The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-01-25
nrtively. DULY wondering why the

furtively, duly wondering WY the
clerk did net eye him suspiciously.
He was at Skipton within the hour
What was he to do now: He had some
thing less than sovereign in his pock-
ct, so he could not afford another jour
nev bv train. Besides, he must shun
the haunts of news readers. The coun-
try would be the best place for him
now. He was almost at his wits end,
but he pulled himself together, went
into public house and called for some
brandy. This put enough Dutch cour-
age into his soul to enable him to In
quire about the surrounding country
from a garrulous bar ranger AS re-
salt of his inquiries be determined to
take to the Cracoe road, hoping to
reach Grassington and the scattered
villages beyond, where newspapers were
few and the population illiterate.
Then he set out. The brandy saw
him through a mile or two, but the ex-
citement was telling upon him, and his
bodily pain was increasing, and soon
he could scarcely crawl along. He rest
ed many a time and oft by the way,
and it was dark when the glimmer OF
the lights Of Rylstone village met his
eyes. Here he determined to pass the
night. He could go no farther. He did
not dare to put up at any public house
for fear of ultimate discovery, SO he
cast about him for roof for shelter.
By the moonlight he espied an old shed
alongside some stabling, and thither he
repaired. Not having even strength
enough to search for litter for bed, ne
threw himself down on the ground and
fell into broken sleep.
He awoke in the early morning with
pains and aches shooting all over his
body, but with mind clear enough to
appreciate the exigencies of the situa-
ton. Re must be up and away before
the sleuthhounds could scent him. He
dragged his unwilling limbs out of the
shed and gained the highway. But now
the want of food was beginning to tell
heavily upon him, and his legs almost
refused to move. Long before ne reach
ed Cracoe he was overtaken by coal
cart. He hailed the driver and asked for
a lift. The man looked at him doubt
fully, but the offer of coin produced the
desired effect. Lying full length on a
sack on the top of the Goals, Fentor
spent the next hours in dazed, witless
condition. The eAver's destination was
Kilnsey, and there his fare was turned
adrift Here Fenton determined to have
something to eat, for without food he
felt it would be impossible to 60 farther.
He staggered into the village inn, which
stood invitingly near. Suddenly look
of terror overspread his face and he
turned sharply off the main road. He
had seen policeman enter. A police
man in that old world place! What was
he doing these? To his distorted vision
the man war already making inquiries
Of the innkeeper, and the carter would
be there in minute to add his link to
the chain Of evidence that was gradual
y being forged around him.
Fear galvanized his stifened limbs
into action, and down that lonely lane
Fenton pelted with blind hurry wh'th-
er ne knew nos nor careo. Inc squirt dld
not last long, and he soon dropped into
his old shamble. To make things worse,
the rain, which had been threatening
all day, now came down in torrents,
and the need of some place of cover
grew imperative. There was haystack
near-the only hope of shelter IN that
bleak, inhospitable landscape-but be-
fore he could even reach what refuge
that afforded the pitiless rain had
drenched him co the marrow. The
whole of that wretched afternoon Fen
ton sheltered there, sometimes doing,