Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-10-06


just as the fellow raised his revolver he
struck him a terrific blow full in the
face, which felled him to the floor.
Then q scene Of wild confusion fol-
lowed. A half dozen or more men
sought to secure him: but, inspired
with rage and a sense Of the deep
wrong done him. he fought like wild
beast. Back and forth the crowd strug-
gled, fierce oaths and low cries Of pain
mingling with the shutting Of feet, for
Ned managed several times to free his
arms from the grasP"of those about
him. and on each occasion he sent
some one reeling to the floor. But the
weight of numbers soon told, and In
a few moments be was lying securely
bound.
There was little delay in the proceed
ings thereafter. he was blindfolded,
placed on high box several feet from
the floor, the moose was adjusted about
his neck, ard then at signal the box
was pushed from under him. Millions
of stars seemed to fash before his
darkened eyes, a thousand great bells
seemed to be changing in his ears, bis
chest felt as If it would burst open,
and then-oblvion.
About o'clock on this same after
noon huge fellow drove two heavily
laden donkeys up before cabin about
two miles down the gulch.
Hello, Ned, my lad!' he shouted in
a CHEEKY voice. "What-not tn?" he
continued as no reply came to him
from within. "The boy must be fish,
ing"
Then he pushed the door open and
walked in. The piece Of paper upon
the table instantly caught his eye, and,
going up to it, he read the note which
Ned had left for him. With a hoarse
cry of mingled grief and rage he
turned and rushed for the door, pick
ing up as he went his Winchester.
Then he dashed out and started up
the trail for the camp at pace too
terrific to be maintained for any con-
siderable distance.
If any one had CHANGED to meet that
man on that occasion, he would sure
ly have given him the right Of way,
for supplementing the powerful figure
was a look in that set face and in
those gray eyes which BODIED infinite
trouble for some one. On and on he
we,.t with no apparent slackening Of
his pace. The great lungs worked
faster and faster. When he had COW
cred another half mile, his pace had
slackened to a slow, staggering trot.
The look upon that haggard face had
become something terrible, and 1t
seemed as though each succeeding mo-
ment must witness his total collapse.
But on he went, staggering at times,
but holding to his course with a de-
termination as grim and unyielding as
fate.
AS be ran into camp he saw crowd
assembled about the storehouse which
at that moment broke into cheer.
Spurred on by the awful fear at his
heart, Tom summoned his exhausted
energies for one supreme effort. In an
other moment lie was on the edge Of
the crowd, which parted with wonder
before him, and then he was at the
door of the storehouse. He hurled his
great body against it, and as it burst
open he saw the figure suspended in
midair. With a hoarse, despairing cry,
such as those who heard it will never
forget, he rushed toward the hanging
body, and as he mounted box and
drew his knife preparatory to cutting
the rope he shouted In tones Of mad
dened rage and grief: Course your cow
ardly, numbering souls! If you have
killed that boy. you will have to settle
with men'
No one attempted to stop him, for
they all realized then that a terrible
mistake had been made, and when a
moment later the white, limp figure
was cut down and laid gently on the
floor many there were who sought to
help Tom in the work of resuscitation.
With fierce oaths he pushed them aside,