Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-02-27

the pike toward home.
They'll make the eight miles in
three-quarters of an hour" said Judge
Briscoe proudly. He turned from his
daughter at his side to Miss Sherwood
who sat with Mr.. Fisbee behind them.
and pointed ahead with his wbin.
"gust beyond that bend we pass through,
Six Crossroads"
Miss Sherwood leaned forward ca ger
y. What did you mean last night
after the lecture" she said to Fisbea
when you asked Mr.. Martin who was
TO be with Mr.. HAIRLESS ?'
who was watching him" no an
swered.
watching him? L dom. unaar.
etnnd"
Eyes: they have shot at him from
the woods at night, and"-
"But who watches him?"
THE young men of the town. He
has habit Of taking long walks after
dark, and be Is needless of all remon.
STRANGE, so the young men have organ.
lied guard for him, and every even
ing one OF them follows him until he
goes to the Office to work for the night
II Is different young man each night.
and the watcher follows at a distance
10 that be does not suspect"
But how many people know Of this
arrangement
Nearly every one in the county ex-
cept the Crossroads people, though II IA
not improbable that they have discov.
cred It,"
"And has no one told himY
mo: he would not allow IL to con.
unue- be will not even arm bimselfn
"Tbey follow and watch him night
after night, and every one knows and
no one tells him? Oh. 1 must saw"
cried the girl, II think these are good
peoplew
The blackboard turned the bend In the
road. and they entered a squalid settle
ment built raggedly about black
smith shop and saloon. "I'd hate TO
have breakdown here" Briscoe re-
marked quietly.
Hair dozen shantjes clustered near
the forge, few roofs scattered through
tne shiftlessly cultivated fields, four or
nve barns propped by fence rails, some
sneds with gaping apertures through
winch the light glanced from side to
sfue, squad OF thin razorback hogs.
now and then worried by gaunt hounds
and some abused looking hens Croping
about 0isc0nsolately in the mire.
broken topped buggy with a twisted
wheel, settling into the mud of the
middle OF the road 0here was always
ABUNDANT mud here in the driest sum-
mer); dim face sneering from a bro
Ken window-Six Crossroads was for
bidding and forlorn enough by day.
The thought of what might issue from
II by night was unpleasant, and the
legends of the Crossroads, together
with an unshapen threat easily fancicd
In the atmosphere of the place, made
Miss Sherwood shver as though n cold
drift had crossed her.
ut Is so sinister" she exclaimed.
And so unspeakably mean! This is
where they live, the people that hate
ha@, is it? The White Caps?"
They call themselves that" replied
Briscoe Usually White Caps are a
vigilance committee in O region where
the law isn't enforced. These fellows
aren't that Kind. They got together to
wipe out grudges, and sometimes didn't
need any grudge-just made their raids
Tor pure devilment. There's q feud be-
tween us and them that goes back into
pioneer days, and only few of us old
folks know much about it."
And he was the first to try to stop
them?"
We'll. you see, our folks are pretty
long SUFFERING" said Briscoe apologet-
ically. WED sort of got used to the
meanness Of the Crossroads. 1t took
q stranger to stir things up, and he
ofd- He sent eight Of them to the peni-
tetltiary. some for twenty years."
AS they passed the saloon a man
stepped into the doorway and looked
at them. He was coatless and clad in
garments worn to the color of dust.
His bare head was curiously malform-
ed, higher on one side than on the 9th
er. and though the blackboard passed
rapidly and at distance this singular
iopsldedness was plainly visible to the
occupants. lending an ugly significance
10 his meager. yellow face. He was
tail, lean. hard. powerfully built. He
eyed the strangers with affected Ian
suor ana then. when they had gone by.
broke into sudden loud laughter.
mat was Bob Skillet. the worst OF
TIE lot, said the judge. HAIRLESS
sent his son and one brother to prison.
ana 1t nearly broke his heart that he
couldn't swear to Bob"
When they were beyond the village
ana In the open road again Miss Sher-
wood took deep breath. 81 think I
breathe more freely. That was hid
eous laugh he sent after US"
The judge glanced at his guests face
ana chuckied. Il guess we won't
iclghten you much" he said. young
iady, don't believe you'd be afraid of
Hiany things. would you? You don't
look IKE 1t. Besides. the Crossroads !
isn Piattvilie, and the White Cans
nave been too scared to do anything
Auch except try to get even with the |
herald Tor the last two years-ever
SINCE II went for them. They're law