The Pickens sentinel-journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1903-1906, 1905-07-26

tate g. t,,ind, MrA. Btickiey, til Whcl
30 back ah' tell 'ini the judges do
isioh don't know whit he'll do. A
inc piece O Hetu will BEND just 80
ar an then it'll break"
The old woman nodded dgain SLOWLY
md then said: "Wcll, iii go back in
ide This IS new wrinkle on me
It's considered right an proper fe.
'ollSs to go to the grave with Their kin
IN reckon thar ud be talk eff shirk
ed hearin' the sentence. but tell Georg,
I'll come down to the store afte
awhile"
"All right Mrs. Buckley. I'll tel
I'M"
AS Hillyer turned toward the gat,
to reach the little street which stretch
ed out, lined with cottages and brick
law Offices, TO the red brick freight dc
pot at the far end, one Of the loungcIS
OH the gruss rose and slouched toward
him.
"fIave they sentenced Buckley YETI"
he asked. "l'm n witness OH that barn
bumin' case, an Of it ain't a-goin' to
be called tonight Pm 0-goin' home"
"Its next on tho docket" the mer
chant Informed him.
The man had another question ready.
"Whats cotton bringin' today" he
asked. "I'vc got big white bale ready
fer the gin"
"Scven and three cights." answered
Hillyer and he walked on. On the
main thorougEfarc OF the town he had
to pass several brick stores where the
clerks and merchants stood amid the
heaps Of their wares on the narrow
brick sidewalks, and many Of them
asked about the Buckley trial. IIillyer
made short but conSlderate replies md
FASTENED past. On corner Of one Of
the streets running back to railroad
sidctrack, In the rear. stood his ware
house. Here he found his negro porter
busy with rnttling floor trucks loading
Il box car with bags Of grain. The Of.
flee was q commodlous room cut Off
In one Of the corners Of the big brick
building nEXt to the street. 1t con
taincd long walnut counter full of
drawers, With shelves overhead for old
lcdgcrs. commercial reports. dusty let
ter flies and wired punches Of bills. re.
ccipts anu cancelled bank checks.
George Buckley, handsome. dark
eyed young man Of twcnty-scvcn or
eight. sat on Il high stool writing in Il
ponderous ledger. Turning bis head
and seeing who 1t WAS, he removed his
heels from the rung OF the stool and
turned round. There was a steady
stare In his eyes ns he fixed them Oh
l,l
Ing face.
"You did not succeed" he said, his
lips tightening.
"No; he'd already made up his mind,
George" replied the merchant.
George Buckley turned suddenly and
bent over his ledger and took up bis
pen, but he did not dip it in the ink
stand. IIillyer could not see his face,
but he noted that the hand holding the
pen was quivcring. Suddenly Buckley
laid tlN pen down. and Hillyer heard
something resembling II sob or q gasp
escape him. then tho young man stood
down on the floor and reached for his
coat and pulled 1t OF. He was dcuthly
pale, his eyes were flushing strangely.
George, where arc you going?' The
old man caught his arm. but Buck
ley wrcnchcd it from his grasp.
"Lct nc alone. Mr.. Hlllyer," said he.
"For Gcd's sake, let me alone"
"All right, George; was Jest
about But his words fell dead on
the air, for Buckley had taken his hat,
pulled it on, and plunged out at the
door. For moment the merchant
stood like man turned to stone and
then he hurried back over the rough
floor through the warehouse to the
negro. a tall. middle aged man,
Jake" he said excitcdly, unable to
control Ills voice. drop yorc work an
run after George Don't let i'm see
you, but come back and tell me where
he goes"
"All right, Marse IIillycr," and, leav-
ing his trucks. the negro hastcncd out
at the side door Of the building and
sped up the street. IIlllyer went back
into the Office and sat down at his pri-
vatc desk. Once he lowered his head
to his crossed arms and 1t looked as
lf he were praying. IN few minutes
Jake returned. swinging his slouch hat
In his hand.
"Well?' gaspch Hillycr-"wcll?"
"iEe went fust to de postOfice. Marar
lliilyer, but he didn't put no letter in
nur wait to git amy. 1t looked to me
like he didn't know whar he was poIn'
ur what fer. Den he come on down by
llillhouse's bar. He stopped dnr an
looked In, don he come on slow like an
stopped agin. Den lie turned an
walked back an went In. went
round to dc back end Ell watched. lie
was at de counter pourin' him out a
dram. Marse Ulllyer."
"You shy he was, Jakc2" snid the
merchant. Jake. In the mornln'
want YOU to truck all that western
wheat over on the other side. It's tuo
damp where ii Is"
"All right. Mnrso IIillycr."
y moment after the negro had loft
the office George Buckley came in and
resumed his seat at the counter. lie
opened the big ledger. dipped his pen
md began to write. IIillypr wntchcl
him cautiously. His hand seemed
steady enough, but his cheeks were
o> >a3