Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1899-01-28
"WhO the"

- w no the -
He checked himself abruptly, aware
that he was violating orders.
Having transfixed him, so to speak, !
now proceeded to carry out the rest of
the scheme l had formulated. That was
to withdraw from the dangerous spot
without his knowledge. He was so
etfectually Cowed that he was likely to
remain passive for considerable time,
provided | succeeded i'll my effort.
Before making the attempt | spoke:
Your right hand is dropping. Up
with it!'
He Obeyed so promptly that smiled.
Showing my revolver into my hip pock-
ct, | nOiselessly faced the other way,
and, gently parting the bushes in front,
began Il stealthy withdrawal. So care
fully did | work that when | had ac-
Complished a dozen steps | was conf
dent a listening fawn would not have
been alarmed.
1t would be interesting to know how
long that individual held his place on
the trunk of the tree. 1t may have been
10 or ID 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, | acted upon the theory that such
was the fact
Amid this furry and contest of wits
one reflection brought me moro 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 |
slipped out of the window while they
were on guard, and, as they believed,
without outside help, while the man
who had put his best bloodhound ON my
trail had lost the 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 a nom
entity and would make haste to retrieve
his blunder. Each and all had the most
compelling reasons to run mo down
without an hours unnecessary delay
and would neglect no means to do it.
Mingled with my partial exultation,
whiCl OF will be admitted was justified,
was the knowledge that, though l had
crossed the interpOsing creek, | had not
succeeded i'll obliterating my trail. Dis
regarding the fact that one of my pur-
6uers knew the precise spot where l had
passed over the stream, it would be the
easiest matter in the world for a blood
hound to rrail me along the trunk to
md from the point where had landed.
At daylight the vigilantes would be af-
ter me again. and by summoning the
dogs to their aid must speedily run me
down unless adopted more drastic
measures. 1t was because of this GER
tainty that | decided to keep near the
creek, III order to take to it the moment
the necessity appeared.
My overwhelming disadvantage lay
i'll knowing nothing about Black Mans
swamp. The negro Erastus had said
that its area was extensive and during
and before Wartines many runaway
slaves had found refuge within its re-
Cesses. 1t followed that it was good
hiding place. though a persistent hunt
was certain to unearth me i'll Il compar-
atively brief while.
When | had advanced few rods, l
stopped to listen. So far as could as
certain none, of my enemies was NOV
ing near me.
"What an unprecedented situatiOnI p
l reflected. II, freeborn citizen of
the United States, IA man never before
charged with crime, am a fugitive i'll
Mississippi swamp from mob of men,
all ~amoring for my life and certain to
give me short shrift if they once lay
hands on me. l 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-
doing?"
The thought thrilled me with burn
ing anger, and | felt as if it would be
pleasure to wing every one Of the mob
that had closed their ears to reason and
refused to give me half a show for my
life. Still it would only complicato
matters to begin shooting, though every
law would justify me, and l resolved
again to reserve the three charges in
my revolver for the last extremity.
AT this moment, when had forecast
ed, as l believed, the events of the next
few hours, wholly unlocked for Incl
dent gave "a new and extraordinary turn
to the whole business.
TO BE CONTINUED.