The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-10-04

HSaSs--1,------..s saA.>
!. "A naom acas leaning ouer the top rasl
G1sd looking at ha1:s.
his common sense awoke, and he look
ed about him. he was two miles from
{ town. The nearest house was the 6ris
Goes, far down the road He knew the
rain would come now. There was big
oak near him at the roadside, and he
stepped ander its sheltering branches
and leaned against the great trunk.
wiping the perspiration and dust from
his face. A moment Of stunned quiet
had succeeded the peal of thunder. 1t
was followed by several lmoments OF In
Z eessant lightning that played along
the road and the fields. From that in
tolerable brightness he turned his head
! and saw. standing against the fence,
i've feet away, a man, leaning over the
top raiIsa sand looking at him.
The same fash swept brilliantly be-
fore Heien's eyes as she crouched
against the back steps Of the brick
house. It revealed a picture like a
marine Of big waves, the tossing tops
ef the orchard trees, for in that, second
the full fury Of the storm was loosed,
wind and rain and hail. 1t drove her
against stheeSkitehen doorsewith7 cruel
force. The latch lifted, the door blew
open violently, and she struggled to
close it in vain. The house seemed to
rock. A candle fickered toward her
from the inner doorway and was blown
out.
ssHelen! Helen came Minnie's voice
anxiously. '.Is that you? We We're
coming to look for you. Did you get
wet?
Mt. Wnletts threw his weight against
the door and managed to close it. Then
Minnie found her friends hand and
led her through the dark hall to the
parlor, wtere the Judge sat placidly
reading by a student lamp.
Lige chuckled as they LEFT the kitch-
en-. 81 guess you didn't try too hard
TO shut that door, Harkless," he said.
and then when they came into the
lighted room, why. where is Hark-
& sess?. he asked. Didn't he come with
rs from the kitchenY
aNo,'' answered Helen family. 'SHe's
gone. sfe sank upon the sofa and
put her hand over her eyes as if to
shade them from too sudden light.
sGone.r' The Judge dropped his book
and sat staring across the table at the
girl sGone. WhenY
.eTen minutes an hour
don't know. Before the storm COM
menced.'
4ohw The old gentleman appeared
TO be reassured Probably he had
work to do and wanted to get in before
5 the rain
But Lige Wil,etts was turning pale.
(Which way did he go? He didn't
come around the house. We We're out
there till the storm broke
"He went by the orchard gate. When
he got to the read he turned that way
She pointed to the west.
Gle must have been crazy" eNclaim'
ed the Judge. What possessed the fel-
low
II couldn't stop him. I didn't know
how" She Looked at her three COM
panions. slowly and with growing ter
ror. from one face to another. Min
MES eyes were vide. and she had un
consciously grasped Lige's arm. Th,
young man was staring straight before
8 him. The judge got Up and wake.
nervously back and forth. Helen rose
TO. her feet and wene toward the Ole
man, her han.;S pressed TO her bosom.
n1h. she cried out. q had forgoI teY
that, You don't think they-you dom
think he
81 k.ow what I think" Lise hrc,l'
in 81 think ia ought to be hanged 70
letting him out of my sight. Maybe IL
eli right. Maybe he turned and started
right back for town-and got there
But / had no business to leave him
ana If / can I'll catch up with hin
vet" He went to the front door ano
onening it. let in tornado OF wind an
feed of water that beat him 5acS
s. sheets of rain blew in horizontally L
spite Of the porch beyond.
Briscoe followed him. Don't be
soe,. Lise.' he said You hardly eS
nect to go out in that Lise shook n
head. 1t needed them both to get th
door closed The young man ieane'
his back against it and passed hi
sIeeve across his wet brow. Z hadn'