into their
previous positions. They had not said g
word; but their watch was more vigilsnt
than before. He knew the place theJ
were going to, and he thought ever plsr
as they marched along.
The tree which had been set apart 70
the use of an svenginR justice stood, soil
tary, on a mound, which, slopiDg dow
gently on three sides into the great pin
woods, on the fourth clipped abruptly in
10 a ravine some Two hundred feet deep
the sides of which were rocky, covered
with a short furze and thorn underground
vita here and there pine, There was NJ
foothold-at least none to be found for {
man who would not wait to search for one
and he knew that no time would be givel
him to choose his steps. He would g
over il headlong-to certain death; but n
would 90. The only difficulty would b
to reach the edge of that precipice, a
there would be 70 many willing hands t
prevent him.
Now, for the frat time, he noticed hoV
limited the witnesses of the approaching
tragedy there were to be. Generally, such
an event attracted nearly all the town AM
outlying settlements. He wondered wha
had happened to the assuage so sudden,
that grewsome curiosity. He could no
Guess that, out of sympathy with tina
girl, with that cry Of hers still ringing Ii
their ears, the committeeman had quietly
| bat decisively' dismissed the crowd await
/ iug to escort the prisoner. They hsd toi'
the people that they bad better depar
ouickly-that, if they choose, they nigh
hasten on to the mound, and there avail
the fulflment of the sentence.
As the party turned Offrom the road ant
bspan to ascend the mound, they caugh
sight of various members of the population
of Deadman's Flat making their accent
When the procession emerged from amon
the trees there was assembled on the bar
eminence goodly concourse OF spectators
They were contemplating the tree, whic
stood outlined clearly against the Driilian
blue sky, at the summit of the mound
MANY were discussing with much grayit.
various matters which to less intereste'
SPECTATORS might have seemed CHASTITY ant
revolving.
Churchill glanced from the tree to til
grave, earnest crowd: then he set his teeti
more closely, for there were but few psc
IS between him and death. With swif
look round his eyes took in the iloge som
Yards beyond the tree, behind when Ia
mound dropped sharply down into N
abyss.
The sun shoue, and the air was full o
the sweet breath of the pines. There wa
q tyitter of birds in bush and trees, tn
il lsh of their wings through the hot, ira
prant air. Far of in the distance was TN
purple outline of the everlasting hllls
above was the dazzling blue OF a cloudies
sky, and before him that CHASTITY tree
where his life, with its grand possibilities
and its newly found love, was suddenly Il
end.
For moment bis heart and brain seem
ed to burn in fierce, mad revolt against oil
unmerited doom; then suddenly passion
tumult, rebellion died away, and peritc
calmness remained.
He reached the summit yard or tW(
il front of his guards. The crowd iAll
ing back little as he approached, io
there was not sufient space on the Dign
est point for all to stand there, 1t happen
ed that for moment he stood false'
above spectators and executioneers, out
i;,ad ooa;nst that Distant blue eky as tD'