Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-05

came from tho upper floor of the We
randa. where the colonel stood in dress.
ing-govn and slippers. his round. rubi
cund face aglow from his morning
bath.
Half dozen negroes cssaycd to eX.
plain. but tho result was a noisy con.
fusion of tones and words. The colonel
stamped his foot and sworc furously.
This left Ephraim with the floor; he
was too deal to hear his masters com
mand for silence. The colonel heard
the story from his lips.
an my swamp. ch?" he exclaimed,
when the carriage driver had finished
"a pretty come off. The next thing we
hear all the cutthroats in Georgia will
be hiding in my corn house and gin, aud
You lazy scamps will stand by and al
low it,"
With This parting shot into the black,
upturned faces, the colonel retreatcd
into his room TO finish dressing and to
tell his guests the news. In a few min
utcs Hardy and Wrinkle came down for
their early morning promenade on the
front Vcranda and they were promptly
followed by the ladies.
81 hope they will chase i'm out near
u.s." observed the captain. as he helped
himself to one of the colonels apple
toddies. which James was passing
round in punch bowl. AS long as |
have lived in this section | have never
been present at lynchng bee
As lie finished speaking he found
himself ltder the cold stare Of Mrs.
Lancasters mild blue eyes.
81 should think, Capt. Wrinkle" she
remarked. that you would have more
consideration for human life at stake
than 10 look upon the matter as provid-
ing you with q new form of amuse-
| ment.
This young man smiled indulSently
as he put down his glass and dainty
touched his lips and waved mus ache
with his handkerchief
"My dear Mrs. lancaster" he cried
"you ladies are such delicious bundles
of inconsistency you would not. in
your hearts, have these bloodthirsty
fiends run al large, but as soon as one
is about to suffer for his crime YOU fill
his cell with flowers. Now. his swamp
rat has killed helpless old woman and
the people arc rising 10 see that Justice
| Is done. He ought to be hung, and that
| promptly"
The colonel was listening to this col
loQuy as he stirred the apples up in
the tOddy with au ld-fashioned silver
| ladlc.
"Of course he remarked. lynch law
is deplorablc thing. !, is fundamen-
tally wrong. because mistakes have
now and then happened; but how on
earth are YOU going to stop il? Why,
Mrs. Lancaster. those chaps sgd Hart
Thad Williams and their ilk-would
burn me out of house and home if ut
tered protest in this matter"
but. papa Evelyn stood holding
to Mrs. Lancasters hand. and as she
spoke her voice trembled- "but. papa
You must do something-y really
must. The man has not been proved
guilty; he may be absolutely innocent"
All. there you eo!" laughed the
colonel as he touched her chin playful
~. "N on think your Old father ought
TO run the world, Why, am absolutely
helpless. Ii | teiegraphed the governor
to order out he state militia, they
couldn't get here in time, and if they
could these determined mountain men
would make it hot for them. Twenty
lives would BIZ lost instead of ono"
just then breakfast was announced.
The colonel gailantly offered his arm
TO Mrs. Lancaster. and as She took it
She started to draw Evelyn along with
her. But the girl drew back.
Il don't care to go in now" she fa,-
tered. Il had cup of coffee in my
room. Oh. | am so afraid they will
hang him"
"Well. | shall come ont TO You soon.
dear" said the widow, tenderly. Wait
for me-
Seated NJ window in the drawing
room-sh felt too nervous to remain on
the veranda alone Evelyn had good
view of the road running along the
edge of the swamp. She could see the
ever-strengthening chain Of men. their
guns and pistols cleaning in the sun
light. 10 her the sight was more aw-
IHI 'Hdll Nau u Deen an army IN bat
lie array. Presently She saw a figure
on white horse moving along the line
OF men. pausing now and then as if
in argument. She decided that the
horse was Ronald Fans haw 's--that he
was the rider. Something told her that
he was feeling as She felt and that he
was trying to influence his neigh bors
to refrain from illegal conduct. She
watched the rider so closely that the
strain on her eyes produced a blur in
her vision. lie was almost out OF sight
now, and she went out on the vcranda
to get "A more extended view Of the
road bending round the swamp. She
saw black lobe. one of her fathers
servants, coming up the avenue from
the road Just traverSed by Ronald
lobe had been TO the post Office and
was bringing back a bag OF letters and
papers. As he handed her the bag she
observed half-frightcuod look in his
eyes.
"Tobe," she asked almost afraid 10
trust her voice TO calm expression.
"who is the man on the white horse"
"Dc oldest Fanshaw Young man,
missile was the answer.
"Nhat Is he doing?" She asked, with
batcd breath
"Hc's powerfully upset. young miss.