The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1901-05-30

the earth, with neither home nor
friends an always in dread Of some
thin. No matter what anybody says
or thinks, I'm innocent"
II know it, Sim; know It," Pap said
assurngly. "But, then, courts mebby
won't see as we do"
maybe not, Pap" Sim replied aftef
Il pause, "but Pm innocent, On Pm goin
to stay"
"But think, Sim, of"
II have thought Of 1t all, Pap. Pm
gOin to stay an face It out"
Then SIMS companion, who had lis.
tened intently all this while, spoke up
again. Laying his hand on Sims arm,
he said earnestly:
"And you'll never be hurt, Sim. Ncv-
er so much as hair Of your head shall
be touched"
Pap Sampson looked ut the speaker
doubtfully.
GLOW do you know that?" he asked.
1T doesn't matter how l know 1T"
the other answered. II know it, and
that is enough"
"Who arc you, m what do you
know bout this affair" Pap ques-
toned.
"My name is Thompson, and am
Sim Banks friend. I have been his
friend since that day he saved my
life ut the risk of his own"
"That was nothln," Sim said. "Any-
body would have done all did"
Anybody would have rushed into
that hail Of shot and shell after our
men had rctrcated and carried q
wounded comrade Off the battlefield
to save him from the encmy2 You'll
never make me believe any such thing.
Nobody can ever make me believe
that there's another man in the world
besides Sim Banks who was brave
enough to have done It,"
"My Lord, Joe, I'd been q brute IL I
hadn't done It," Sim protested, "a
plumb cowardly brute. You make too
much over little no count thing like
that"
ut may seem Of no account to you
but 1T doesn't to me, 1 can tell you.
guess 1t didn't seem SO to the men who
saw 1t either, judging from the way
they cheercd you. Why, even the enc
my cheercd."
IL didn't hear it, Sim said.
mo, you were too busy trying to get
me out Of that awful place. guess
you didn't even hear the bullets whZ
zing round your head like Il swarm OF
beesT"
"I didn't"
"Well 1 heard them, you can JUS
bet. 1t was just like hailsto orm bro
| ken loose. l know | thought every
second we'd both be killed. and | can
understand why we weren't. bcggc,
you to leave me and save yourself i
you could, and you wouldn't do It,"
"Oh, waal, Joe, les let that alone
I'm plumb tired Of hearin OF that foo
thing. 1t ain't worth kiclSin up 81
much fuss about"
"Well, that's just your opinion, Sim
Other people see 1t differently. Thel
there Is the way you looked after NJ
for weeks while was in hospital. NJ
| father, no brother, my own mothe
even, could not have been more care
full Of me. remember 1t all, Sim, ant
I'll never forget 1t rs long as l live"
"Waal, that's all right, joe" Sin
| said, "but I'm tired an hungry, so lc'
not say no more, but so along Of Pap
| Iii 80 10 his house an rest d bit. Thcl
I'll go an give myself up
| you'll not give yourself up this da.
! nor this night. Sim" Pap announced
fatty. you'll have one good rest frs
If know myself, an I'm most shore
! do, for If they git YOU into jail 70,
| won't have no rest thar"
"No, but It's all right Pap. Pm re
signed to take whatcvcrRomcs, an
reckon it don't matter much what |
| Is. l ain't got anything to live for III
more nohow. an I'd jest as we'll b
dead as not"
But you'll never be hurt, SIM" tn
other said. "Don't YOU think it. No
| a hair of your head shall be touched.
Pap Sampson looked wondcringly Il
the speaker, saw something he hat
not observed before and in his aston
ishmcnt unthoughtcdly cried:
MY Lord, stranger you're not goil
to live long"
Thompson smiled.
Il know It," he said, "but 1T is best
1 only want to do one thing more. am
then Pm done, and I'll live to do it
yes. III live TO do it,"
CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK.
-dr1..