Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-05-04

y OIL. IKE NORRIS walked restlessly
" back and forth the length of the
plank sidewalk. The group of men in
front of Wolverton's drug store
watched him in silence. Suddenly he
turned, where the last sun-blistered
plank curled up menacingly, and said:
I've killed two men, and came clear,
an I'll come clear this time. No"
He stopped abruptly. A slender
woman in black, q baby in her arms,
slipped out of the door and moved
across the sandy square toward the
courthouse. She was The widow Of the
colonsrs last victim.
The colonel didn't finish his remark
20 the disappointment Of his friends
but turned quickly and moved down
the street to BradshRw's ranch supply
store. At any other time he would
have gone straight to the Cattle King
saloon, but it was another OF his late
sccentricitiss to avoid that popular re.
sort This last affair, it seemed, had
had SOLDERING effect on him.
Montague county district court had
been in session three days, and the
case, State vs.. Morris, was drawing tc
close. 1t was the only murder case
for the term; this fact, and the prom
fnsnce of the colonel, had drawn the
men from the farms and ranches. They
thronged the courthouse eager to hear
the details of the murder, and the de-
Tense Morris would make for shooting
Dave Blevin.
There had been little to hear. Morris
made a plea of self-defense, but, as no
one had witnessed the tragedy, there
was no confederation. A gun had been
found by the side of the dead man, but
his widow testified that 1t was his hab-
it to carry his gun with him when
working in the woods. The neighbors
could give but meager information
concerning the deceased. Like the
other OF the ooloners victims, he was
unknown till his tragic death put his
name on every tongue. 1t was learned
from his widow, during the trial, that
he had not been in the county long. He
had bought little farm in the Cross
Timbers, and the drought cutting
short his crop he had gone TO work on
Morris ranch that he might be able
TO meet the fall payment. When Mrs
Blevin, in her simple way, had finished
telling of his struggle to get home
and the hard luck" he had had, many
listeners were touched with pity, and
sentiment sprang up against his
slayer.
At last the case was closed. The
Judge began to read his instructions to
the jury. A silence fell on the room.
The next case was called and the
jury filed out. 1t was out all that
afternoon, that night, and to the mid.
die of the next afternoon. Then 9
hung jury" was announced. Col. Nor
ris stared at the 10 men in astonish-
ment. A Montague county jury had
questioned his word. 1t was an insult
that would be adequately met. He
rose and left the room. A crowd focSed
about him on the square. He invited
them to join him at the Cattle King. He
was himself again. BY night pande.
monium reigned in the saloon and
overlooked into the street. Morris and
his staggering, yelling, shooting satel-
htes mounted their horses, dashed
through the sleeping village, and gal.
Hoped on to the prairie.
Mrs. Blevin hitched the pony, now
weary with the enforced idleness. to
the cart and started home. The emo
nons in her bosom were too confused
Tor analysis. Perhaps the most pre-
dominant were the consciousness of a
great loneliness that seemed to en-
velop her, dread of the future. and
a bitter resentment against fate.
"Howdy do, diz Blevin." The man
who spoke haA been attending the
trial and recognized her. You're not
goin' ter try ter go home ter-night ?''
Well, now, yen not do anything NV
The kind. Ye must be most tagged out
nursin' the baby an'-an' the heat SO
aggervatin' last few days." He did
not wish to refer to the trial.
TITS only a mile er so outen yer way.
an my wife'n be glad ter see you. Did
MT know whar ye lived till-lately.
Let me rest you Nv the baby" he said,
leaning over and taking it from her
arms.
The unexpected kindness came like
a shock. With a great sob she bowed
her head In her hands. The man
turned away his face and "booed" at
the baby.
Early the next morning she told her
new friends good-by and started home.
The pony was jogging along across .
stretch Of Esddsning sedge, when he