The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-23
coov,;sb.. 1908. by HARPER BROTHERS
George Euc.i!eE &c' I'll put daylight

George I;lEAtc. 49, II puS N"s 'iSN
through you-'
There WAS 1 sound of a struggle
stifed oaths and the clash Of revolver
as it struck the pavement. 1t was fol
lowed by grumbiing words, hot dis
putting and-silence.
sYou are q set Of towards. SAID
Buckley, running like 4 pr, * OF wolves
after poor boy for what ne said and
did when he was drunk. Now, clear
out, the last one Of YOU. You know
who I am-and you know If there IS
any one of you. or any three. that want
to hold NE responsible for this step
I'll be on hand Has any one here any
row to pick with Jeff Truitt, then let
him speak up. I'll represent him. I'm
in q fighting mood tonight and Will
satisfy just as many as will apply.
An he'll do it. too, boys" said an
admiring voice. 'Buckley's got the
right stuff in i'm! Come on, let's &c
home. George seems friendly to the
cuss, an any friend O. his is safe as
fur as I'm concerned. ,.
Same here" joined in another voice
"Buck. yo're ali right, but that's q
Gern slack wad yo're takin' up fer, as
shore as yo're knee high to duck.
well, he's my friend, and I'm bis
mothers friend" said Buckley. \
mob like yours shan't send his corpse
He'd be about as much use to 'er
that away as in his natural condition,
laughed a man near the front. But
eff she bankers after i'm, an Buckley
wants i'm to live on, III withdraw my
claim. This is the sort Of rabbit hunt
don't much like nohow."
+ a laugh rose and went round. 1t was
favorable sign. George lowered his
revolver Go homo, boys" he salo
YEARLY. I'm sorry I spoke as did
lust now. You are all my friends;
can see that. Good night
They stood for an instant as If IN
certain what step to take, but Buckley
last words had completely disarIned
them. Slowly they disbanded and
struggled away When they We're al
lost in the darkness George closed the
door and locked it. Just then JEFF
Trritu emerged from the darkness in
the interior of the building and, with
hanging head and downcast eyes, drew
near.
ooh. George" he faltered. Il wish
they had killed me. I'm q coward.
was afeard of 'em-afeard Of 'cm"
1T wasr'l that ny Joy: don't you be-
Iieve it, sand George co3$ojinSlE. You
were simply Stsn:rclcd. Tie best sol
dicrs are that way when they see
Overwhelming numbers approaching.
You've got grit, but they tell me you
have to fill :;p With whisky TO float it"
But you wasn't afeard Of en- vail
ed the boy
"Yes. l was-at first said Buckley.
II shook all over. and then got drunk
with rage. just like you co oa whisky.
It's the same thing-just as wide as
its long. Don: you bother; you'll
fight, Jeff. II I'd thought YOU were i
coward I'd never been the friend to
you am. Ny Lord, don't remember,
away back at the log schoolhouse, how
Press Tiffton builicd you ali day, pinch
Inc you, calling you names, and finally,
when lie began to bump your head
against tie wall, you turned in and
gave him the worst licking he ever
had? He had black eyes and puffy
laws for q week. Some men are that
way-justGon't like trouble and stay
away from it till it's showed on them.
How did they happen to come here for
you:'
They went home after me, reckon, y
said the boy, "an' when they found out
was here they come on to get liquor
an settle with me- Eff you was me,
George, what would you do-go home
tonight? You know the folks will be
a-worryin'.'
NO; you Stay here and sleep with
me-" said George I'm not going to
risk you anywhere else tonight
They went back to the bedroom,
Buckley carrying the light. AS they
passed the big tireproof vault in the
office JEFF said, Looks like it would
be resky to leave jest one man here
with whole lot O money in safe
like that, George"
1T has a combination lock" Buck-
ley told him 1T would take an ex-
pert burglar several hours to open it..
and the noise would wake me. That's
why I sleep here. Nearly all the poor
people in the mountains and here IN
town deposit their savings with US.
It's a big responsibility, but the safe
and vault are the best in the state.
They are better than those at the bank
uptown, an that's why the people
want to deposit with us. It's lot OF
trouble but 2fr. Hillyer likes to accom-
modate them.
And thar's always i lots o money
in the safe, reckon said jeff.
Thousands Of dollars, my boy" re-
piled Buckley: but it's ireproof, and
the risk is very little, as l told you. /
am in this room every night, and when
I 60 away Kcnner sleeps here"
But thar's another thing you haln't
thought off, said jeff. Robbers some
times slip up on a man, git i'm well
covered an then force i'm to open q
safe. What would you do in a case
Ike that, George
Buckley laughed. Il haven't thought
Of that, I'll admit" he answered; but,
with the responsibility on me like it is,
I believe Id die fighting rather than
voluntarily give in
THAT nd be foolishness,' said Jef-
whats money-even 2 fortune-to q
mans lifc:'
Its different with me, my boy"
George placed the lamp on the little
table. You could give in and many