Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-04-16

~ and tncn set them back. Smith
turned toward Meredith. but the latter
made gesture which forbade the at
torney to speak to him and went to a
corner and sat down, with his head in
his hands.
A sleepy young man had been
brought in. and he opened a notebook
and shook stylographic pen so that
the ink might flow freely. The law
yer, briefly and with unlegal agitation.
administered an oath, and then there
was silence.
Now, Mr.. Harkless, IL you please"
said Barrett insinuatingly, "if you feel
like telling US as much as you can
about it."
He answered in a low, rather indis-
tinct voice very deliberately. pausinc
before almost every word. 1t was
easy work for the sleepy stenographer.
Il understand. 1 don't want to 90
on my head again before finish. II
IT were only for myself should tell
you nothing, because II I am TO leave
l should like 1t better If no one were
punished. But that's a bed conmC1i
ty over there. They are ,everlartilUiy
worrying our N ople. Thty've slN s.t
been a bother 10 us, and it's fine r.
was stopped for good. / ,ion't eINN
vszJ much in, >unishm( Ia It,
can't do great deal of reforming with
the Crossroaders unless you ca tch them
young, before they're weaned. They
wean them on whisky, you know.
realize you needn't have sworn me for
me to tell you this
Horner and Smith had started at the
mention of the Crossroads, but they
subdued their ejacula tons, while Mr..
Barrett looked as if he had known ii.
OF course. The room was STILL save
for the dim voice and the soft tran
scribings of the stylographic pen.
Il left Judge Briscoe's and went west
on the pike to a big tree. 1t rained.
and I stepped under the tree for shell.
ter. There was a man on the other
side of the fence-Bob Skillet. He
was carrying his gown and hood
suppose 1t was that-on his arm. Then
i saw two others n little farther east
in the middle of the road. l think
they had followed me from the Bris-
Goes or near there. They had their
foolish regalia on, as all the others
had. There was plenty of lightning
to see. The two in the road were sim
ply standing there in the rain looking
at me through the eyeholes in their
masks. l knew there were others
plenty-but l thought they were com.
Ing from behind me-the west.
AZ wanted TO get home-the court
house yard was good enough for me
so | started east toward town. | pass.
ed the two gentlemen, and one fell
down as / went by him, but the other
fired shot as a signal, and l got his
hood off his face for it. / stopped
long enough. and il was Force John
son. l know him well. Then ran
and they followed, A little ahead Of
me | saw six or eight of them spread
across the road knew I'd have a
time getting through, so / jumped the
fence to cut across the fields. lit In
a swarm Of them. 1t had rained them
Just where I jumped. / set my back
to the fence, but one of the fellows in
the road leaned over and smashed my
head in, rather-with the butt of a
gun, l believe. / came out from the
fence, and they made little circle
around me. No one said anything. /
saw they had ropes and saplings, and
/ didn't want that exactly, so j went
in to them. got good mauy masks
or before it was over, and can swear
to quite number besides those ] told
you"
He names the men slowly md cai'e-
fully. Then he Went on: ~ think they
gave up the notion OF whipping. we
all got into a bunch, and they couldn't
get clear to shoot without hitting some
Of their own, and there was lot OF
and kicking. One fellow near
ly got my left eye, and tried to terS
him apart, and he screamed a good ;
deal. Once or twice / thought i might
get away, but somebody hammered me
over the head and face again, and / got
1izzy, and then they all jumped away
from me suddenly, and Bob Skillet
stepped up and-and shot me. He
waited for a furry of lightning, and j
was slow tumbling down. Some one q
Use fired shotgun, think, can't be
sure, about the same time from the
Idle. / tiled to get up, but couldn't,
md then they got together for a con-
ultation. The man had hurt-I didn't
ecosnize him.-came and looked at me.
Re was' nursing himself all over and
roaneI, and laughed, think; at any
ate my arm was lying stretched out
q the grNss, and he stamped his heel
ito INV lha Nd and after little Of that
quit feeling.
I'm not ouh &c clear about what hap
ened afterwar, 4. They went away
IT far. | think. %bere's an old shed.
title shelter. nea. there, and l think
e storm drove the IN under 1t to wait
r a slack. 1t seel Sed' ong tiIhe'
'metimes / was cons Vious, sometimes
wasn't. Thought / might De
owned, but 1 suppose sne ram was
cd for me. Then / RENE. caoer being III
otion. being draga ed ami carried a
lg way. They cargt ed me Ap steep