The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-06-29

his countrymen who seek their fortunes
IN America. People had expressed no
wonder when he failed to Glitch
horses with old man Burns. The
emancipated islander could i'll brook
authority as gruf as his own resent
ment. But there is long step between
surliness and murder, and the old or
thodox churchgoers were slow to suspect
the Englishman.
| George! Why, everybody knows
George Williams!''
Besides, the dying man might easily
have wandered in his mind. The pro-
fessional detective might not remember
this, but common sense and common
charity must.
Broad6elds gossiped quickly, but
moved slowly. 1t was next morning,
after breakfast, when the impromptu
Jury met for the second time in the
Burns mansion. The undertaken was
already in imperious possession, while
the premises resembled miniature
camp meeting. Teams were hitched
here and there, and many people moved
about languidly, talking under breath.
The distant clang Of a blacksmith's
hammer sounded impiously. It was as
Il he who welded it had desecrated the
Sabbath.
eft can't be him. said the minister,
with the easy disregard of grammar that
comes from living among uneaucated
parishioners. "If he'd done it, he'd
have run away. He's in my orchard now
trimming tees. He's been there at work
these last three days" He looked about
him with benign triumph.
"Then I will go and get him, " began
the deacon constable.
"No," said the minister with gentle
frmness; 'sI will go. It is terrible
blot on a man s character even to con-
meet him with crime like this No one
suspects him as yet. y
The blacksmith seemed to be about
the only person in the town undisturbed
by the moral convulsion. He was q stall
wart man, deliberate of action and cool
of speech, a contrast to his fussy forge.
He was moreover, e freethinker, the
only one in the broad valley, and slight
~ feared as such, as plausible rational
lists are apt to be by ignorant believers
He was 4 disciple of Emerson, the phil
osophic dread Of the community. 1t
was whispered that even the minister
dared not cross swords nth the only re-
spectacle man in town who belonged to
no church. No one ever knew the man
Of the forge to accept an improved state
ment as fact. No one ever knew him
to lose his temper. No one ever knew
him to be otherwise than scrupulously
honest. He seldom gossiped. He delight
ed in dry, intellectual disputes and IN
getting his opponents angry. His favor
tie topics of argument were the fntility
Of religions and the exclusion of pauper
emigrants. He was known to look upon
George Williams with disfavor because
he was not an American born citizen. 1t
was William Worthely's habit never to
let any one suspect that he was possessed
of the information that others were eager
to give him. Therefore he never had the
detestable custom Of interupting tellers
Of stories just before the point was
reached. This self possession gave him
the reputation Of being good listener.
It also gave him real advantage in
conversation of which he was not slow
to make use with native adroitness-
Therefore when, on the morning after
the murder, the village gossip stopped
eagerly before the door Of his shop the
blacksmith did not even raise his eyes
from the shoe he was fitting with expert
care.
"Thornas Burns began the gossip,
halting for the expected inquiry
"Well?" said Worthely dryly, will
ing to crafty his neighbor's eagerness
to impart exclusive information.
"Haven't you heard:''
"What:''
"He was murdered last night. I
guess they suspect George Williams,
Here's the minister bringing him down
the road. He looks scared enough. ("
The blacksmith dropped the horses
hoof easily from his leather apron and
went to the wide door. By this time
every one seemed to have OWNED the
minister's mission. Looks of inquiry
and Of aversion were cast by eager and
curious farmers upon the unhappy Ia
..M1h,