The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-08-22


go until he could hear Black Jim's horsehoofs
He had never surrendered and he never
would lie was not afraid of any man north
or south AS he said that he glanced at me
with a look of exutation. But the sheriff
lost his temper completely, and III storm
of furious profanity babe Caesar take his
own way to the devil. After that there was
silence again, while every man in the room
listened brcathlcssiy for the hoofbeats
Il was during the intense silence that |
went out into the moonlight. / wanted TO
escape from the tragedy within doors, ana
the change of scene great enough TO
work wonders Below me was tango OF
mountain giens with the wind raging among
them 1t was like the roaring OF many
streams hidden in banks of mist. The moon
light giimmered upon the surface Of the mist
and lined the gicns with silver. Out of
that g,istcning world in long black fins, rose
IN the higher ridges. But even they were
touched and softened by the mystery OF the
moonlight They had become vast dreamy
things that were half akin TO man over
them and among them swept the breathing
wind while the moonshine was their robe
of splcndor Upon gen ana forest ana low
crine mountain.w was the peace that pass
otb al understanding. a reflection OF the
uuture Of God Jay upon that world to Which
He has not given the power TO cohirauico
Him Nevertheless, IN spite OF al inc sp.eh-
dor and mystery OF the night, l could nor get
my mind away from the gaming taple' lioNi
Caesar not with liquor and the sherlii su!iei.
with wrath There j was i'll the heart OF
tho strifc;ess moonlight, listening secretly Tor
the CHATTER of Black Jim's horsehoofs' Be
hind me were the gamcSters. Ihey, alSo'
were doing the same thing
As that occurred to me, l turned apou'
and went back into the store
For mere idleness l lit cigarette ana
began to smoke A moment after"ard' now
oyer 7 regretted it. Caesars eye had rested
mon me. and corld see that there was
q sncer in it. | began to feel that the souhl
of hoofbpatS would be n blessed rellei, Dut,
also that it would never come
At last. however. it did. Faint ana far
along the mountain rang that echo OF DESTINY
With terrible swiftncss it became louder
and more distinct. Nearer and nearer came
the ralloping hoofbeats. They seemed TO he
riding on the wind. which strove IN VAIN
TO gp, ahead of them. They came ringing
nm the street Of tho hamlet. They were
almost in front of the store. Then came the
heavy. iolting footballs as The galop slowed
into the trOt, followed Ivy the sound of Il
horse paving angry and by Black jim
stentorian voice believing,
.'Who, da. 70 ole debbl! -----------
In another moment the door burst open.
The low moon threw its light into the room
and cast over the mighty shadow Oh Il
standing horse. 1t all so Sudden ana
so unexpected that my heart lcaped into my
mouth Even the bold mountaineers shrank
back to right and left as if fearful of Wltch
or warock. But Black Jim rushed to the
zGn,e ana threw The papers ui2a IT.
"Da dew a. boss!" he shouted, do de!
a."
The sheriff clutched Mt them.
Caesar Stack. yo' my priS'ner!"
But mad the impossible really happened
Was Caesar caught at last? What could De
the matter with him as he stood there silent
by the table? These questions and host
of others flashed through me i'll a silence MS
of death. While Black Jim gaped breathlesS,
he stared up into the sherif1's lace, the
rest Of us were like so many statues under
the shadow of that giant horse beneath the
dying moon. God knows what men Were
weighed in the balance that instant.
But I cannot think that all of them were
found wanting. Along with the questions
that had flashed into my consciousness there
came the solution Of the whole matter. 1t
was spoken by Caesars eyes. They had
turned again upon me and burned their rev
claton into my soul during half an instant.
In a flash of light the scales fell from before
me and | understood it all. 1t famed upon
me like Il baptism Of fire out of the depths
OF those hopeless eyes
"You know who is to blame for all this, y
Caesars spirit was crying to me In spite OF
himself, saying things that he could not say
in words. ut is YOU who have undone me
you and your cigarette. Why do you smoke
cigarettes? II Is because yo1 ar - and
Wcl led and live i'll rich country. You
ar.: oqsp OF masters. You and your peo-
pie hold us all in your hands. You con
uuered us first, and now you have bought
us, body and soul These very wastes, Wh'r''
no man has ever yet 1clleu Il Tree. pelonS 10
the stranger.
I'VE arr, lmIdlcSs in own land. and yet
YOU sit there ut your ease, smoking your
cigarettes and care nothing about IT. You
are a type of the new tyrant. 1t is the spell
of your wicked presence tnat has held me
here as the eye of snake holds bird. !
have. fingered; tonight because of the burn
Ing rascIEali OF old memories that nave
paraiyzed my power of action. You are
what started them. The sight Of you has
chained me here, dreaming Of the time before
the surrender. You have ruined me.
Such was the message which was flashed
into NV soul by a single look. 1t was, in
deed, but d.mly grasped by the man who felt
il within him. 1t could not express Itself.
1t came from Il soul that was dumb. But
the spirit had made me wise ana under
stood.
Then if was that | moved toward Caesar
and looked straight into his face. He, how
ever. thought | had done after the manner
Of nv kind. He supposed that L was eAull-
ing in his fail. That, L am sure, was why
W., lifted his ewes TO mime Win an All Vi "G'
fam scorn The next instant he had drawn
his revolver and flung it into the water par
rel bv the door. His eyes moved slowly from
me to the sheriff He included both Of US in
his defiance.
saw that the end had come. There was
but one way out OF the difficulty. The shcr-
IFS hand still rested upon the warrant on
the table. and | laid my hand on his. AS l
did so my cigarette dropped upon the war
rant At thc same Instant with my left
hand | poured out upon IL the last OF the
iIlg Of whisky You can imagine what fol-
lowed | Snatched my hands away. and the
sheriff gave Il smart of pain. There was
swift flare of blue flame, Il smell OF burning
alcohol and then the warrant was no more.
OF lust what happened next | am not sure.
NV ewes were fixed upon Caesar. | knew,
however, that .ne sheriff stared ut me for
moment as ii stupe1ied. After that he
dropped into chair and laughed uproriouSiy.
But | was watching Caesar. AT first he
had flushed angrily. Then he hestated. AT
last he looked at ana our eyes met. The
next instant he strobe across the room and
stretched out his hand.
"ParJner" said he. "I'm surrendered"
NATHANIEL STEPHENSON.
The Curfew.
From The ST. LoriS Globe-Democrat.
Good stories 30 with some of the things in