The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1901-01-17
The World Against Him
BY WILL N. HARDEN.
copysiahA 10, NJ
Am. Ksnoss Newspaper Company.
CHAPTER XII.

remarked. AT first, my idea was TO
hurry up an git II over, so you wouldn't
have to go to Jail at all; but It has
just struck me that this Is Saturday,
an IL Is sometimes awkward work to
have trial the last day o. the week.
You see the prosecution will want to
summon Thad Williams, an that will
take time. Then. rs tomorrow is Sun.
day, you may have obleeged to wait
over till Monday"
Ronald told him that IL would make
little difference to him whether he
spent the time in Jail or out.
"You feel that away now" comment
ed the sheriff, "but you will feel diff
fcrent when you git in thar, Mt least
that's my experience with prisoners.
4 Jail house is like woman's bonnet;
IL has better look from the outside
than the inside"
Just before driving into the public
square Ratcliff struck match and ap-
Piled the fame TO his cigar, then he
drew himself up more crectly and
drove on TO the Office OF Judge Richard
son, the magistrate. A man coming
cut told Rntcliff that the judge had
gone out TO his farm to spend Sunday.
"You see," said Ratclifr, as he puffed,
and seemed to view himself from the
standpoint OF n group OF citizens who
had gathered on the sidewalk and
whose eyes were asking what had hap
pencd. One OF the crowd stepped out
to the buggy and asked II Ronald was
under arrest, but he received only n
non n-committal grin and shrug as
Ratcliir turned his horse towards the
Jail. modern red brick structure ad-
Joining the courthouse in the center
OF the town. When they arrived the
jniler, short. thickset man, with q
bald spot on his head, was playing
checkers in the yard with the ordinary
OF the county. The jailer answered to
his name reluctantly, without looking
up from the board.
"You'd better git up from thar
called out Ratcliff, jocularly. "The
taxpayers say they are tired O. payin'
you fellers wages to draw flies like
slecpin' niggers in the courthouse
square,"
The jailcr crowned king and go,
up from the grass with lingering
backward glance at the hand OF his
opponent. "Whats wantedr" he
asked as he drew near the buggy.
mfr. Henderson, you remember Mr.
Fanshaw, OF Honeycut Destrict," re-
minded RatclifT. "He's the fcllcr that
helped me out last summer with that
lynchin' crowd over our way. Well
he's settled sgd Hart's hash to-day
an will have to register at yore she
bang til Monday, ! reckon. want you
to make i'm comfortable, JEFF; he's d
| friend o. mine."
"I'll do the best can" promised tn,
| iailer; "but you know all the cells are
alike"
They followed him into the Jail and
up the stone steps to n heavy iron door
at the head OF the stairs. The room
was too large to be called o cell. II
was light, having four windows, which
were heavily barred, and n bed that
was faultlessly clean. As Ratclfr and
| the jailcr were leaving, the sheriff asked
Ronald IL he could do anything for
him.
Ronald told him he could think OF
nothing; indeed, he could think of moth
ing ut the moment but sgd llart's eyes
Sgd Hart's blood.
you'll have to have lawyer" sug
gested Ratcliff.
"Then send Mr.. Rcdding TO me-" said
the prisoner.
When they had left him, Ronald
threw himself on the bed and stared
up ut the ceiling. Hart's corpse had
way OF coming before him with new
force each time that IL made its ap.
pcarance. 1t approached him now in
solitude oftener and with more tena-
cious reality than ever. The afternoon
died slowly. IL began to grow colder
rs he sun went down, and the light
against the western sky turned from
yellow to gray. Once he fancicd he
saw the body on the floor by his bed
in the shadow, Just as IL was lying when
he had last behcld II. Almost with Il
prayer for protection he turned his
face away aud stiilel II scream, and
yet the feeling Of actual guilt had not
come to- him. He tried to draw Evelyn
into his thoughts, but there was cold
comfort In the memory that he had
biightcd her life aS well as his own,
Could lie have done 50 then, he would
have killed her affection for him that
she might have the peace of soul that
vas denied him. lie heard steps on the
stairs and key ratified in the lock
of a little iron door In. the wall, and
through Il came woman's voice:
Here's yore supper, Mr.. Fanshaw.'
IL was the jailcr's wife, and he arose
and took the plate OF food and cup
of hot coffee from her hands.
"Mr. Ratcliff stopped at the door just
pow," she said, in q cold, methodlcal
tone, "an' he said tell you Mr.. Reddin
was out In the country, but he'd left
word at his house fur i'm TO come an
see you ms soon rs he got back"
When she had gone, Ronald put the
plate on the bed Uhere was no table
In the rooin) and washed his hands and
face In the tin basin, hut somehow tn,
cold water added to the general chill
that was on him and he quickly dried
himself on a towel. The sight Of tn,
food gave him n touch Of nausea; h,
started to drink the coffee, but remem
bered that coffee at night made hin
restless, and he wanted to sleep. II,
went to the window which commanded
the widest view of the buildings round
the prison. A negro on u bony hors,
was lighting the gas along the avenue
which stretched out TIL, on u distan,
hillside, II lost itself In the clouds. Two
churches were within sight, and they
were being lighted. The cholrs were
going to meet to practice for the serv.
Ice ON the morrow. The nearest bell