The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1890-04-09

nope not. But am a murderer; yes,
o murderer, for I have just killed swo
men,"
1.-TWO men!" shrieked the horrified
mother.
"Yes, and they all ought to have
been killed"
~What for; what has happened
Johnny?"
"Three men tried to kill my father
little George and neighbor Rice; they
have also stolen little Lima, and l am
afraid she can't be found. Isn't that
enough, mother? Wasn't it right for
me to save my own life also, when they
tried to kill me? Oh! mother, as true
as there is O God in heaven Will slay
every one OF them If once get
chance"
"Say no more, my boy; and your
father dead; nc, no, it cannot be.
Heaven spare me, spare" Her
weak, shattered nerves could bear no
more, and, before she could finish her
sentence she had fallen to the floor in
dead faint.
Johnny and servant girl applied
restoratives, and in short time Mrs.
Jones began to show signs of recovery:
AS soon as the brave, kind boy could
leave his mother he quietly stole from
the house and hurried down the road
toward the Rice farmhouse.
Just as he came in sight of the front
gate he saw a man slipping along the
fence, and recognized him as "Swarthy
Jim. the rag peddler." Like O flash
the angry flush lighted Johnny's pale,
handsome face at the sight of this man.
A fire of the bitterest hatred burned in
his breast, and then and there he swore
to have revenge upon this man.
"Ah! old Jim, see you are out of
place here just now. and know you
are here for no good purpose, but in
tend to watch you," hissed Johnny, in
deep, low tones of awful hatred.
"Yes, there he goes, stealing his way
into the gate just like the thief that
he is; but, by the power of Him who
made me, I will be even with him this
time, and he will not leave that house
o live man if I do not gain my pur-
pose"
Had not Johnny quickly hid himself
behind some bushes that grew near the
gate, these two men would have met
face to face, but, fortunately for the
wiry boy, he had again escaped this
desperate man.
With stealthy, quiet steps, Jim ad-
vanced up the long gravel walk toward
the front door of that doomed, sad.
dened nome, little suspecting that he
was watched.
cha! old Jim, you think the coast
clear; wonder where Mrs. Rice can be;
see! he walks straight in the house as
if he was Lord of the Manor but he
will not come out in quite so brave a
manner!
"Why! now I know what he is after,
and why did I not think of it before?
The rapers-those papers that belong
to the stolen beauty, to my hearts
idol. I remember, and see through it
all now; last winter Farmer Rice told
me of those papers, and that they were
not to be given to Lima until her eight
eenth birthday.
eyes, they must be valuable papers,
and this desperate man has stolen the
girl, and now has come for those pa
pers; but he shall not have them; I will
die first"
AS soon as Jim had disappeared into
the house Johnny quietly glided from
his hiding place, and, jumping from
bush to bush, he soon reached the
house, without being discovered by
Swarthy Jim.
To the front of the house was long
yeranda, and the west and part of the
side was entirely inclosed by lattice
work, up which trailed the creeping
rose vine, now in its richest bloom.
Behind this close network Johnny
could easily hide himself, and yet see
Swarthy Jim, as he came out of the door.
"Ah! you old rascal, I have you now;
this little pistol OF mine has done we'll
to-day; two villains less, and, unless
you drop those at the first shot, you
will drop at the second"
Scarcely had these muttered threats
escaped Johnny's lips when Swarthy
Jim appeared at the door, with q small
wooden box under his right arm.
At sight of the box Johnny's eyes
flashed fire; he aimed at the right arm,
and as Jim stepped to the ground fired.
The shot had the desired effect, for
the box dropped to the ground, as Jim
uttered fearful shrek and darted down
the long gravel walk out of sight. AS
Jim disappeared, Johnny sprang from
his hiding place, seized the box and
ron to his home. After hasty eypla-
nation Of its contents to his mother, he
ag ain started for the thicket.
Ito De CoNTYUEDl