Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-09-16
CHAPTER XIII.
II FLIGHT.

thing about myself. What was the use?
I had but t wo powers left-the power Of
watching and the power Of suffering,
and both were exercised to the full. So
I have confined myself to relating what
1 saw and heard, or what came to my
kno Wedge afterwards. But in the
dusky m arket place, where the battle
waxed fercely around the unfortunate
lad who was the center OF IL all, l was
| there, though unseen by any Of the
~combatants, and in the glen, while the
fishermen stood shoulder TO shoulder
behind their barricade, was there also.
And If l had had hair to tear l should
have torn it; IL l had had a body TO
] cash, as the old wo%rshippers Of Baal
| used to do 10 appease their deity, l
would have gashed it; yea, more, IL l
had had a right hand TO cut off l, in the
agony of NY remorse, would have cut it
| of, for was it not the same right hand
which had brought about all this mis-
chief to pass?
That one crime OF mine-a cruel and
dastardly crime, l grant, yet only the
work OF an angry moment-was leading
to the most appalling consequences,
which no one could have foreseen. 1t
| had brought ruin upon one family after
another; IL had goaded some TO death
and others TO madness; il had stirred
up strife in a little seaport town where
people had formerly lived in peace and
friendliness; and now 1T was hurting
whole communities against one another,
so that the destruction of the entire
village seemed imminent.
Nor had l any assurance that the evil
which l had wrought would stop even
there. So far as l could sec 1t would go
on spreading and spreading, as the
waves spread when q stone is cast into
a pond, until at last they reach the solid
earth and fling themselves against it.
But was there any solid earth in my
case? Hard though | strove TO discover
il, l could not see ever the shadow of
anything substantial enough to stop
the waves which l had seq in motion.
The question which l had asked myself
at the beginning was, where will il eudP
The question which l now asked myself
in my despair was, will it ever end?
Looking at the immediate prospect
could see no hope Of escape for George
and mis- friends, and they could see
none themselves. OF the cOnstables
they had not much fear after their sue.
ceSsful resistance, but the mere men
ton of the soldiers was enough TO
throw them into a panic. A few bayo-
nets in the glen, and the rest of the
mountain slopes to the westward would,
they knew, effectively cut them off
from the sea, and, after that, they
would be at the mercy OF the consta-
bles descending upon them from above,
for flight across the country could not
fail 10 end in capture sooner or later.
What, then. was TO be done? In spite
Of the more serious consequences TO
George, some were in favor of capitu-
lation "a the lesser of the two evils.
But Ben was stoutly opposed 70 it.
He angrily declared that, come what
might, he would not give In.
The wind may Shift yet" said be.
Anyway, while there's life there's
hope"
"Hops. indeed" groaned Billy Keale.
Wasn't l sayin' all along we'd be took?
l ask you, Watterson, wasn't | Sayin' it?
EAuu hOW LOOh "O mAob W. " W. N0A =
nelp ourselves"
Just bark TO him, iads!" cried Ben.
"Hark to the ould croaKer! Did you
aver hear the like? Aw, Billy, Billy, If
we could only get al idea into your
woody head as easily as you can get a
whole barley cake into your mouth,
we'd do we'll"
And so the greater part OF the night
was spent In talking.
But before day5resk, while the dis
cuSSion was still proceeding In the
weaver's cottage a man ran in and said
that the wind was more westerly. At
the news there was q general rush for
the door. Ben was soon satisfied as TO
its truth, aud though the change was
only slight as yet, be announced, amid
4 scene of wild excitement, tina: they
would make q start without delay. After
that, all was stir and hustle. SOu'weSter's
were tied on more tightly; heavy pack
ages were brOug ht ont and hoisted on
the shoulders that were TO carry them;
then came the last words Of parting,
the hurried farewell, with tears and
kisses and much ~handshaking rs its
accompaniment.
Ben mustered his little force aud got
them into marching order. But just as
they were on the point Of starting, he
turned and said TO those whom they
were leaving behind:
Don't forget, not one OF you has
had a hand in this job. No constable
can say he has seen any OF you with a
weapon" This was literally true. for
| .lsk~,-k Nha nfhnrs d oH afnnd hohinn
ready to help in case OF need, the ac-
tive defence Of the barricade had been
undertaken solely by the crew OF the
Kestrel, their intention being to as
sumo the entire responsibility. Throw
all the blame upon u.s." continued Ben;
well take 1t gladly whether we get
| safely away Or not, for it's only the
truth. And remember we'll soon be
sending back for you all to come out to
US, keep up your hearts. That's all l
wanted to say to you except goodbye
goodbye to you ALL" And the rest Of
the company shouted with him Good
bye"
So, amid much waving Of shawlS and
colored hdndkerchiefs, they set out on
their journey, marching away mp the
glen 10 the old spot where they had
climbed up the bank some hours before.
Although the sun had not yet risen,
there was a Frightening OF the sky over
toward SANDY beyond Scadden, and the
clouds being scattered by the wind,
/ they had the light Of the stars to guide
them. There was not much talking on
| the way, one or two attempts at play
f~ulness proving dismal failures. For,
In truth, they were heavy hearted,
these man who were fleeing from their