The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-06-02

chair and facing the marksman, this is
the most painful moment of my life.
You will be as Mortified to hear, as am
to discover, that there is a thief
amongst US.
ulity and dismay. and looked from one
to the other with indignant eyes.
The flush on the blind mans face
Geepened.
within the past few weeks" Daw-
kins continued, Il have missed two sill
yer watches and gold one. Tonight
& second gold watch has disappeared.
an sure YOU will demand that the thief
be exposed and expelled. | will make
no public scandal. I will not prosecute.
do not wish to brand as felon any
member of ny company. But we must
protect our profession from reproach,
and it is my duty Is shield the innocent
among you from suspicion"
Hear. hear,'' cried all notes.-the
voices of all but two Bill Broughton
and the blind man were mute The lat
ter's face grew redder. His long, lean
hands grasped the arms Of his chair.
His mouth gaped, displaying yellow
teeth in hideous keeping with his
yellow, motionless, lightless eyes.
Broughton shook himself, and drew his
arms tighter across his chest and NUT
tered:
Its worse than seeing man shot in
cold blood against WALL
''If the guilty one" went on Dawlsins
after pause, has any lingering sense
Of honor he will step forward now and
relieve his innocent fellows from an
odious suspicion. If he viii not now
freely step forward and confess he must
be dragged forward and unmasked."
Dawkins paused again. No one
moved q muscle. The feet of all
seemed riveted to the ground, the bodies
Of all cast in steel. All eyes were con-
centrated on the man who could not
see; all eyes, save Dawkins His were
fixed on the ground, a little from where
Broughton leaned his back against the
wall
The face of the blind man had grown
scarlet. and the company knew it was
only by great effort Carton kept him
self from springing out of his chair.
What a terrible spectacle to see this
afflicted man writhing in agonies of
shame, frantic to fy, and unable to
move owing to his pftiful infrmity.
SIT would be mercy" whispered
Broughton, ''for me to drop cartridge
into the rife and put the unfortunate
creature out of pain
sGn,,ioly To COW
eral voices. The little group of men
and women could not bear to watch the
unfortunate man on this awful rack of
shame.
Dawlsins, from behind the chair, could
not see the condition of Carton. He
went on:
From the time the prizes were put
before Carton on the tray until l missed
the watch, only three people could have
removed the watch, namely: Carton,
myself and Bill Broughton. 1 now ask
Bill Broughton what he knows of this
matter?"
The man, leaning against the wall,
remained silent.
Il must have Bill Broughton's ac-
count or he must take the conse-
quences."
''Curse your watch" said Broughton,
through his teeth. Hes had enough
for twenty watches. Let him alone.
Look at him. Remember the poor
wretch is blind"
81 know he's blind" said Dawkins,
without moving his eyes from the floor.
I.and that makes it all the worse I
want your account of the robbery, Bill
Broughton."
Thus contured, Broughton spoke:
Eve seen men shot and hanged in cold
blood, bat this is the worst of all. It's
not fair. This is worse than the cat
worse than the Red Mans torture. I'll
tell you what l propose. I'll drop
cartridge in and leave him the rife
We can clear out and he'll know what
to do
As he said these words, Breughton
caught the rifle by the barrel with his
right hand and swung it up across his
chest into the hollow of his left arm.
With def, swift fingers he opened the
breach, put a cartridge in and locked
the chamber of the gun.
A shudder went through the com
pany.
''That wort do at ALL" said Daw-
kins. docgedly.> Il must have Bill
Broughton's account of the robbery"
Then Br',ughton spoke in low,
muffled vosce: IF must | must, and
the quicke. the better. Dawkins told
me to kee9 an eye on the tray. The
first time passed it l saw two gold
watches on it and the second and the
third ano the fourth time, but the fifth
time one of the watches was gone
In effect" said Dawkins, with slow
deiibera..ion, you say either Carton or
/ stole the watch, and as a man does
not rob himself, what Bill Broughton
says aIsounts to an accusation of thiev-
ing against Carton"
'Sh.il l hand him the rife? The
cartridge is in it, said Broughton.
rs That all you have to say?' asked
DawEins with 2 scornful emphasis on
the word you
Brcughton nodded.
Dawkins RAISED his head and gather
ing the eyes of ali 20 his own, cried out
in the tone of a man provoked beyond
endurance: To begin with, Bill
Brcaghton. you lie"
Eroughton shivered, winked rapidly
with both eyes. looked around in a
startled manner, as though the walls
had vanished or the floor had turned to
led, Then with z muttered oath OF in
credulous astOni>hment he broke into d
low musical laugh.