Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-05-15
CHAPTER XVIII.

groups anu ui uay long talked In low,
hushed tones Of the terrible thing that
had happened. A thousand questions
were asked, many of them of most
frivolous nature, but propounded in all
seriousness; thousand surmises were
made, and those who happened to DOS.
sess fragment of information relative
to the one subject of absorbing interest
repeated that information over and
over again for the delectation of their
less fortunate fellow mortals.
In little quiet place like Beckett's
Mill, where but few things out of the
common ever transpire, q murder is an
event of supreme Importance. 1t is
sufficient to claim the entire and undi.
yided attention of the people for day
and to remain the chief topic of con-
versation for week or even a month.
1t is an event which marks an epoch
and from which time is reckoned.
Lying in state in little wareroom
Just off Hicks store was all that re-
manned Of James Melvin. Jim Thorn
In passing through Sim Banks wood
had found the body lying across little
footpath, in almost the same spot where
Melvin and Louisa had met. Thorn, in
mild state Of excitement, had ap-
peared at Hicks store to report his
find. Hicks and others had repaired to
the scene and had removed the body
to town.
Soon the news spread, and in an in
credibly short time everybody at Beck
etts Mill knew of the tragedy. Then
the people came to see and to ask Ques-
lions. OF course every one, man, wo-
man and child, had to pass through the
little wareroom and look on the life
less form. Then, having looked, they
gathered in little knots to talk It all
over.
Jim Thorn, having been the fortu-
nate one to make the find, occupied the
pedestal Of chief Importance in the vii
lage that day. Wherever he went,
whichever way he turned, there was
an eager group about him, listening
anxiously for every word that fell from
his lips. Time and again, and always
to Interested listeners, he repeated the
story of the find down to the minutest
details. And the story Jim Thorn told
was this:
when got up this mornin, / says
to my woman, says I, 'Lucindy, guess
I'll Jest step over to Joe Beckett's pas
ture an look at that calf Of Joe's.' Joe
an mes been on trade for q right
smart while, an he's been a-wantin me
to take a calf he's got over thar.
WAL, put on my hat an went over to
Joe's, but Joe's woman told me Joe
want at home, but that he'd gone of
to look for pig that'd strayed away.
80 Jest went an looked at the calf.
made up my mind Joe wanted too
much for 1t, then started back acrost
the woods for home. WAL, I'd walked
right smart piece an was a-goin along
with my head sorter down, a-thInkin
bout somethin, when all at once kind
er glanced up. an right thar before me,
not six feet away. laid that dead man."
Lord, but ! bet you jumped an hol-
leredv some one exclaimed.
Thorn gave the speaker a look Of
mild contempt.
Il bet I never" he replied. 81 never
moved inch, nor never give a
squeak"
"Waal. bet you was skeered any
how"
mo, sir, want skeered, not nary a
grain more than am this minute"
"Did you tech him?" somebody ask
ed.
mo, didn't tech him, but 1t want
cause was afeard to. lowed meb-
by it mought be ag'in the law, I'M 1
want tiggerin on gittin into no trouble
noway."
There was short pause, after which
some one said impressively:
Lord, jest to think of Teller walkinI
up on to a dead man like that! My
land, wouldn't a. done 1t for nothin
on earth! l bet I'd "a been skeered,
an I'd "a jumped an hollered, too, an 1
reckon I'd most broke my neck a-gittin
away from thar. Lord!'
Land Of gracious" another exclaim-
ed, "if that had "a been me in place Of
Jim Thorn, I'd "a been skeered plumb
out Of my skin, an I'd Jest "a tore the
earth up an knocked the bark often all
the trees round thar a-glttin out Of
them woods"
II the truth had been known, the only
reason Jim Thorn didn't knock the
bark off the trees getting out of those
woods was because the bark was too
tight to be knocked OF. But that was
something no one save Thorn knew,
and he had no idea of mentioning 1t.
Then Jim Thorn had to go out to Sim
Banks woods and show where the
body had been found and explain in
detail just how 1t had lain. He had
to show the exact position of the head,
the feet and the hands ard describe in
full the precise attitude of the whole
body.
After that he had to show Just how
he had made the discovery and how
lie had acted and what he had done and
everything about 1t. All this he did by
going through rehearsal of his move
| ments.
He placed stick across the path
where Melvin had fallen to represent
the corpse. Then he went little way
off and, turning, walked back slowly,
with his head down, Just as he had
been walking that morning. At GER
tain point he raised his head. His eyes
fell on the stick, and he stopped short
in his tracks. For minute or SO he
stood there, looking calmly on the stick,
then quietly walked by it on his way
to the village.
All these things the curious crowd
drank In with open mouthed wonder,
leaning eagerly forward and craning
their necks in order to catch the small
est and most unimportant detail Of the
movements.
Then, having absorbed the last par
ticle Of information Jim Thorn possess
ed, the crowd fell to specializing re-
garding such things Us Thorn could not
explain. Sam Morgan started 1t by
saying:
II wonder whar the Teller that done
the KILN was when he fired the shot"
Then everybody looked around in
search Of what might be considered a