The Pascagoula democrat-star., 1891-03-06

length the time came for makin
the final payment on the hom
which | had bought. 1t woul,
henceforward be my own; and, il
few more months, my simpI
dwelling, which | had spared n,
pains to make inviting, would b,
graced by It's mistress.
"At the land Office, which wa
some sixty miles off, met my oil.
friend, George c.. He, too, hat
come 10 seek his fortune in th,
West, and We were both delighted
at the meeting. He had brought
with him, he said, a sum of money
(which he desired to invest in land
o.. Thich it was his purpose TO set
lie. | expressed a strong wish &c
have him for neighbor, and gave
him cordial invitation TO accom-
pany me home, giving it as my be-
lief that he could nowhere make a
better selection than in that yicln.
lty. He readily consented, and
We set out together. We had not
ridden many miles, when George
suddenly recollected a commission
he had undertaken for a friend,
which would require his attend
ance at public land sale on the
following day. Exacting a promise
that he would not delay his visit
longer than necessary, and having
given minute directions as to the
route, | continued my way home
ward, while he turned back.
81 was about retiring TO bed on
the night of my return when a
summons from without called me
TO the door. A stranger asked
shelter for himself and his horse
for the night. l invited him in.
Though stranger, his face seemed
not unfamiliar. He was probably
one of the men | had seen at the
Land Office, a place at that time
much frequented. Offering him a
seat, | went to see his horse. The
poor animal, as we'll as | could see
by the starlight, seemed TO have
been hardly used. His painting
sides bore witness Of merciless
riding, and tremendous shrinking
at the slightest touch, betokened
recent fright. On re-entering the
house found The stranger was not
there. His absence excited no
surprise he would doubtless soon
return. 1t was a little singular,
however, that he should haye left
his watch lying on the table.
"At the end of hall an hour, my
guest not returning, went again
TO the stable, thinking he might
have found his way thiiher to give
personal attention to the wants of
his horse. Before going out, from
mere force of habit-for we were
as yet uniDfested by either thieves
or policemen-I took the precau-
ton of putting the strangers watch |
in drawer in which | Kept my
own valuables. | found the horse |
as | had lett him, and gave him
the food which he was now suffi-
GENTLY cooled to be allowed 10
eat ; but his master was nowhere
TO be seen. AS | approached The
house a crowd of men on horse
back dashed up, and | was com
manded, in no gentle tones, to
'standP In another moment | was
in the clutches of those who claim
ed me as their prisoner
IL was loo much stupefied at
first TO ask what it all meant.
did so at last and the explanation
was terrible! Ny lend,
with whom so had so lately set
out in company, had been found
and robbed near The
spot at which /, but | alone, knew
we had separated. was the last
person known to be with him, and
| was now arrested on suspicion of
his murder. A search of the
premises was Immediately institu-
ted. The watch was found in the
drawer IN which l had placed il
and was identified as the property
of the murdered man. His horse,
loo, was found in my stable, for
the animal | had just put there was
none other | recognized him my
self when saw HIM in the light.
What | said l know not. Ny con-
Iusion was taken as additional evil
ience. And when, at length, did
command language 10 give an in
statement, it was receiv-
ed with sneers and incredulity.
"The mob spirit is inherent in
least, in crowds of men.
1t may not always manifest itself
IN physical violence. 1t sometimes
contents itself with lynching a
character. But whatever its form,
t is always pitiless, relentless,
,ruel.
CAS- the proofs of my guilt, one
after another came to light, low
gradually grew into a
,lamor for vengeance and, but
or the firmness OF one man-the
,flicer who had me in charge-I
would doubtless have paid the
penalty Of my supposed offense on
he spot. IL was not sympathy
hat actuateG my protector. His
heart was as hard as his Office
but he represented the majesty of
he law, and took a sort of grim
pride in The position. AS much