The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-10-13

moment. "Whose hosses have ben
took?"
"AveriIl's, near Deer Creek" an
swered Dick, with his eyes on Wayne's
face. But it's quiet, unconcerned look
bafled him.
"Wall, I mus say that's comm
purity clus home, remarked Samanthy.
"I wouldn't wonder bit ef they got
round these diggin's fore long. Hope
they'll ketch 'em an string 'em up"
"Tell Ezra" called out Mr.. Boone.
"Mebbe he'll want to turn out and
help hunt
IT will so," answered Samanthy.
Then the party rode off. 1t was
Joined by several others before they
reached. Averill's, where they found
quite crowd assembled. Old men,
young men and boys were there. II
seemed as if all the, male portion Of
the community had turned out to help
hunt horse-thieves. The excitement
was intense.
Each person had theory if his own
to offer. Each person also had plan
of his own to propose and advocate re-
specting the search. The consequence
was that it was nearly two o'clock be-
fore they began to do anything.
"You didn't see or hear nothin' O.
strangers las night, did ye?" asked
Bill Green Of Dick as they stood to-
gether, waiting for some plan of action
to be decided on.
"No. How would T be likely to see
anything of them?" asked Dick.
'Tisn't likely they came around Mr..
Boone's."
"I . didn't s'pose they did come
round Mr.. Boone's," responded Bill.
'But you wa Mt there all the time. I
didn't know but you mought ha' heerd
suthin' when you was down this way
las night"
"Aren't you mistaken about me be-
ing down this way?" asked Dick.
"No, I hain't," answered Bill, stout
ly. "I kind O. reckon that you
s'picioned I see ye.a Was you out
sparkin'?"
Bill asked his question at random.
When he asked it, Dick thought of the
idea he had had of calling on Rhoda,
and taking that knowledge of his in
tention into consideration along with
the fact of his having accompanied her
home several times from singing-school,
on the strength of which occurrence
Bill Green had prophesied match, it
seemed to him that Bill must, in some
way, have an inkling of what his
intentions of the night before had
been, and he could not keep down the
color from his face. He saw that Bills
suspicious were aroused in some vague
way, and, disliking the fellow as he
did, that made him indignant, and he
turned away with the remark that he
didn't know that it was anybody's
business where he had been, or what
his business was. A most unfortunate
remark to make, under the circum-
stances, as he had to admit later.
cit looks mighty curi's to me-" Bill
said to the men who had been stand
ing by, listening to the conversation.
"He jest as good as denied bein' out
las night, when.I tackled him about
it. Ye heerd what he said about it, I
reckon. Now I'm willin' to swear on
stack O. Bibles big's a meetin' house
that he went by our house bout two
o'clock, fer I was up a-drivin' the COW
out O. the gardin, an I see a man
a-skulkin' long the road, an when he
see me he kind O. sheered off into the
shadder, as eff he didn't want to be
seen. But I see him, fer all that, jest
as plains day, an twas Dick Brayton,
an he knows it. S'posen We find out
whether he was to anybody's house las
night. Jest you make inquiries, kind
O. sly, so s t not sit him to mistrustin'
anything. Eff he was anywhere I'd
like to know it. Eff he want any
where I'd like to know where he d
ben to at that time O. night. He tried
to bamboozle me by pretendin' I was
mistaken. But I tell ye I wasn't.
When see man I know him, and he
can't cram the contrary down my
throat. Ny names Bill Green an
I'm willin' to back up what Bill Green
says, any day. Yes, sir, I be; and ye
can bet yer bottom dollar on It, eff ye
want to, and by way of making the
assertion more emphatic Bill expec-
torated great mouthful of tobacco
juice at the head of an unlucky chicken
which happened to pass.
1t takes but little to arouse a per-
sons curiosity and excite suspicion.
There were plenty who were willing
and ready to inquire if Dick Brayton
had been at any ones house on
Wednesday evening. No one had seen
him after singingschool, except Bill
Green.
But the excitement of the search
made everything else secondary for
the time, and Bill let the ball he had
set rolling rest for the present; but he
had not got through with it by any
means. He would set it in motion
again, if necessary, and he always felt
it obligatory upon him to do anything
that would annoy person against
whom he had grudge.
The search began.
The woods were secured in all direc-
tions.
Everything was done that men who
have no clue to work from could do.
For two days the search was kept up
faithfully But not trace was found
of horses or horse-thieves. Everybody
was completely mystifed. 1t seemed
very much, as the man who spread