The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-07-02

ThGy Recognized Dim ana rhisfu w
on him and let him have 1t. What they
done II with don't know. We took
everything in that Line Of Of 'em.
prob'ty used railroad iron. and what
they done with him aftsrward we don't
know. bot we will By night They'll
sweat IL out Of 'em up at Rouen when
they get en-"
II reckon maybe some OF ~ might
hsip," remarked Mr.. Watts renecuvely.
Jim Bardiock swore violent oath.
that's the talkr' be shouted "Ef !
Amt the first man OF this crowd TO set
my foot In Roowun and first 10 beat In
that jail door I'm not town marshal
OF Piattviile, county OF Carlow. state
Of Indiana. and the Lord have mercy
on our souls"
Tom Martin looked at tho brown
stain and quickly turned away. Then
be went back slowly to the village.
On the way be passed Warren Smith.
els Il sof' asked the lawyer.
Martin answered with dry throat
He looked out over the sunllt nelds
aud swallowed once or twice. "Yes,
It's so. Therss good deal Of II there.
Little more than boy he was.' The
old fellow passed bis seamy hand o7er
his eyes without concealment Peter
amt very bright sometimes, Il seems
TO me-" he added brokeniy; Overlook
Bodeffer and Fisbes and me, and all
of us old husks, and-and"-he gulp-
cd suddenly. then finished-"and act
the fool and take boy that's the beat
we had. wish the Almighty would
take Peter Of the gate. He ain't ut
fer t."
when the attorney reached the spot
where the crowd was thickest, way
was made for him. The old colored
man, Xenophoii, approached at the
same time, leaning on hickory stick
and bent very far over. one hand rest
Ing on his hip a. II TO ease rusty
Joint. The negro's age was an incentive
10 fable, From his appearance he
might have known the prophets. and he
wore that hoary look of unearthly wis
dom which many decadzs Of super
stitious experience sometimes give 70
members OF his race. His face, 30 tor
tured with wrinkles that II might have
been made OF innumerable black
threads woven together. was living
mask OF the mystery OF bis blood
Harkless had once said that Uncle
Xenophon had visited heaven before
Swedenborg and hell before Dante. To
day AZ he slowly limped over the des
his eyes were bright and dry under
the solemn lids, and. though his heavy
nostrils were unusually distended In
the effort for regular breathing. the
deeply puckered lips beneath them
were set firmly. He stopped and look
ed at the faces before him. When hs
spoke his voice was gentle. and. though
the tremuiousness Of age harped on the
vocal strings. Il was rtgidly controlled
"Kln some kline gelmuu." be asked
spiease Z be 80 good ez t show de ol,
main whuh de w'ite Caips Is done
shoot Marse Hawklissf''
Here was where 1t happened. Uncl'
Zen," answered Wiley. leading him for
ward. Here Is the STAIN"
Xenophon bent over the spot on Ii,
sand. making little odd noises In hii
throat. Then he painfully resumeC
bis former position. "Dass his blood,
he said In the same gentle. QuaverinI
tone. 'Dass my bes' frien' whut lay
on de groun' whay yo' staind. gelmun
Dass whuh dey laid i'm. an dAss whul
be lie." the old negro continued. "Dey
shot i'm In de tiel's. Dey ain't shot In
heah. Yondeh dey druggen I'm, bu
eis whuh he lle." He beat over again
then knelt groanlngIy and placed bill
hand on the stain, one would havt
said, as man might place bis hanf
over heart to see II II still beat. III
was motionless, with the air OF heark
ening.
"Marse, honey, Is you goner Ht
raised his voice as IL calling, ''Is 20
gone, suh-marseI"
He looked up at the circle about him
and then, still kneeling. not taking hi
hand from the sand, seeming to wal
for sign to listen for a voice, he said
"Whafo' yo' gelmun think de goot
Lawd summon Marse Hawklissi Kas'
he de mos flttes'? You know, dat mar
he ketch me in de cole night wintut
10 lais. stealth Is wood. You know
whut he done Z de ole theft TEX an
buir up big tiah cen ole Zen shainty
Say: Hep yo'sef, an welcome. Reck
on you hongry, too, ain you, Keno
phonr TEX an feed me, TEX an tel
keer O. me ev' since. Ah pump de BATH
full In de mawn', mex Is bed, pull d.
weeds outn de front walk; dass all
He tex me In. When All ask I'm ain
he 'fraid keep ole thief he say, jesse
'Dass all my fault, XenOphon; oughI
look you up long go; ought know Ions
go you be cole desc bald nights. Reck
on Ah'm de thievenest one us two
Xenophon. keepin' all dis wood stock
up when you got nome he say, jesse
TEX me In; say be lahk thief; pay me
sala'y; feed me, Dass de main whut
de Caps gone shot lals' night" HI
raised his head sharply. aud the mys
terry in his gloomy eyes intensified al