The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-12-08

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minutes later.
''She hit one, sure enough" said
the foremost settler, as he paused at
the open stable-door. "He's hurt pur-
ty bad, or dead, reckon, jedgin' from
the blood"
"Lift him up;" said Mr.. Boone.
''Mebbe he's tainted"
Two men stepped forward and at
tempted to lift the figure in the door
way.
"He's Dead" said one of them, af-
ter partially raising the body. "Neigh-
bors, there 8 one less horse-thief in
the world" he added, solemnly, yet
not without sound of satisfaction in
his voice.
There was a moment of deep silence
in the crowd. The presence of death
kept down the demonstration of the
excitement that every man felt.
Just then Wayne came up, in COM
pany with one of the ministers.
"We heard you had caught horse
thief, and came to crafty curiosity
to see what one of the animals looked
like" he said with laugh. But Mr..
Boone fancied that he detected an un-
easy sound in the speakers voice, and
that the laugh which accompanied the
words seemed forced and unnatural.
"We have" said Mr.. Porter, hold
ing his lantern 80 that the light of it
fell full upon the dead mans face.
Wayne started back with frightened
exclamation. He stood for moment
and looked upon the CHASTITY sight, then
turned away with shudder that he
could not hide, and walked toward the
house.
"The wrath of God smites the trans
gressor," said the minister, solemnly.
"May He have mercy on this poor sim
ner's soul! Let US pray"
And kneeling by the dead, among
an awe-struck company which stood
with barred, bowed heads, the good
man prayed, and the sound of his voice
was all that broke the silence until
"Amenp was said.
A hssty consultation was held con-
cerning the disposal to be made of the
body.
Before it was concluded, Mr.. Boone
came hurrying up with the news that
his horses were gone.
ct tell you what it is, men," said
one of the settlers, as he listened to
the tidings, "ef we ever git track O.
the thieves, we've got to do it now.
Them with Boone's horses. can't hev
more'n an hours start of US, an it
seems as eff they must ha' left some
track behind. This''-pointing to the
body in the doorway-"'ll be quite
likely to put an end to their perform
ances in this neighborhood for spell,
anyway, an we don't want 'em to git
away if it's possible to find 'em. We've
hunted fer 'em high n low, an hunted
thurrer, but we hain't got on to the
right trail fer some reason or anuther.
We hain't never found utwhat they'd
done 80 soon after they'd did it as we
hev this time. Eff we turn out an
s'arch as eff we meant bisness, I can't
help feelin' s ef we could git some
track of 'em. It seems so, anyway.
An I go in fer maxim such a hunt as
we hain't made yit, though I don't
knows we can be bit more thurrer
n we hev ben. But we can try, any
how; an eff we do find any signs of
'em, we can foller 'em up eff we git
right at it an don't waste no time.
What say, neighbors?"
A hearty murmur of assent went
over the crowd.
Lights were procured, and close
examination of the premises about Mr..
Boone's barn began.
"Eere's their tracks plain g day" I"
declared Bill Green, as eager for the
pursuit of the horse-thieves now as he
had been an hour ago for pardon of
his sins. 81 feels eff we was goin' to
fetch 'em this time. I do sop
An hour later there was unbroken
quiet where, 80 short a time before,
there had been so much excitement.
They were on the trail of the horse
thieves at last.
The dead mans body had been
placed in the barn to await burial on
the morrow.
| It was twelve o'clock when the lights
carried by the men who were on track
of the horse-thieves faded into faint
glimmers in the distance, and finally
dwindled into so many sparks, and
then seemed to go out in the darkness
of the night.
In the kitchen at Mr.. Porter's, the
women and ministers were talking over
the exciting events of the evening.
Wayne had retired.
The clock struck one.
81 declare" exclaimed Mrs. Boone,
'I'd no idee t was so late! Come,
Mis- Holdredge, let's be goin', or we
sha'n't git any rest right tonight, an
I feel clear beat out"
Mrs. Holdredge was visitor from
"down below" whom Mrs. Boone had
invited home with her from camp-meet-
ing.
care you ready, Nannie?" asked
Mrs. Boone, as she and Mrs. Holdredge
rose to 60.
"You can 60 on, mother, and Rhoda
and I'll come right along" responded
Mamie. 'I want to see Samanthy a
minute"
Mrs. Boone and her friend took their
departure, and Mamie called Samanthy
into the pantry for consultation.
"Dick ought to know of what's hap