Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1897-06-02


might nigh everybody does that
away"
The farmer hesitated for moment
and then concluded to risk it, and five
minutes later Anderson was once more
jogging on his way to Vigo
There was the usual crowd Of loaf.
ers in Cantrell Bros. store when the
mail carrier rode up to the porch and
dismounted on the high platform.
Throwing the bride to his 10-year-old
brother and giving the pouch to Will
Cantrell, Lafe edged bis way into the
group of loungers to distribute his budg-
ct Of up valley gossip.
Cantrell went behind the counter and
disappeared beyond the low partition
which fenced off sleeping room in the
end of the building. Behind the parti.
tion Inspector Jaffray was smoking a
cigar, sitting with his chair tilted back
at comfortable angle against the wall.
But he came out of his istlessness with
a jerk when Cantrell entered with the
mail pouch.
"Open it quick-right here" he com.
menced. And in q moment he had
scanned the address on every letter in
the small heap.
"It's gone. I knew it would be. Slip
out quietly and send your brother back
here"
When Bud Cantrell came in, the in
spector handed him a $40 BILL "Go into
the crowd out there and ask if any one
can change it. Give Anderson chance
to do it if he will"
Cantrell came back almost immedi.
ately and gave the inspector four bank
notes. There were two twos, O one and
a five, and Jaffray glanced at the mum.
bers before putting the money into his
pocket.
"He's our man," he said quietly.
"Go and talk to him and take him to
the door with you. When you see me at
his other elbow, grab him and hold
him. DO you understand"
Cantrell nodded and sauntered back
into the store. "Want to see you min
ute, Lafe," be said, linking his arm in
that of the mail carrier and leading
him toward the front door. On the step
Cantrell saw the inspector over Late 8
shoulder and obeyed his instructions
literally. There was fierce struggle,
like that of an unbroken horse when he
first feels the weight of man on his
back, ending in the ratchetlike click
of the handouts, and then the prisoner
relapsed quickly into quietude and sui
lenness.
Jaffray spoke to Cantrell. .'I want
you to come with me. Well take him
up to Layne's for the night.
Lafe suffered himself to be walked
away between them, and no word was
spoken until they reached the porch OF
the farmhouse. There the inspector
placed three chairs and sat down to
question his prisoner.
"You may as we'll make clean breast
Of it, my boy" he said after Lafe had
sulkily resisted for time. 'It'n go
easier with you in the end, and I'll do
what I can to get your sentence short
ened if you'll open your head and tell
US all about it."
In the silence that followed this ap-
peal there was a rustling in the laurel
bush at the end Of the porch, and Jaffray
got up to investigate. He came back In
a moment, apparently satisfied, but this
was because he failed to see little Joe
Anderson covering under the dropping
branches of the laurel.
You'd better open up, Anderson" /"
he repeated. We've got all tho evil
dence we need; but, as I say, I'll do all I
can to help you if you'll tell us the
whole story"
Whereupon, heing something less
than hardened criminal, the young
mountaineer broke down.
II don't keer much what-all you do
with me, s long as you git me out OF
here fore pawr TT Willie Godfrey
fms out" he said. II reckon she'd say
things at new could forgit. Hit all
commence with that thar ring Of John
Corny's. You see, done ast Willie, and
I was a .wonderin which way I could
git ring whelf that thar little box
dropped out thoo the hole in the mail
bag. l knowed what hit was, 'caze John
he lowed to me he was a-lookin for hit
I didn't low to keep hit, and on'y
opened the box to see what for kind of
ring hit was. But that thar very evenin
I slipped hit on Willie's finger, thess in
fun, an she lowed I done meant hit to
be her'n."
The sweat stood thickly on his fore
head, and he tried to get his manacled
hands around to his pocket for hand
kerchief. Jaffray helped him and said,
"Well, what then?"
"Then I didn't have sense enough to
tell her the straight of hit. an after that
the fence SEEM sort Of broke down, and
and they's been other things come out
thoo that hole-money mostly"
"How much?" asked the inspector.
"'Bout $65, countin hit all, reckon.
You uns'n find hit under the chimley
stone in the room up at Ma'am Wilke-
sons, whar I been sleepin.
"I see. You were afraid to spend it,
I suppose.
Lafe hung his head. II new thort
much about bein afraid. Twas saVin hit
ag'inst the time when Willie'd let on
like she was ready"
"Ohl" Inspector Jaffray went into a
brown study, coming out Of it presently
to say to Cantrell: "You can 60 now,
Bud, if you want to. I can take care CT
him all right. I only wanted you to
hear what he had to say for himself" "
Cantrell went back to the store, where
he found little Joe Anderson trying to