The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-29
Copyright by Robert Bonner's Sons.
CHAPTER XVI.

Copyright by Robert Bonners Sons.
CHAPTER XVI.
CONTINUED.
Mrs. Boone and Samanthy and the
Two girls remained at home during the
morning exercises. They were IN too
nervous a condition to feel Like at
tending this meeting until the result
of the meeting which had probably
taken place in the Big Swamp was
known.
Mr.. Wayne seemed thoughtful and
>preoccupied as he made his morning
toilet, preparatory to fulfilling his
duty as leader of the singing. =.
EFF he on'y knew what I know, "
Samanthy kept saying to herself, as
Bhe watched him as furtively as cat
watches a mouse. "Ef he did, I'll bet
he wouldn't feel like putterin' round
with that neck -bank'cher O his'n.
He'd be a-thinkin' O. the neck-tie that's
waitin' fer him." .,
And then, when she realized that it
was not only possible, but altogether
probable, that this man would be hang
ing by his neck, dead, before the day
was done, she felt great thrill OF nor
ror going over her, and wanted to run
sway somewhere and hide.
When he had gone to camp-meetlng
she put on her sunbonnet and ran over
TO Mrs. Boone's, to wait, with the wo-
men there, for the return OF the men
from the swamp. -,
It seemed as if the forenoon would
never end. First one and then another
would run to the door to see if they
were coming. 1..
It was about twelve o'clock when a
party of grim and determined looking
men halted near the edge of the grove
in which the camp-meeting was hold.
Their clothes were torn and stained
with the black soil of the swamp. Their
faces had tense, strained expression
in them, along with look that told
they had accomplished spurpose which
had hitherto been bafaed.
The sound of singing came to them,
blown across the forest by the soft,
south wind. Distinctly above all other
voices could be heard Wayne's, In the
old hymn:
'There Is a fountain filed with blood,
Drawn from ImmanuePs veins,
And sinners plunged beneath that HOOD
Lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see
Thai. fountain in his day.
And there may I, though vile as he,
Wash all my sins away"
''sThere's suthin' quite appropriate
about the dyin' thief" one of the men
bald. ''He wouldn't feel like singin'
HYMNS ef he knew what our arrand
was.
''S'posen you call him out, Bill
Green" said Speers. ''Du it kinder
slick, SOS not to make any fuss, ef ye
can help it. We don't want to 'sturb
the meetin'." ~
Bill Green made his way across the
woods to the camp-meeting grounds.
The hymn was just concluded, and
Wayne was sitting among his scholars,
cool and quiet, and seemingly as much
at ease as ever in his life.
"Have you found out anything?"
the men and women kept asking Bill,
as he passed them. But he did not
stop to answer them. He went up to
Wayne and touched him on the
shoulder. .
you're wanted" he said.
Wayne looked at him with a percep-
tibly paling face. .'.
s'Who wants me?'' he asked. "What
am wanted for?"
'tCome out where we won't be pes
tered by folks askin' questions, an I'll
explain to ye," said Bill.
Wayne looked keenly at Bill, but he
could make out nothing from his scru-
tiny. Mr.. Green's face was as unread
able as that of the Sphinx.
They joined the men who were wait
ing at the edge of the grove. .
"Good morning, gentlemen" said
Wayne. "Have you found any traces
of the horse-thieves yet?"
eyes, we have" was the reply, and
the speaker looked him straight in the
eye. -... -1
"Ah!" Wayne's face lost its color,
and his voice sounded hard and tense.
"Where are they?"
"Four of 'em are under ground, !"
was the reply. can the fifth has
been reddy to put under ever sence
las night. Two of 'em died with
bullet holes thru 'em, an three with
ropes round their necks."
Wayne was CHASTITY white now. BE
knew that they were telling him the
truth.
He gave one swift glance to left and
right. In an instant his plan of es.
cape was formed. He sprang toward
the woods. Once in it he might sue
coed in getting away. 1t was his only
chance. .E..
But they had been on the lookout
for something of this kind, and he felt
himself in the grasp of strong hands
before he had taken dozen steps.
'sY' can't come that on u.s." said
Bill Green. "Y' We stole all the
hosses an KEEP all the singin'-schools
y ever win. There's tree ben
a-wsitin' fer ye years, down in the Big
Swamp"
Wayne made one more wild and
desperate effort to break away from
his captors, but in vain. He was in a
grasp Of iron.
Ten minutes later he was being hur-
ried toward the Big Swamp.