The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-01-10
The World Against Him
By WILL N. HARDEN.
Copyriaht, 100. By
An. Keilcss Newspaper Company.
CHAPTER x.-CoSrrNuEp.

For . moment Ronald remained
where he was; his revolver was
empty, and he did not know but that
Hart might be unhnrmed, hiding In am
bush waiting for him TO draw nearer.
A. this juncture another horseman gal
loped up. II was Thad Williams, his
long stringy locks flying in the breeze,
his revolver drawn, ready for use. lie
refined his horse in at point In the road
from whence he could see behind the
bushes that obscured Tart from Rom
AIDS view. For fully a minute he sat
astride his snorting animal, his eyes
bulging from their sockets.
"Damn you, you've dore 'im!" he
said, with deep breath, and he swung
his revolver round till II pointed at our
hero.
mine IL empty" answered Ronald.
"Tm In your power"
With another oath, the stalwart fell
low thrust his revolver into his belt and
swung his right leg over the rump OF
Ms horse and stood on the ground.
you've killed i'm" he gruntcd. as he
stepped towards the bushes; "darc to
come nigh i'm, an I'll let daylight
through you'll"
Ronald stood rs II rooted 10 the SPOT.
He had no desire to see the man who
had fallen by his hand. A chill like that
Of death stole over him. He hnd killed
4 man-killed o man! Then his heart
bounded suddenly-a little ray Of hope
burst upon him. for he heard Thnd Will
liams' voice, low and tender: "Are you
hurt, sgd, old boy? Say, old chum.
come of; don't play tricks on mel"
There was low monotonous response
to this, and IL continued for fully half
. minute. Then Ronald henrd gut
tural, lnborcd coughing. and when IL
had ceased he knew that Sydney Hart
was dead. Striding forward, he parted
the branches Of the bushes. He found
Thad Williams holding the dead mans
head on his arm, as he might have held
that Of an infant.
"Is he dead ?" Ronald asked.
The giant lowered the lolling head
with It's glaring eyes to the turf and
hooked at the speaker with a glare of
hate.
"He don't look like he's runnin' of a
foot race, do hep" he sneered, and n
sinister look took root in his face MS
ne went on: "Me'n him used to stan
by one another, but as you say yore
ammunition is out, I reckon men you
had rs well not take II up. The law will
atten' to yorc case-it ort to make IL hot
fur cold-blooded murderer"
"Ishot him in self-defense," answered
Ronald, averting his eyes from the re-
pulsive sight.
"Self nothin'," sneered williams.
"Jest before he died he tol me how II
come about. He said you shot fust, an
that you said you had intended to slny
i'm ever since that night at the swamp.
reckon the court will take my testi-
mony, an you bet I'll swear the truth" "
"You are going to swear TO that,
then?" said Ronald, too deeply
shocked by what had occurred to real
ize the full Importance Of the threat.
williams nodded as he bent over the
corpse and began to stroke the hair
back from the clammy brow. There
was rumbling Of wheels, and two cot
ton wagons filled with negro and white
laborers rounded the bend in the road
. "Hold on thar!" williams cried, us
he Strengthened himself up and waved
his two hands. ~ want one o. them
thar wagons to take a dead comrade
home to his freside!"
The wagons stopped. The men
aljghted, and, stricken with horror
stepped lightly to where the dead
man lay. Ronald turned to go. 81
am going to give myself up to the
sheriff." he said, more to the staring
group than to Williams. 81 did II In
self defense"
"The court will pass on that,
threatened. Williams, with II growl.
Ronald walked on. Under the con
6emning stare of his neighbors he felt
almost as II he had committed de-
liberate crime. They gave way foi
him to pass as 10 his garments held
the germs OF death. Round the bend
the strident voice OF Williams held
him up.
Handle i'm easy, men; he was roi
afeerd o. anything that ever woie d
hide; you don't git to fetch many
sech In u lifetime; his dead meat !,
better'n a meetin'-house full o. tn,
common sort, In the best o. health
Easy thar! put yore han under his
head; he amt a-goin' to pizen you
He's no more fur this worr. You'll
never hcer his jolly laugh agin on thi'
earth. My God! is II possible you are
dead-dead, old comrade?"