The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-03-26
when hc finally took leave 1t mas to
walk hnrriedly away in the direction
OF the churchyard, a Journey which

when no finally took leave 1t was to
walk hurriedly away In the direction
OF the churchyard, Journey which
often took myself.
Scarcely realizing what i was do
ing. 4 pulled my cap over MY eyes
and started after him. What ex-
cnse i would make If he turned and
saw me I knew not. I only under
stood that ONE force was pulling
me onward and that same force wssss
taking me over the same road and in
the very footprints Of President
Croydon of the Lakegille and Laska
railway.
TO my surprise, he turned the
corner as, he reached the church,
and, plodding his way past it, OPEN
ed the gate which led into the
churchyard and slowly wended his
way among the graves. Noiselessly
[ followed him. Through the mar
row paths we went, he the sub
stance, | the shadow close after him.
But, horror Of horrors, he stop
pedl And, my God, he bent over
Dick Ramsey's gravel Lower and
| lower he sank until he was upon his
knees and his hands were spread out
upon the sod. In the uncertain light
of the rising moon I could see that
he threw back his head, that. his
face was drawn and deadly white
and that his lips were moving.
1 must have stepped upon twig,
for sound betrayed me. Spring
ing to his feet, he turned and faced
me, not ten feet away.
II With a cry Of rage he sprang to-
ward me. $50 you followed mep
he cried fiercely between his teeth.
seYou dogged my stepsw
He was a powerful man, but in
the struggle which followed I easily
mastered him and had him pinioned,
white and painting. seDo not add
another MURDER" I said fercely, ssto
that of Dick Ramsey"
eHow do you know?" he whisper
| ed.
| .s'I recognized your hand upon the
wire. was the agent at the next
station when you-took Dicks place
you remember five years ago
! today!"
"Oh, God, yes~ he cried. "Shall
I ever forget? When I had to come
to this cursed place to live, I thought
it might disappear after awhile. But
it grows stronger every day. live
with it., see it, hear it-that poor
fellow-all the time! Yet I had to
do it or be killed. There was a gang
Of u.s.. Oh, ohw he cried, and, break
ing down utterly, the proud presi-
dent of the road buried his face in
his hands.
1t was a strange scene, we two
there in the moonlight, accuser and
accused, he trembling, I revengeful.
81 tried to lead better ife," he
continued, "and on my gains L sue
ceeded well. But, oh, the misery of
these years. I thought tonight if I
could see his grave and pray upon it
1 might be forgiven and lave rest" !"
His eyes sought the spot where poor
Dick lay with crushed skull.
"What are you going tc dow 7
asked after we had stood there in
silence.
aGive myself up now, I suppose"
said he. seThere Is no other way"
The next day the whole country
was ringing with the strange confess
sion Of President Croydon. He
made a clean breast Of it and was
30 manly and sincere in his repent
ance that nobody was sorry when
his sentence was -laced at term Of
imprisonment inssead of the death
penalty, which is SO summarily dealt
/ out to criminals in the newest Of
the western towns.