Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-05-21

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GlmSa1s|SY
He lap across an easy chair, coughing
and stadnaltiig
spoke III a naru volce-ne was painting.
loudly:
II was just in time. Pull that rope
and run us down. Hurry" he said.
/ obeyed without word. How slow
It seemed to drop, and all the time
Pearson was talking to the moaning
figure under him, whose wrists he held
in the clasp of his strong fingers.
"Don't struggle, Dick. Dash it, man,
l had to! Don't you hear me! He was
going to shoot you! She told me so!
Listen! It's l, old pal, Pearson! had
to do 1t! Listen! There, stop! l won't
hurt you, Dick! Dick, old boy, he'd
shot you through his coat! Came all
the way from Pinto just to do it! My
God. he doesn't hear mel"
Roach was moving his hands, still at
tempting to free himself. His eyes
only showed the whites and he was
blowing bloody bubbles through his
| teeth.
Pearson looked up at me. what am
going to do?" he asked. God help
me! I've hurt him badlyw
We reached the bottom at last with
a creaking blow on the woodwork.
There was crowd gathered there al.
ready.
Pearson let go his hold and got up oil
| his feet. He was so cool and earnest
and appeared SO right that no one offer
ed to touch him, and he backed slowly
out into the hall.
Two or three men raised Roach. nnt
he stood there. swaying, deaf and blint
with the desire to kill, his head thrus
out as II he peered through smsker ahes
might have known. it seems to me. bu
the movement was so quick perhap!
they could not have stopped it. TIL,
flash and report came together. l
seemed rs II something went off insid,
my head and burst.
saw Pearson lurch forward across
IN easy chair, coughing and strangling
There was scattering on the Whit
tiled floor.
Roach drew himself up with the ali
of Il drunken man who tries to keel
Il " hp M I,n cl,.n,. TO In.
bystander nearest him and staggering
away asking for an officer In husk,
voice.
The pistol smoke smelled like nox
ious gas and nearly overpowered me.
They carried Pearson. or dragged
him, rather, into the nearest washroon
and laid him on the floor, with som,
dirty towels underneath his head
knelt beside him and placed my cheel
close against his. One of his lungs wa
filled with blood, but he could whisper
Have you n pistol, TOMB" he said IL
my ear. Put 1t in my pocket. It'll &,
easier with him II they find a pistol-h
was craZy-meant to save him-stoot
between me and Il knife, he did, one
long ago-cut him to strings" lie wa
lisping thickly. Met them on train
she managed to tell me. Terrlss go
hold of Roach's letter. They were go
ing to clear out-swore to kill him. Ter
rlss did. Fight distracted h!m-sh,
ve-blabbed-been going on TO
years. oh, Tom, I'm going to die
don't let him know-ride straight
Pray qulck-prayers-O Cod" bel,
my breath willie lie was dying, the doc
tor fumbllng about his chest
l remember they covered him with
cloth from the billiard table. A man II
a blue coat took down my name. and
struggled through the crowd.
could not think of what had hap
pened and looked stupidity at the heav.
seal he had slipped off his finger int
my hand but few minutes before
The crest had been defaced, and
could make out the word "vertas
spelled backward.
Perfunctorily finished the errand
had started on earlier in the day. TIL
filing of some papers ut the courthouse
and. still daZed, heard the newsboy
calling extra" OH the street.
There is the sum of the followin,
day, and have finished. did not &,
to bed that night. | thought SHOULD
never sleep again. and | made all TIL
arrangements for FearsoIs funeral aft
er the inquest with heavy heart. N,
one knew anything OF his family or hi
| n1 10 I,n Ir fri, a
One thing knew-he WAS II gentleman
The second day slept. and when
awoke there was n note brought to m,
| from Roach imploring me to call ant
see him. He was held prisoner
was not his first affair."
For some reason felt no resent1nen
toward Roach. was still numbed.
could not analyZe my feelings for him
did not care whether they hanged
him or let him go. Pearson was dead.
So went and found him, not IN /:
cell, but seated In large cagellk,
structure In the Jail corridor. He ap
peared quite comfortable and wa.
smoking.
There was n skylight In the rool
above. and the place was full of sun
shine. The reality and horror of tn,
whole occurrence struck me more for
chilly. Up to this time could hardl,
realize it.
Not a detail of the place or of the in
terview escaped me. do not believe
said dozen words. One sentence was
In my mind Gain, you've killed YOU
brother"
AS soon as he saw me he arose and