The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1900-09-19

seriousness and ilteralness tnat
brushed aside doubt, as the dust OF
death. ~ !
Now, as in this supreme moment,
his thoughts ran back over the the
past, lighting up the strange route OF
toll, anxiety, Distress delay and de.
feat by which he had at. last come into
the presence of Kirk Mace Collough; it
seemed to him the very despair OF all
despairs that this man should be able
to sit there, proud, vigorous, painless,
u superb specimen of the animal
man-and from his silver-mounted
saddle, as from kings throne, fling
the fiat of a merciless fate into his
lace. For the first time since his
youthful days a sudden whirl of pas
sion possessed him. His frame dis.
tended itself, his eyes shot out wild
light, foam sprang to his lips and
few out in fine, white spray as he
exclaimed:
Gimp of Satan! Liar of Liars! Do
your worst! If my God has indeed
forsaken me, my manhood has not! I
am not afraid to die! Shoot, you
poor, pitiful lying coward, shoot!"
He tore open his coat and barred his
shaggy, emaciated breast as he spoke.
The attitude, the look, the whole
presence of the man flashed out
spirit which, on the stage, is melo-
drama, but which in real life is des-
perate hero1sm. BE was expanded
and rigid with uncomfortable, costa.
tic desperation. His chin was thrust
far out, his hands were elenched, his
arms stood akimbo. But for the aw-
full stress and sincerity of his mood
the whole thing must have been lu'
dicroua. As it was, however, the
magic circle of the heroic, the extra
ordinary, the picturesque was drawn
around it, and it was set apart for
ever as one of the focal points of hu-
man passion wherein self-forgetful.
ness and courage merge into absolute
fearlessness.
Pierre Rameau looked on without
any change of expression; but he
could not'fail to recognize and, in his
own way, honor the old mans spirit.
The cool, alert, thoughtful outlaw
felt, however, that this very courage
made Burns most dangerous enemy
to be running at large. What might
not such a spirit, goaded to despera-
ton, find it possible to accomplish?
Self.preservation demanded the death
of this man, and with Pierre Rameau
there was no such thing as hesitancy
or faltering. .-...
He raised his pistol, took deliberate
aim and sent an ounce leaden ball
straight for the heart of Max Burns.
The old man flung up his arms and
fell without groan.
When the loud report of the weapon
had ceased to clatter its echoes IN the
hollows of the wood, Rameau gave
the crumpled body OF his poor old
victim steady, searching look till it
ceased to culver, then rode away in
the direction taken by his men, leav-
ing Burns's horse standing stock
still, with its nose against its masters
| shoulder.
A dark cloud had crept up the west
meantime, and now dull roar, heavy
and ominous, Jared the air. Lig ght-
ming twinkled across the chasms> be-
tween great, tumbled masses OF
vapor. ~ -...'
When Rameau saw the approaching
storm q change, came over his face.
A close observer. could have dis.
covered that this strong, crime-hard-
ened heart was afraid of the spirit
that rode the hurricane. =
He urged his horse to q swift gallop
along the trail, reloading his pistol as
he went. It was quite out OF the
question for him to reach any house
before the doming on of the wind and
raiu which he we'll knew the cloud
was bringing; but he, rocollected that
there was low, .cane.thatched shed q
little way off the trail, which might
serve to shelter him and his horse.
1t had been built by man who had
camped there while passing through
the country. Ramesu reached it just
as the first furry of the wind went
,aEeEi ibo>tops: >~>----.,-'s' -
Rameau clung TO lis frightened
horse, expecting death every moment.
The rain was deluge, and it was
driven with such force tina. it was like
breasting mountain torrent to stand
in it. Some of the 1.-the, slender trees
bent down and beat the ground with
their tops. The noise was tumult
of the most awful sounds. r..
1t rains on the just and the unjust,
the living and the dead. Burns's
horse stood by the old mans body
and trembled, but would not go, while
the rain poured. the lightning crashed
and the hurricane flung tie, trees to-
gether in heaps.
(To BE CONTINUED
The Irrepreasible Yankee Girl.
ovir1 III a "a