Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-04-30

citizen-whose name was Bandy WHITE
not being on the best terms with his
wife, he had beer for the last Few
months accustomed to sleep 10 the sned
with the horse. He had taken the
stranger out to see the animal In the
evening, and she overheard the stranger
offer to buy it; her husband saying tnat
he did not wish to part with IL, tney
passed out of hearing.
After q long time the stranger came
in and went to the bed allotted him ear
lier, and Mrs. White, supposing tnas
Bandy had retired to the stable ior tne
night. fell asleep and do not a"a6e
until morning. When she awoke ana
found house and stable deserted, she
raised the alarm. A posse vas sent out
70 scour the country, aud the next DAY
the was overtaken lelsureiy
crossing the Mexican border on Bandy
Whites horse. Brought back to JUS
tice. he had remained entirely calm ana
told a Saskatchewan story. lie salo
that White had sold him the horse aiter
some show of reluctance. After con-
GLIDING the bargain and paying Whlte
in gold he went into the house to BED,
leaving White in the stable.
Wishing to begin the journey oelore
the heat OF the day, ne arose 81 da"n
and rode away on his purchase, having
first looked into the rough hay loft Tor
his host and found him absent. The
house being on the edge Of the town.
horse and rider had left without De-
ing observed.
On the other hand, Mrs, White VOW
ed that her husband valued he horse
as the apple Of his eye and would not
have parted with it on any terms, she
had herself heard him refuse the strang-
err. II he had sold the horse he would
have at once put the money in her
hands, as she had complete charge OF
financial affairs. Finally White was
gone utterly. with questionable haste
the stranger was brought TO trial lor
horse theft and murder and found guilty
on both counts.
The execution was to occur at twelve
o'clock before the Jail. As the hour ap-
preached all the inhabitants OF the town
thronged about the rough gallows, the
platform OF which was raised five or SIX
feet, that all might have a fair view OF
the tragedy to be enacted there. Drawn
by the hateful fascination that attends
such scenes, l found myself in the midst
OF the crowd q short distance from the
scaffold. The new wood shone in the
sunlight, and shere was a pleasant smell
OF fresh chips in the air.
At the appointed hour the jail gate
opened and a group of officials appear
ed, surrounding tho victim OF frontier
Justice. As they drew near | saw with
q sudden cessation OF heart beats that
the prisoner was Stregone. DE passed
up the lane Of spectators and mounted
the steps OF the gibbet with as calm an
air as he might have worn in walking
the boards of some great theater where
he was about to display his marvellous
skill. AS he stepped upon the platform
l saw that his hands were bound behind
hIm-those flexible. clever white hands.
The rough cord had been drawn so bru-
tally tight that it had cut the flesh OF
his wrists and the starting blood had
stained his snowy cuffs. Otherwise his
attire was immaculate as ever.
The officials busted themselves In the
final preparations, and the throng be-
came hushed as the shadow OF death
1911 chill upOA ~ AZ
Suddenly the doomed man.stepped for
ward to the edge Of the platform.
my friends" he said. in that low,
but wonderfully distinct voice-and
every word reached to the confines OF
the crowd; 81 understand that you are
under the impression that l murdered
Mr.. White and stole his horse"
An underlined murmur responded.
xviii any Of the gentlemen kindly
watch the turn Of the road?" he con-
tinued.
There was a moment OF dead silence.
Then a faint sound Of galloping hoofs
was heard, which grew louder and
louder, until a man on horse dashed
around the bend and drew up on the
outskirts OF the crowd.
What in thunder are We dom to
that man?" yelled Bandy Whites voice.
He amt done nothin! l sold him the
boss and lit out between two days with
the cash. But when l heard a set o
dam fools had jailed him for it l lowed
I'd come back"
Every eye was fastened on the new
arrival, and the sea OF spectators had
surged up and broken against him. For
the instant the man under the hang
mans loop had been forgotten. Now
somebody raised the cry, "Loose the
p~risoneri" and the crowd rolled back to-
ward the scaffold. The platform was
vacant.
There was a moment Of %astonished ST.
lence, then a babel Of voices. Men ran
hither and thither and searched every
nook and corner about the gal
lows, but In vain. Stregone, bound
and bleeding, surrounded by
thousand eyes, had vanished as com
pletely as il the pearth had opened and
swallowed him. ] have never seen or
heard OF him since, nor have l been
able TO form any conclusion concerning
this man, who chose to bury his strange
power in the obscurity Of frontier life.
Perhaps he has returned to civilization
and is now astonishing blase %metropoli'
tan audiences. Perhaps his bones are
scattered among the harsh rocks of the
Sierras or lie bleaching on the plains OF
Mexico. There the mystery stands,
and he may solve it who can.-Bdrton
Allen in Romance.