Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-08-05
CHAPTER VII.


room. He rose and stood listening.
The sound was repeated.
"Who's there" he called out
"Its me, George" answered Hill.
yer's voice II want to see you a
minute. You needn't dress. live
got a key to the front door, but I was
afeard you mought jump up an shoot
before you found out who 1t was"
Buckley's delay in answering show
ed his surprise at the unusual visit.
Hillyer heard him strike a match and
saw him in the light it furnished as
George applied it to the wick Of his
lamp.
"All right, Mr.. Hillyer," he said.
"come in"
In a moment the merchant opened
the great, rattling door in front and
came slowly back to his clerks apart
ment.
"Git back in bed" said he. 1--WE
got my overcoat on an my teeth are
chatterin'. I feel like wasn't nothin'
but skin an bones"
"Why, it's not cold, Mr.. Hillyer."
Buckley was now dressed, all but his
coat, and he hastily drew it on and
sat down on the bed. Hillyer re-
mained standing in the middle Of the
room, staring wide eyed and pale faced
at his clerk. Then he bethought him.
self Of a chair and drew one to him
and sank into 1t.
"You went to call on Miss Lydia to-
night, didn't you, George"
Eyes, sir. was there till about 10
o'clock"
MAXIM any progress, George? 1
mean
"I'm not trying to make any prog
ress, Mr.. Hillyer," said the young man
quickly. 1--WE are simply friends-thats
ALL"
It was as II the merchant had not
heard the reply to his question. He
stared blankly at Buckley for a mo-
ment, and then, with groan, he buried
his face in his hands and rocked back
and forth like q man In pain. Sudden
ly he said:
"George, I'm in a awful-awful hx!'
Buckley found himself unable to
formulate reply. He could only
answer the astonishing statement with
an almost alarmed stare.
George, I'm sufferin'-sufferin'. It's
that old thing. thought after my talk
with you down here awhile ago that
I would feel better, but it's back ag'tn
like a million devils had hold O every
nerve in my brain an body. Fer the
last week it has been CROWN wuss an
wuss, an now eff some'n' hain't done
I'll jest die. But must tell you. You
know said hadn't spoke about 1t fer
thirty year to single soul, an talkin'
to you here that night seemed to do
me some good, an so tonight when l
couldn't sleep I thought I'd come to
you"
'I'm glad you came, Mr.. Hillyer."
"You remember, George, I said that
Hank Williams, the man whose testi-
mony had cleared me, was livin' In
TexasT"
ayes, remember you said that, Mr..
Hillyer."
"Well, Jest q week ago last Thursday
he come back to this county to see his
old friends an kin. When ! heard
bed come l was settin' at my desk.
Kenner an Hanks was a-talkin', an
one Of 'em mentioned 1t. All my
strength went out O. me, fer they said
he'd got religion an was leadin' up
right life. Do you know what I'm feared
Of now, George? I'm afeard he's come
back toto ak me toto let i'm con-
fess the truth. They say men will git
that away as they nigh the grave, an
he's gittin' old. Some'n's wrong,
know, fer he acts quar- in not comm
to see me. I'm as nigh crazy as a
man ever was. Do you know what i
done last night? 1t was as dark as
pitch, an I knowed nobody wouldn't
see me. You know the old livery sta
BILE whar the shootin' occurred is still
standin'. I had never been past It
since then. I Jest couldn't. But last
night, in the pitch dark an drizzlin'
rain, got out'n bed an went thar an
knelt down right whar he fell. an
begged an begged God to let me die
then an thar an face whatever was
a-comin' to me, even eff 1t was eternal.
I want my punishment-the rail thing
to begin, an 80 on an on ef it's Gods
will. l don't care how long. I cayn't
stand this uncertainty. Hank VIII
liams intends to come to me, but he's
putin It off to the last minute. But /
want him to spout it all out an be done
with it. Eff he don't, will. Then tonight
l went up to the graveyard an picked
out Lynn Hambright's grave an laid
down ON it amongst the weeds an
briers an prayed to his bones to rise
up an do some'n'. AnythinSs better
than this awful silence Of God an
man."
With his hands tightly pressed over
his face the merchant sat. breathing
heavily. George Buckley stood over
him, his handsome face heavy with
pity.
"Is there anything-anything on
earth that l can do, Mr.. Hillyer" he
questioned. 81 would do anything to
relieve you. I'd cut off my right arm
to do you service
"Yes. you can do some'n'," said the
merchant. looking up and staring stead
ily. You know how l feel. want
you to take my hoss an ride out 10
Williams the fust thing in the morn