The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1895-08-13


hope for sustenance.
In the house the child ran to and fro
making o pretence OF waiting on th
father and entertaining him with he
baby prattle.
Papa tay wiv baby to-day" sh'
pleaded, as she saw him reach his hat
Her dom wanner hoe in de tiep."
Already she imagined herself shar
ing her mothers burdens.
You stag with yer ma. Papa'l
bring you sometbin' nice"
VI don't want anything nice. l wanneI
go wiv 'oo."
She had brought in lapful of Cher
okee roses as enticement and offered
them to him. He put her off with his
usual promises, and pacified her by
wearing one of the roses pinned awk.
wardly to his coat.
AS he came in view of the tavern
with native intuition that it was not
proper occasion for floral adornment,
he placed the rose inside his pocket
| a group OF men were In front of the
store, talking excitedly. Jim Sibley's
barn had been burned, with all his
stock, consisting of one horse and COW.
1t was clearly incendiary, but who was
the culprit? Each man had given over
and over again his account of the burn
ing with all possible details and many
dded asurmses but with no appearance
OF getting any nearer the offender.
| ST Thompson. of course, took the
lead. It's linus crime" declared
| he. It's the hinusest crime thet's
| ever been committed in this settlement
and whoever done it, hanging's too
good fer i'm"
"Them's my sentiments" chorused
the listeners.
BY noon the men had worked them
selves to such q state Uf sympathy for
jim Sibley and Indignation at the cul-
prit that they chafed under. enforced
inaction.
Tom Lowell was conspicuous by his
absence that afternoon. He had q
vague fear which he dared not ac-
knowledge to himself and which warn
ed him away from the saloon.
Toward night he saw horseman APP
proach the cabin and becon to him.
didn't want ter holler,"'he said.
as Tom approached, "'cause your wife
might want ter know what's up, but
I'm bound t. tell you. Tom, they're
after you. You see they done foun' out
it wuz you set fire to Jim Sibley's barn;
Abe Toby passed you as you were com
ing from it last night, an they've got
more convincing proofs. [ didn't stay
to hear 'em. 1t mOught q been a accI-
dent" as Tom began a protest; 81 don't
say as 'twant:but yer never can convince
en- that way. You don't know they're
down on yer, anyway. You'd better
skip their country; the sooner, the
better" Without waiting for reply
the neighbor rode rapidly away, leaving
Tom stunned and dazed, and for the
first times in years, almost sober. But
his brain, from long disuse, was too
stupid to act; he sat listlessly about.
In the night he lay upon quilt
spread upon the cool piazza, while
Maggie inside was walking to and fro
with the fretful, fe-erish child in her
arms, singing monotonously. The pale
moon drifted through the clouds and
cast sickly light among the trees.
The child was sleeping now. The
mother had thrown herself beside it,
and with her arms still around it was
breathing deeply, as the tired do in
their sleep. Suddenly he started
his senses were wide awake now. A
low, muflled sound reached his ears.
1t was the steady tramp, tramp of
horsemen. With face as white as
death he turned toward the door of the
cabin and looked longingly and loving
ly on mother and babe, and then, like
flash. he was off, disappearing in the
woods.
The horsemen had made their way
steadily and silently for some time to-
ward Old Greek Bend. They carried
themselves like men OF intense pur-
pose. Their faces were unmaskcd and
cleaned strong and cruel in the moon
light. The horses were of shaggy
mountain breed across the pommel
each man carried rifle. An outrage
against the hard-earned and slowly ac-
cumulated property of these men was
more heinous than an outrage upon
human life. The latter they might
forgive, but the former never. The
life of his horse was as dear and as
necessary to his family almost as his
own; his COW afforded austenance to
his children. The holocaust which
had been visited upon Jim Sibley's
property could be avenged but with
one punishment and that was death
Each neighbor felt himself bound by
the ties of friendship and common in
terest to see that justice, swift and
sure, was measured out to the culprit.
The party had emerged from the
woods into clearing, when the voice
OF their leader rang out Halt !"
Every man pulled in his horse and
peercd into the road. There stood
trembling before them the figure of
man. Every one recognized in the
hOOuliShO Ile pdie ldCe vi ON - we'll
Well, suh," exclaimed Abe Toby
the leader, yer runnin' the wrong
way. Mebbe you didn't know we were
on the way to pay you visit"
IL knowed it, L knowed it," ex-
claimed Tom, tremulously, "an'
come ter meet yer"
An incredulous humph" from the
men.
Yer don sesso," rejoined Abe, sar-
castically. 1--WE didn't count on sech
. hearty welcome"
AS he spoke he slowly unwound a
rope from his saddle and approached
Tom, but Tom put out his hands depre
catingly.
81 don't resist you. I'll go peace
able, but don't tie me-"
Somewhat taken aback by the mans
| acquiescent attitude, ard disappointed
| in their expectation of scene, the
mon closed round him and rode back
| into the woods to spot which had
evidently been agreed upon previously
They stopped beneath O big oak whose
arms seemed spreading over them in
benediction, while the murmuring
leaves whispered q sanctissima; but aS
little heed did these rough woOdsmen
|, pay to the beauty of the spot as the an
cient heather to the sacredness of the
cathedrals whence they. butchered
their captives.
Men were there who had invited the
| prisOner tO hia frat drink. who had