Evening star., 1902-02-15

black OF color" And so on with contra
dctory statements, but all tending to show
that fight was going on and that Mt
Adoiphus Truxo was defending himself val
| iantly
AS for the men, they formed in groups
| they whispered to each other; they looked
dangerous. 1t was evident that they were
thinking of a rescue.
Oliver pushed through the crowd to the
| front.
At this moment the man Of whom they
! were speaking appeared at his window, that
of first floor front. He threw omen the
easement and stood before them all roar
| ing like a bull at bay; he was a man proper
| His rough Waistcoat was torn open, he had
no coat, his broad, square shoulders and
! his deep chest were exposed; 1t was surely
| impossible for a man to look stronger or
more terrible; he had wound Of SONS kind
/ in the face and the blood was trickling
down; his fierce eyes famed like those Of a
wild beast In wrath: he beloved with rage
| inarticulate. There was no longer any
| touch of terror In the man; face to face
with the danger, all the brute surged up
have looked when, to procure his freedom
! he fought and slew the overseers in the
plantations of Virginia. Oliver regarded
! him with admiration, as he made one more,
and the last, fight for escape.
He also perceived at once that unless the
men in the crowd attempted rescue there
! was no hope for the man. The posse that
had been brought out against him consisted
1
! clubs and they were determined COM
| pany. Some Of them stood guarding the
door Of the tavern; the rest were gathered
under the window at which the negro st ood
| defying them. He had no weapon; he
| shook his huge fist at them: he defied them
| he cursed them; within could be heard the
! shrill voice of Doll, who guarded the stair
| case. Some Of the constabes showed on
! their heads and faces the marks of recent
| encounter in bruises. wounds and bleeding
! places; these were due to the defensive ef-
NIL
termination of the men to effect the arrest
J The head constable stood out in front ex-
horting the man to surrender; but his words
were neither heard nor regarded.
| Come down." cried the women. Jump
on their heads. It's your only chance,
Jump. ye devil, jump
STEADY. men, steady!' said the leader
I've are II to l. Let him jump. He'll have
| to before long. When he does, strike at
his shins-it's no use to strike at his thick
skull. Batter his shins. Surround him and
| batter his shins.''
| The prisoner in the bed room looked out !.
| the door: beneath the window there were
| only three or four.
Jump. Lord love ye:.' cried the women
| Drop down. It's nothing You can't hurt
yourself. Jump! jump, YOU fool Jump.
| and run for it.'
| The men Of the crowd made a movement
they drew together; they looked dangerous
| The easement window was narrow for a
| man of the negro's bulk but he was able to
put his legs through, and his body followed
after; then, for moment, he hung clinging
| by one hand to the window sill, mis- feet no
more than three feet from the ground. and
| his back TO the wall Had he dropped i'm
| mediately he might have escaped; at least a
| rescue might have been attempted. But he
| hesitated; he hung by the window sill for
| half minute in apparent uncertainty, and
| the men of the crowd who might have made
! a rush waited looking on Had there been
| a leader among them to give the word the
| end might have been different. But they
/ waited and too long.
/ AT that moment one Of the cons.ables.
mindful OF instructions, swung round his