The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-12-25
mritton for The virglnlan.)

Y anssntry stating that John Rhodes had
athatSday Com leted a three years term
zin States prison for homicide. BE n
better mai now and try 20 keep out of
here sand other places like it"
There WIS not enoug h Of heart in his
words to 4cuch q responsive chord IN
" Rhodes, breast, and without replying.
conytct-eN-cOnvict 'now-turned
and followed n guard across the hard
clay YARD to the door in the stockadc
Q white boards that surrounded the
prison barns Of the Blank River Inn
provement company. The guard un-
locked and opened the door and Rhodes
$psssed out-free.
"Good luck to you" said the guard.
us he stood inside with the door half
closed.
Goodhy," Rhodes said mechanically,
without turning his head. He was half
dared by his freedom. So long had
other minds controlled his every action.
dusty road that led away from the con-
Syict enclosure. he was overwhelmed by
$hie utter impotency TO nap out a def
mite course. Many a night had he lain
I'm his cell, planning for the years when
he should be free again. how he would
$50 back to the old home in Virginia.
Where none knew of his disgrace and
there. amid the scenes of his ~boyhood,
comfor the declining years OF the aged
y mother who, doubtless. mourned him as
hSoH. - Z MS planning was i)ltIe more
tnan dreaming: he had looked upon
n himself as the innocent boy of other
Gays, who would go back and take up
threads of existence where he had
slaid them down years before; now he
was only a freed convict. without
money. without friends. without home.
Where to go, to whom to turn. he
knew not.
With his mind paraIyzcd by the sense
oI Ma utter loneliness. he attached to his
SLICK the bundle containing the few be-
longings which had been taken from
him when he entered the prison. and
swinging IL over his shoulder, started
down the yellow road that led out
trough the river bottoms. up among
y the hills and into that world TO which
ne lar long been as one numbered with
dead.
The tramp might have been asleep
50 motionless did he lie there upon the
soft sward by the roadside, in the
had of the lofty hills. But he sud-
the road, listening inten,ly. He heard
sound of rapid hoof-beats and once
he thought he heard a cry.
Suddenly there dashed around a sharp
y curve thirty yards away, a horse at
&taoned to n light buggy, In which were
seated an elderly woman and Young
girl The animal was tearing along at
8terrihc speed. entirely beyond the con-
sStroia o. the younger of the women, who
aeld the reins and was evidently putting
SIprth every effort 20 stop him. The
buggy was careering wildly from side
so SIC oftthe road and 1t looked every
moment as II the occupants must be
dashed out. There flashed across
mind the thought of the lofty
Htctn he had Just passed, at the ton of
which ran the narrow roadway. n hun
dred feet from the river below. Al the
mad speed at which the horse was
going he knew 1t would almost certainly
csuse the buggy and It's occupants 10
rocks at Its base.
he set his Jaws together and spring
Ing to the center of the road awaited the
onset.
a checking his speed the mad
S aninal pore down on the nan in his
path When he was almost upon him.
Rhodes sprang forward. and Selling the
with both hands. hung on with a
grip that did not relax, though the horse
& was frampling and crushing him in a
horrible manner
When on the very brink of the precI-
ptce the animal yielded to the weight
his head and came to q stand
stu. quivering and blowing with fright
and exhaustion. Then Rhodes hold
sow gave way and he sank down at
ehe animals head, unconscious.
%lt Is not necessary to detail how
RhoGes was carried to the residence Of
Judge Dunlop, the husband and father.
respectively. of the ladies I'm the buggy:
nor 10 dwell upon the month OF mental
* blankness hat followed the accident.
BESIDES conclusion of the brain. he had
= sustained other severe Injuries and even
SsIter consciousness returned, il was
9 before locomotion was possible.
Mrs Dunlopl and. Mary were untirine
an stneiE mi~nistrations and were at last
rewarded by seeing him begin to show
Srelurn tCstrons young manhood.
During Rhodes Illness Judge Dun
Hiop had made a strange discovery. In
y pocket of the injured man were
FOUND n or two letters addressed To
2Royal Kent. aJr.," and In the bundle
(which Rhodes had carried Judge Dun.
oun two likenesses which he n,
n recognized as those of Col. ROYAL
Kent and wife, OF Virginia. his warm
f1riend when he used to live in the old
State before he had removed farther
South Therefore. he had strong rea.
sscngto believe Rhodes to be related to
dear friends of younger DAYS. and
Mtnshis first conversation with the Young
man after his convalescence had begun.
4iearned that his surmises were correct
ARhodes was greately agitated when he
k5agRin heard the name he had not borne
;<Sor SO long, but feeling sure the one he
sSshnd given the authorities when arrest
ed for his crime was not known TO
S%Jndge Dunlop, he ono more took the
name of his fathers. The old
Judge ~ every kindness upon