The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-11-05
On a claim adjoining Scroggins' lived

youth and the lovely maid. AS soon as
Scroggins suspected the attachment he
began to concentrate his enmity, which
he had hitherto directed impartially
against all men, in Atkinson's direc-
ton. After he found other plans in
effective he began seeking a way to re-
duce Atkinson's earthly necessities to
pine board coffin.
Adjoining claims furnished pretext
for a quarrel. One morning Scroggins
eased his revolver in it's holster, shoul.
dered his shovel and went out. Instead
of stopping on his own property. he de,
liberately walked some 20 feet over the
line and went to work in 4Atkinson's ter
ritory. Atkinson looked at him in
amazement, and Scroggins stopped
shoveling to return the gaze.
"Ef yer think, Bob Atkinson, that a
Ahadder of skeleton like yerself hez
patent ter all the pay-dirt in these
diggin's. ye're way off yer level. Jest
take up this trail. eff yer lookin' fer
trouble. All we want of you aroun'
+ hyar ez yer tracks. Sabe?"
Scroggins made mistake. His tenn
per was quicker than his hand, and he
opened the battle before he brought up
his artillery; for as the sight of his re-
volver left the holster, he heard a hit
tie click and raised his eyes to look into
the mouth of Atlinscn's weapon.
Edgerton. coming down the trail. heard
Bobspeak sharply: Git! Andifyou ever
set foot on my place again, yoe'll have
to be carried Off" Scroggins looked
into his eyes, and then backed slowly
and sullenly away.
That afternoon Jerry and Johnson,
on their way up from the valley,
stopped to rest at Caynse Bend. AS
they stood, the silence was broken by
the clatter of hoofs, and around the
bend, side by side, came two horses.
The riders were Bob and Nita.
"Good-by, boys" said the former, as
he refined up. "Nita and are on our
wedding journey to happier times, we
hope. May we ask that you say moth
ing of having met us? Luck go with
you"
The mist crawled upward through
the manzanita and mesquite and how
cred over the trail. Bob and Nita
slackened their pace and went forward
cautiously. 1t was when the fog was
at its thickest that they heard the beat
ing of reckless hoofs behind them Bob
turned his horses head and grasped his
revolver. A dozen gigantic forms
loomed indistinctly into view through
the fog. AS he raised his arm, Nita
seized it, crying: Don't shoot! Surely
my father"
Hands up!" rang out the command,
and half a dozen weapons were leveled
at Bob.
What kind of Mn outrage is this?'
he demanded. recognizing familiar
faces.
well, you are cool one!" SAID
Edgerton. kill man and run away
with his darter, and then call it an out
rage when you are follered up! Reckon
you thought it was personal matter,
leavin' old man Scroggins up there in
his cabin dead!"
Dead" exclaimed Atkinson. 'Why,
l hadn't even heard of it! Why, am |
accused?"
You'll find out soon enough. You
come with u.s.
Atkinson's horses stood quietly, head
and head together. Nita had tainted,
and for moment Bob glancedItenderly
down at the white face on his shoulder.
Then he looked at the circle of unre-
lenting faces and saids quietly: 81 am
innocent. I'll go back and prove it,"
| al ho
handspring of the social machinery of
Lone Star, presided at the trial. 1t was
always he who stood at the head of the
new-made grave, with reverent face and
appraised hand. while the clods fell duly
on the pine coffin; he it was who sat
with ease and dignity in the chailman's s
place at public meetings; bale with
out the colonel to leadrwa like the play
of Hamlet" with that gentleman repre-
sented only by his regrets; and it was
admitted without discussion that no
one but Col. Stebbins could properly
impersonate the austerity of Judge
Lynch.
From the beginning there seemed no
doubt of Atkinson's guilt. Edgerton
testified to the quarrel of the morning,
and Bill Simpson loquaciously related
how he thought something was up
when Bob sold his claim to him at half
it's value, explaining that he was in
a hurry to leave. Then Jerry and John
son told of the meeting on the hill
side, and each of the posse swore, with
due appreciation of his own impor-
tance, to AtlIinson's guilty actions
when they came upon him in the fog.
Hezekiah Smith, of the hilltop, clinched
the evidence by testifying that he saw
the prisoner standing before Scrog-
gins door at noon.
The jurors had ceased whittling
toothpicks and exchanging jokes; their
growing solemnity foreshadowed the
verdict. Col Stebbins had with a sigh
dismissed the last witness. when, Eze-
lliel strolled calmly in through the
open door. He nodded familiarly to
two or three acquaintanccs, and then
addressed the judge.
Colonel" he said, easily, guess I'd
better straighten this thing out a
little. Where dye plant the wit
nesses?"
Col. Ike, surprised, looked at him.
NLet the witness be sworn" he said.
well, what do yo:: know about this?'
Il know all about it."
"Who killed Scroggins?"
II did," said Ezekiel, calmly.
For ten seconds there was silence,
and then a smile that broke into q
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