The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1901-05-23
NoL. IKE NORRIS walked restlessl

Z .Aank 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:
'rve killed two mon, and came clear,
an I'll come clear this time. NO"
He stopped abruptly. A slender
woman in black, baby in her arms,
slpped out of the door and moved
across the sandy square toward the
courthouse. She was thewidow of the
coloners last victim.
The colonel didn't finish his remark,
to the disappointment of his friends,
but turned quickly and moved down
the street to Bradshaw's ranch supply
store. At any other time he would
saloon, but 1t WIS another of his late
secentricities to avoid that popular re-
sort. This last affair, it seemed, had
had sobering effect on him.
Montague county district court had
been in session three days, and the
case, State VS.. Morris, was drawing to
a close. 1t WIS the only murder case
for the term; this fact, and the prom
inence 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-
fense Morris would make for shooting
Dave Blevin.
There had been little to hear. Morris
made plea of ofself-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 it 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 oolonels victims, he was
unknown till his tragic death put his
name oneVery tongue. 1t was learned
frem his widow, during the trial, that
he had not been in the county long. He
he'd 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
a sentiment sprang up against mis-
slayer.
At last the cease 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 a
hung jury" was announced. Col. Nor
ris stared art the 12 men in astonish-
ment. A Montague county jury had
questioned his word. 1t was an insult
that would he adequately met. He
rose and left ttheroom. A crowd hocked
about him on the square. He invited
them to join 'hinrat the Cattle King. He
was himself again. BY night pande-
monium reigneh' in the saloon and
overhowed into .the street. Norris and
his staggering, yelling. shooting satel-
htes mounted their horses. dashed
through the sleeping village. end gal
loped on to the prairie.
Mrs. B1evin hitched the pony, now
weary with the enforced idlenesH, to
the cart and started home. The emo
tions in her bosom were too confused
for analysis. Perheps the most pre-
dominant were the consciousness of a
great loneliness that seemed to en-
velop her. . dread sf rthe future, and
bitter resentment against fate.
"Howdy do, Mir Blevin." The man
who spoke bad been attending the
trial and recognized her. you're not
goin' ter try ter go home ter-night p
Well, now, yen not do anything Nv
the kind. Ye mus& be most tagged out
nursin' the baby an'-ea' the heat so
aggervatin' last few AaFs." He did
not wish to refer to the Arial.
Its only mile er so onten yer way,
an my wife'll be glad ter wee you. Did
mt know whar ye lived tillZlately.
Let me rest you NV the baby" he said,
leaning over and taking 1t kpom her
arms.
The unexpected kindness came like
shock. With a great sob she bowed
her head in her hands. The man
turned away his face and "booad" at
ths baby.
Early the next morning she told her
new friends good-by and started home.
The pony was jogging along ACROSS .
stretch of reddening sedge, when he
stopped suddenly. pricked up his ears
and snorted. Mrs. Blevin looked
ahead. Across the road lay the body
of man; his head was hid in the
grass. She stopped. Perhaps he had
fallen from his horse and was serious
ly hurt. She would see. Spreading the
lap-robe on the grass for the baby. shc
--~--- -. ~-~ ..--- 49,
walked nearer and peered over into
his face. She stepped back. her heart
beating violently. 1t was her hus-
bands slayer. For some moments she
atQQd motionless, gazing down ct him.
She was undergoing struggle. The
road was merely settlement by-path,
and IT might be days, weeks. before
any one would pass. II she left him
'Ae would likely die OF his wounds, of
starvation. or be torn to pieces by the
soyotes-hss husband would be re-
venged Gould sho help the man back
to life who had murdered her husband
perhaps TO mako . widow Of some
other wifes Hsd hs not boosted Of
n {. .t.t ~ ~ F. tI..II .