The Savannah morning news., 1903-03-08


before almost every word. 1t was easy
work for the sleepy stenographer.
Il understand. l don't want to go
off my head again before 1 finish. OF
course l know why you want this. If
it We're only for myself 1 should tell
you nothing, because, If l am to leave,
l should like it better if no one We're
punished. But that's a bad communl-
ty over there; they are eVerlastingly
worrying our people; they have always
been a bother to us, and it's time it
was stopped for good. 1 don't believe
very much in punishment, but you
can't do a great deal of reforming with
the Cross Readers unles you catch
them young = very young, before
they're weaned-they wean them on
whisky, 1 think. 1 realize you needn't
have sworn me for me to tell you this
Horner and Smith had started at the
mention of the Cross Roads, but they
subdued their CALCULATIONS, while Mr..
Barrett looked as if he had known it,
of course. The room was still, save
for the dim voice and the soft tran
scribings of the stylographic pen.
II left Judge Briscoe's, and went
west on the pike to a big tree. 1t
rained, and 1 stepped under the tree
for shelter. There was a man on the
other side of the fence. 1t was Bob
Skillet. He was carrying his gown
and hood suppose it was that-on
his arm. Then 1 saw two others a
little farther east, in the middle of
the road; and 1 think they had fol-
lowed me from the Briscoes', or near
there. They had their foolish relagia
on, as all the rest had-there was
plenty of lightning to see. The two in
the road were simply standing there
in the rain, looking at me through the
eye-holes in their hoods. L knew there
were others-plenty-bu 1 thought
they were coming from behind me
the west.
IT wanted to get home-the court
house yard was good enough for me
so / started east, toward town.
passed the two gentlemen and one fell
down as 1 went by him, but the other
fired a shot as a signal, and 1 got his
hood off his face for i'll stopped long
enough-and it was Force Johnson. l
know him we'll. Then 1 ran, and they
followed. A little ahead of me I saw
six or eight of them spread across the
road. | knew I'd have time getting
through, so l jumped the fence to cut
across the fields, and l lit in a swarm
of them-it had rained them just where
l jumped. l set my back to the fence,
but one of the fellow in the road lean
ed over and smashed my head in,
rather-with the butt of a gun, I be-
lieve. 1 came out from the fence and
they made circle around me. No one
said anything. l saw they had ropes
and saplings, and l didn't want that,
exactly, so 1 went into them. 1 got
a good many hoods off before it was
over, and | can swear to quite num-
Der besides those l told you.''
He named the men, slowly and care
fully Then he went on: 81 think
they gave up the notion of whipping.
We all got into a bunch, and they
couldn't get clear to shoot without hit
ting some of their own; and there
was lot of gouging and kicking-one
fellow nearly got my left eye, and l
tried to tear him apart and he scream
ed so that / think he was hurt. Once
or twice / thought 1 might get away,
but somebody hammered me over the
head and face again, and l got dizzy;
and then they all jumped away from
me suddenly, and Bob Skillet stepped
up-and-shot me-. He waited for a
good furry of lightning, and / was
slow tumbling down. Some one else
fired a shotgun, l think-I can't be
sure-about the same time, from the
ride. l tried to get up, but 1 couldn't,
and then they got together for a con-
sultation. The man I had hurt-I
didn't recognize him-came and looked
at me. He was nursing himself all
over; and groaned; and l laughed, |
stretched out on the grass, and he
stamped his heel into my hand, and
after a little of that l quit feeling.
Pm not quite clear about what hap
pened afterwards. They went away,
not far. I think. There's an old shed,
a cattle-shelter, near there, and 1
think the storm drove them under it
to wait for a slack. 1t seemed a long
time. Sometimes / was conscious,
sometimes l wasn't. l thought l
might be drowned, but 1 suppose the
rain was good for me. Then l remem-
Der being in motion, being dragged
and carried a long way. They took
me up a steep, short slope, and set
me down near the top. l knew that
was the railroad embankment, and l
thought they meant to lay me across
the track but it didn't occur to Them
l suppose-they are not familiar with
melodrama-and a long time after that
/ felt and heard a great banging and
rafting under me and all about me-
and it came to me that they had dis
posed of me by hosting me into an
empty freight car. The odd part of it
was that the car wasn't empty, for
there were two men already in it, and
l knew them by what they said to me-
They were the two shell-men who
cheated Hartley Bowlder, and they
weren't vindictive; they even seemed
" bc u AiiS " lltlp iliS d ilLtlt,
perhaps they were only stealing my
clothes, and maybe they thought for
them to do anything unpleasant would
be superfiuous; / could see that they
thought l was done for. and that they
had been hiding in the car when I was
put there. / asked them TO try to
call the train men for me. but they
wouldn't listen, or else couldn't make
myself understood. That's all The
rest Is a blur. ] haven't known any
thing more until these surgeons were
here. Please tell me how long ago il
happened. ] shall not die, / think.
there are r. good many things I want
10 know about" He moved restlessly
and the nurse sOothed him.
Meredith ross and left the room with
a noiseleas step. He went out 10 the
stars again. and looked 70 them 20
check the storm % rage and sorrow
that buffeted his bosom. He under
stood lynching, now the Thing was
home 20 him, and bis feeling Was no
inspiration ~ q fear lest the Law mis-
carry. it was the itch 10 get hts own
hand gW the Fnua HIaruaF came .ssff