Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-11-11

/ 'N'Nl wv N'lNAi'N = 'ANllOl INN'bIll.S
had with Al sigh dismissed the last
, Witness when Ezekiel strollcd calm
! ~ in through the open door III"
nodded Familiarity to two or three
| acquaintance and then addressed
the judge.
"Coloncl," he sand easily, guess
Id better straightcn this thing out
II little. Where d'yo plant tho wit
ncsSrSf'
Colonel Ike, surprised, looked at
him. Let the witness he sworn,
he said "Wcn, what DO you know
about thst'
II know all about it. "
"Who killed Scrogginsf"
Il did, said Ezekiel calmly.
For ten seconds there was silence,
and then Il smile that broke into II
ripple Of laughter ran around the
room. Ezekiel waS maintaining his
reputation. The colonel raped an
grily for order with tho muzzlo of
his revolver upon the head of the
sugar barrel. IF you AFRO tritiing"
II amt tritlln, protested Ezekiel
earnestly. Il never told Il lie in my
life. 1t was jest after dinner, an l
was lookin for jeremiah. As l went
by SCroggins' door he came out,
lOokiu "a smilin cZ al undertaken
with the toothaChe. Seed my gal
lately Z seq he, foolin with his gun.
| didn't want to hurt his fcclin's by
telhn him Id seen her ten minutes
before with Bob, so ! SCI, politolike:
Sartinly; saw her last week. Look
in we'll, amt Shei' Std of bcin
pleased, the old man was riled an
used language that would have
shocked wheat i'll II harvest field.
But l didn't care until he said he
could git more music out II Il wealth
erboardrd house with club II |
could out II my fiddle an bow. Then
| was mad an talked back. After as
surin me that I'd distiggcrcd the
Ian 'scupc long enough, only addin
to them plain words some onneCes-
Sary trimmin'S, he shot at me an
shot back, an this is what killed
him with.
Ezekiel drew out an old horse PTS
tOl and handed It 10 the foreman of
the jury. y murmur of interest ran
through the crowd, and the jurors
whispered among themselves
just then II little red faced man
pushed his way through the crowd
ut the door. There he isl" he
shouted cNcitcdly. "Therc's the
man that stole my mule!'
We followed his finger with our
eyes. He WAS pointing ut Ezekiel,
who regarded him philosophically
"Wcll, didn't say | didn't. did II"
h" asked mildly.
The newcomer threw his hat in
the corner and danced with excite
mCnt. 1t was this way, ledge:
day | tied my mulc down at
RansunHe's Ferry Will" went inter
Pike : place to git som" refresh
m"ntS. When | come out. Il little
later, the mule wuZ gone. an | new
er seed Hmm again nntil today, when
| stumbled on him, accidental like,
nj this fcller's plac" up the trail.
want him rested, Quick!'
We were all too much ustonished
TO say anything, but finally Ezekiel
broke tho silence.
"Don't he to" haSty,' he said.
IL stole the mule, yes. This chap
left him tied out thar all day while
he was dom tho anaconda act in at
Pike :, an jest out of pity for Jcre-
miah rode him of. But that's
enough on that subject, as tho I'M
dertaker remarked when he saw
ten foot tombstone over tho grave
of debtor of his'n; we're consid
erin another matter. ! didn't say
nothin about Scroggins' death for
two reasons. wanted Nita to leave
'thOut hcarin about il, an Jeremiah
he'd strayed off, an it's long ways
to tell news that'll keep an hour or
So"
The jury had been examining the
pistol, and Ezckicl's statement was
SO apparently sincere that their
minds began to waVer. They look
ed ut Atkinson, then at the stran-
ger, and then at Ezekiel, serencly
confident. For moment they Duzz-
ed together; then tho foreman,
closely followed by the other II,
walked over and held out his hand
to Atkinson. In another second
Jerry was on IA box, cheering fran
tically. The crowd joined in, and
tho excitement grew until the hill
top man fell out of the window
backward. After awhile the colo
mel made himself heard.
Tho prisoners discharged. But
there 5 another case to be consider
ed. "
she's waitin up thar for you, :"
Whispered Ezekiel, and Atkinson
staid just long enough to wiring a
dozen Outstrctched hands and give
his choking thanks to Ezekiel.
Colonel Ike rose in his place and
the hum of conversation was stilled.
he death of this man Scroggins
appears TO have happened in prop
er manner, but the mule stealing is
moro serious. And while in the first
instance you are entitled to the
thanks of Lone Star, because of the
second II is the opinion of the court
you'd better leave in three hours,
EAchicl.
II II go, said Ezekiel, "but not
less ! can take jeremiah. / amt
apOjn tn walk -