Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-06-08
CHAPTER NH.
ONE MELVIN FEARED.

going to Beckett's MiH. He was as
well assured of that fact as he would
have been had Melvin told him so. He
ing to Hi Jenkins place. Why he was
going he DID not knew further than
that he knew the new stranger had
something to do with it.
The important information possessed
by little coterie at Becketts Mill
concerning Melvin had not reached
Jonathan Turner. IN fact. and for a
wonder, it had not spread beyond the
few persons to whom sam Morgan had
related it that night at Hicks store.
The reason il had not spread. and the
only reason doubtless, was attributable
to Hicks. With an eye single to bust
ness he had seen a likely chance to
turn few honest dollars only if they
would all keep quiet and patiently
await the development of events TAX
ing the others fully into his confidence.
be had said:
IF that feller's done somcthin dret-
ful for which he has to hide out from
the law-which. of course. he has. or
he wouldn't "A said so-why. Ii STAINS
% reason thar'll he reward out for
lin, il il amt ont already. Now. most
, siner'ly when a reward is offered that
away circulars are sent out TO all the
postotfices round whar the Teller is
likely to go. givin the amount OF the
reward, the feller's name an descrip-
ton an tellin whar he's wanted an
what he's wanted for
Jest So" Pap Sampson had agreed.
ave seed them papers a-stickin up i'm
the postotfice here lots OF times"
Now" Hicks resumed. "rly plan is
for us all jest to lay low an keep our
mouths shet. not sayin word of this
to nary Twin soul, an wait TO see IL
one of them circulars don't come along
here putty soon bout Mr.. Melvin. Then
when the circular does come well Jest
nab Mr.. Man an rake in that reward"
They all saw the wisdom of Hicks
plan and readily agreed to It. and Tor
awhile they kept sacredly to their
agreement. The temptation to talk
was great. IL must be admitted. but
that reward was greater temptation
yet,
So IL had come about that Turner
was still ignorant OF everything con-
corning Melvin and in forming his
opinions was acting altogether on mere
'surmises. He bad never changed from
his first formed opinion that there was
something back of Melvin that was not
exactly right. but he had never sue
ceeded in getting beyond that point.
He readily conceived the idea that
here was connecting link some
where between Melvin and Waite. but
what that link was he could not tell.
lie had no idea whether the link was
one Of friendship or enmlty, but he
was inclined TO the belief that II was
the former. In fact. he labored under
the impression that the two young men
had been associated together In the
commission OF a crime or were leagucd
together for the purpose OF committing
some crime at a later date. He did not
place their crime or contemplated
crime beyond robbery, however, but he
dxed il at robbery on large scale.
When Melvin rode away from the
house that night, Turner believed he
had gone to meet and confer with
Waite, but he was partially mistaken.
Melvin had gone to jenkins Place. and
it was on account Of Waite that he had
gone, but IL his surmises were correct
Waite was one OF the last men in the
world he would care to meet or with
whom he would seek conference.
AS Melvin had told Mrs Banks. he
had taken the life OF human being.
In the heat Of quarrel he had shot
down and instantly killed young man
named Marchand. He justified him
self for the act ON the ground that he
had acted in self defense. and in a way
his claim was true. Just at the time
OF the killing IL was merely question
of who could fire first, and If Melvin
had not killed he would have been
killed. But, on the other hand, Melvin
was responsible for the misunder.
standing, for Marchand was seeking Il,
avenge the honor OF his sister, whom
Melvin had betrayed
While Melvin might justify his act.
he knew public opinion :. the courts
would Justify it. so he fed from the
scene to escape arrest. Having met
Louisa Banks and learned to love her
while she was girl ut school. his first
thought when he began his flight was
to go where he could be near her. That
she had married mattered little to him.
except to the extent that it removed
her out Of his way, for he had no very
high regard for marriage nor "a very
strongly developed sense of honor.
His plan was to induce he's To elope
with him IL possible, and, though she
had refused to marry him when she
was free to do so, ne had no doubt of
his ability to influence her now since II
had become known to him that she
had learned to regret the step she had
taken when she had declined him for
Sim Banks. If she would elope with
him, they would go TO some out OF the
world place out west and there lose
themselves to every one who had ever
known them, as well as to the law.
In all his planning Melvin did not
lose sight OF the fact that the man he
had killed had a younger brother liv-
ing and that the brother was a deter
mined, desperate character who was
not likely to wait for the slow process