Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-05-15

nocence of her lover but it also in
spired Dave Brinley to renewed hatred
for his rival and anxiety for himself.
He was the bully of the place, and
his followers were reckless, desperate
men.
"Albion Warde, who calls himself a
detective, sends vague telegram
about catching the real murderer" he
said to the marshal. otis sheer non
sense, and trick to put off the hang
ing. He's friend of Landor, and
wants TO save the feller. Well fave
no fooling, Mr.. Marshal. The evidence
is clear against Landor, and he dies at
nightfall, according to the verdict Of
the court, or we'll try lynch law ~
And the marshal, overcome by
threats, agreed that he would wait no
longer for Warde than the hour ap-
pointed for the execution.
Dave Brinley's mind was far from
perturbed, however, over the new COM
plication in the case than he allowed
others to believe. The mention in the
telegram of the arrest of Steiner re.
vealed to him one fact-Steiner had
confessed the truth.
"There's only two alternatives" he
muttered, as he wandered restlessly
from the town. ~ must either make
tracks, or prevent Warde and his pris-
oner from reaching Mingo Junction
and I'll do it,"
William that he was, he was ready to
do ary desperate deed, and his evil
mind suggested plan which might ei-
feet his evil desire, and he set to work
to carry it out.
The road over the mountains was q
narrow one. On the verge of the
clife leading down into the town a
pathway crept around the hill, danger
Gus in fair weather and positively
perilous in the present slippery condi-.
tion of the road.
Long experience enabled drivers to
round its curves in safety, but, as Dave
Brinley knew, only by proceeding very
cautiously.
A turn to the right or left at the
wrong moment would send wagon
over the precipice-a sudden start OF
the horses would insure disaster.
A narrow cut led to the point where
the roadway turned to the valley.
Here Brinley stationed himself.
From behind a huge boulder, he
looked excitedly up the snowy cliff,
as be saw team of horses and COW
cred wagon coming into view.
With trembling hands he held his
rife at a sharp range of the horses.
He was shut out from the view of the
town. As the steeds neared him, turn
ing sharp curve at slow canter, ne
fred twice.
With a leap, both horses arose on
their launches, the vehicle swung upon
their plunging bodies, rolled to one
side and fell sideways over the edge of
the cliff, held swinging there at the
mercy of the frail pin in the pole, or
the movement of the dying steeds.
The driver had been thrown senseless
To the ground. At glance, Brinley
decerned that the disaster had not
been complete; at a glance, too, he
recognized the wagon.
He felt satisfied that its inmates
could not escape, with the door locked,
and hastened toward the spot.
He had drawn a knife from his
pocket. One keen cut severed one OF
traces. The vehicle swayed. The
weight of the horses and the pole alone
held it from falling sheer 100 feet into
the yawning casm below.
With feverish haste, Brinley raised
his knife to sever the other trace.
Then he started.
There was crashing ofglass, mans
hand holding a revolver reached
through the little window in front of
the vehicle. A shrek of pain rang
from Brinley lips as a bullet fired from
the pistol of the detective struck bis
thoat, and he fell to the ground,
mortally wounded.
And then trembling for their safety,
as the vehicle seemed to strain to carry
it's living freight to the abyss below,
the detective began to pry the boards
from the window, and make and aper-
ture sufficiently large to climb to Sc
curity.
He succeeded at last, drew Steiner
through, and breathed mighty sigh of
relief as he gazed shudderingly over
edge of the precipice.
The driver recovering aided him in
carrying wounded Brinley down the
road, abandoning the dead horses and
the vehicle, and Steiner, manacled,
following them, they took up their
slow progress to Mingo Junction.
Dave Brinley was dying when he
reached the town. The preparations
for the execution of Eric Landor were
suspended as the marshal listened to
the detectives story.
An hour later, Landor was a free
man, restored to the loving arms of
Teresa Garland, and Steiner was an
inmate of the town Jail. He es-
capped the fury of the excited popu-
lace only by the detectives influence,
who thought that his part in the MUIR
der was palliated by his confession,
and that long term in the penitentiary
~ : l.