Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1901-05-01
Copyright 1901, by Thomas P. Montfort.
CHAPTER XIII.
ONE MELVIN FEARED.


ONE MELVIN FEARED.
Turner knew that Melvin was not
going to Beckett's Mill. He was as
we'll assured of that fact as he would
have been had Melvin told him so. He
knew, on the contrary. that he was 60
ing to Hi Jenkins place. Why he was
going he did not know further than
that he knew the new stranger had
something to do with it.
The important information possessed
by q 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 it had not spread. and the
only reason doubtless, was attributable
to Hicks. With an eye single to busl'
ness he had seen likely chance to
turn q 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,
he had said:
"If that feller's done somethin dret,
full for which he has to hide out from
the law-which. Of course. he has, OF
he wouldn't "a said so-why, 1t STAINS
to reason thar'll be q reward out FOR
him, If it amt out already. Now, most
giner'ly when a reward Is offered that
Away circulars are sent out to all the
postotfices round wkar the feller is
likely to 60. givin the amount or 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
"I've seed them papers a-stickin up In
the postoffice here lots Of times"
Now" Hicks resumed, my plan Is
for US all jest to lay low an keep our
mouths shet. not sayin word of this
to nary a livin soul, an wait to see II
one of them circulars don't come along
here putty soon bout Mr.. Melvin. Then
when the circular does come we'll jest
nab Mr.. Man an rake in that reward
They all saw the wisdom Of Hicks
plan and readily agreed to it, and for
awhile they kept sacredly to their
agreement. The temptation to talk
was great, it must be admitted. but
that reward was q greater temptation
yet.
So It had come about that Turner
was still ignorant Of everything con
cerning Melvin and in forming bis
opinions was acting altogether on mere
surmises. He had never changed from
his first formed opinion that there was
something back of Melvin that was moi
exactly right. but he had never sue
ceeded in getting beyond that point.
He readily conceived the idea that
there was a connecting link some
where between Melvin and Waite, but
what that link was he could not tell
He had no idea whether the link was
one Of friendship or enmity, but he
was inclined to the belief that it was
the former. In fact. he labored under
the impression that the two young mell
had been associated together in the
commission Of q crime or were leagued
together for the purpose Of committing
some crime at later date. He did not
place their crime or contemplated
crime beyond robbery. however, but he
fixed it at robbery OH large scale. j,
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
1t was on account of Waite that he had
gone, but if his SuruiSeS 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 a quarrel he had shot
down and instantly killed young man
named Marchand. He justified him.
self for the act on the ground that be
had acted in self defense. and in u way
bis claim was true Just at the time
of the killing it was merely question
Of who could fire first, and If hlelvih
had not killed he would have been
killed. But. on the other hand, Melvin
was responsible for the miSunder.
standing. for Marchand was seeking to
avenge the honor of his sister, whom
Melvin had betrayed.
While Melvin might justify bis act
he knew public opin Dn nor the courts
would justify it, so he fled from the
scene to escape arrest. Having met
Louisa Banks and learned to love hel
while she was girl at school. his first
thought when he began his flight was
to 60 where he could he 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 very
strongly developed sense Of honor.
His plan was to induce her to elOpe
with him if possible. and. though she
had refused to marry him when she
was free to do so. he had no doubt of
his ability to influence her now since il
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 clope with
him, they would 60 to some out Of the
world place out west and there lose
themselves to every one who had ever
known them. us well as to the law.
In all his planning Melvin did not
lose sight Of the fact that the man le
had killed had 4 younger brother liv.
ing and that the brother WAS deter.
mined, desperate character who was
not likely to wait for the slow process
Of La " tn linlt lis M.ruumS Ernm llt