The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-11-10

Having transfxed him, SO to speak,
now proceeded to carry out the rest Of
tho scheme had formulated. That waf
to withdraw from the dangerous spot
without his knowledge. He was SO
effectually cowed that he was likely to
remain passive for a considerable time,
provided l succeeded in my effort
Before making the attempt spoke:
"Your right hand ID dropping. Up
with it!'
Ho obeyed so promptly that smiled.
Showing my revolver into my hip pock-
ct, noiselessly faced the other way,
and, gently parting tho bushes in front,
began stealthy withdrawal So care
fully did l work that when I had &C.
complished dozen steps was conf
dent listening fawn would not have
been alarmed.
It would DO interesting to know how
long that individual held his place on
the trunk of the tree. 1t may have been
10 or 10 minutes or good deal longer.
Possibly despite my care he discovered
what was doing and hurriedly with
drew to join his companions. At any
rate, l acted upon the theory that such
was the fact.
Amid this furry and contest of wits
one reflection brought me more comfort
than would be suspected. had got
the best Of three men who had devoted
their energies to my undoing. The grim
Cy Walters and his stepson would have
to admit to their companions that I
slipped out of the window while they
were on guard, and, as they believed;
without outside help, while the man
who had put bis best bloodhound on my
trail had lost tho brute and his Win
chester, and the three had not yet laid
hands on me-
But it was no time to felicitate my.
self, for in more than one sense was
not yet out of the woods.
Sooner or later the most unfortunate
Of the trio would find he was holding
up his hands to the command Of nom
entity and would make haste to retrieve
his blunder. Each and all had the most
compelling reasons to run me down
without an hours unnecessary delay
and would neglect no means to do 1t.
Mingled with my partial exultation,
which it will be admitted was justified,
was the knowledge that, though had
crossed the interposing creek, had not
succeeded in celebrating my trail Dis
regarding the fact that one of my pur-
suers knew the precise spot where had
passed over the stream it would be the
easiest matter in the world for blood
hound to trail me along the trunk to
and from the point where I had landed.
At daylight the vigilantes wcNld be af-
ter me again, and by summoning the
dogs to their aid must speedily run me
down unless l adopted more drastic
measures 1t was because of this Ger.
tainty that I decided to keep near the
creek, in order to take to it the moment
the necessity appeared.
My overwhelming disadvantage lay
In knowing nothing about Black Man e
swamp. The negro Erastus bad said
that its area was extensive and during
and before wartimes many runaway
slaves had found refuge within its re-
ceases. It followed that it was good
hiding place, though a persistent hunt
was certain to unearth me In compar-
atively brief while.
When had advanced few rods, I
stopped to listen. So far as could as
certain none, Of my enemies was NOV
ing near me.
what an unprecedented situation
I reflected. ~, a freeborn citizen of |
the United States, man never before +
charged with crime, am fugitive in a
Mississippi swamp from mob of men,
all clamoring for my life and certain to
give me short shrift II they once lay
hands on me. I am charged with doing
that which it is impossible for me to do
and am strenuously believed to be
guilty, for no other reason than that
the real criminal and resemble each
other. Will this tragedy go on until in
some way the truth becomes manifest
or will not the truth be known until
have paid the penalty for another's mis-
dojRg?'
The thought thrilled me with burn. ::
lpg anger, and I felt as If 1t would DO a
pleasure to wing every one of the mob
that had closed their ears to reason and
refused to give me half show for my
life. Still 1t would only complicate
matters to begin shooting, though every
law would Justify me, and I resolved Z,
again to reserve the three charges in
my revolver for the last extremity.
At this moment, when I had forecast
I'D, as believed, the events of the next
lew hours, wholly unlocked for Incl. I,
lent gave new and extraordinary turn
% the whole business.