The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-10-17

it, Every one of us, sir, knows that Won
murdered Ike. And you shows your gun
in your face, sir; it's whiter'n the vbite
wash on that there church. I'm sorry. sir
for you're powerful plucky, and we resneot
that. own l kinder hoped we'd find some
one else was the guilty party Bur ba
amt; not even one of your cow-punobero
was within ten miles of the place all thai
day. We've been dom a good deal of h.
quirin and investigator since you showed
up yesterday, and, sir. Ike didn't bavs
another enemy in the world" He paused
moment a vibrating and horrible pause
Perry" he said finally, you kin take
Mrs. Brandt and Sally hum. Wen finish
up here.
But if Howards face was livid It was
not from fright. Imagination had twG
neutralized the iron in his blood, but fact
after the first moment of perplexity. had
thrown him into a passion of anger and
will to live. He was filled with a furious
scorn of the Doors who had presumed to
sit in judgment upon him, and a desire
to humiiiate them with defeat. He knew
that he had only one hope-tO reach the
reservation and place himself under the
protection of the company at the agency
Ii was a forlorn hope. for his horse was
jaded; but it was worth trying for He
made leap backward, flinging out his
fists and hitting two of the lynches
crushing blows in the face. The act Was
greeted by a roar. These mountainees
were men of nature after all; their borrow.
ingS from civilization were very meagr
and wholly arbitrary. The blood on thei.
comrades faces awakened the savage, lei
loose the consuming hatred of poor man
for capitalist.
In second they were no longer judges,
they were anarchists. They leaped over
IL. -s41-
get at the man who stood for power and
oppression, and who Providence had given
into their hands. Howard saw that escape
was impossible. He sprang back against
the church wall and met the onslaught
with well-planted blows. He was a sclen-
tifc boxer and broke more than one arm
used to the rifle and shotgun only. But
he knew that his advantage was one o.
seconds. He could not even get al his
pistol He was no match for twenty men,
forty huge fists. He had sudden hide0ui
vision of a revolving body dangling from
the tree above Brandt's grave. But he
the ire above Brandt's grave. But he
could get at his pistol in time to prevent
that. Then, suddenly, everything went
red. A great flame shot up before hin.
mingled with a curious automic scree,h.
An iron wedge seemed to drive straight
through his BRAIN and he went down
He opened his eyes. Sally's white face was
close to his; an internal but muffled howl.
ing surrounded him. He lifted his head
he was inside the church.
What does it mean?" he asked. How
did you get me in here
Il and ma set fire to them as they sur'
rounded you. ! had box of matches in
my pocket Their clothes and hair Were
very dry, and caught like finder Ot
thew OCn1H IN J,atc AMI
put it out; and dragged you in here just
after one of them hit you. I have locked
the door. They won't break in here,
How'll Wen ever get out ! don't know
but we're safe for the present and that's
the main point. Does your head hurt?'
I hardly know. You are a wonderful
girl. Only California girl would ever
have thought of such a thing"
Suddenly the noise outside ceased. Sal.
ly put down Towards head gently, and
standing on one of the pews looked out of
the window.
ITS Hickory Mott" she said. "Hes
just ridden in. He lives in a cabin about
four miles from US. l wonder what he
wants. He's got bundle of papers in his
hand"
She lifted the window cautiously, and
bent her ear to the narrow opening The
words spoken by Hickory came distinctly
to Howard.
Il amt one to sweep and I only found
this yere bundle last night. 1t was where
Tom Knowles was standin; and jedsin
from the contents there amt much douDt
as how he drapDed ID. He owed Ike al
he ever had, and there was nothin' ou1
these papers to prove it. 1 come as quick
as | could, for although 1 amt no friend
of Mr.. Towards nor any other taruauoh
capitalist, l don't believe in KILN man
for what he didn't do"
There was a silence, which to the man
lying on the floor of the church seemed
10 slip along the months into the following
year. He was struggling to his feet when
Sally closed the window sharply and drop
ped to the floor Her eyes were dilaff
and she put her hands to her ears From
without came a single gurgling shTleA'
then, again, silence.