The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1906-06-01
ACriminalC Chase
TOriRfnal.1

AAc lcdPeS were pudding on the trees,
the birds were singing. the sun was
shining down with Il grateful warmth.
l was thinking what IL happy world
this Is, after all, and how pleasant II
is to live. a man was walking briskly
toward me, and there was distant
sound Of wheels behind me. Then in
twinkling 1 heard IL report. The man,
who was within doze., yards Of me.
dropped. Naturally my first impulse
was to look about me, and, casting
quick giances, / saw thin smoke
floating from behind a tree to my right.
After hesitating q moment in which
direction to turn I ran forward to the
fallen man. Bright red blood was ooz+
Ing from wound In his left breast
and trickling over his coat. Directly
behind me heard thud as If some.
thing falling on the road and, turning.
saw revolver lying within ten feet Of
me. or course 1t had been thrown
here by the murderer to divert sus
picion from himself to me.
Meanwhile the sound of wheels drew
nearer, and a buggy In which a man
was seated turned bend In the road.
In the wood to the right was sound
Of cracking underbrush. The murder.
er was about to escape, and I was
standing over his victim with pistol
lying near. I run like deer in the
direction the cracking indicated, feel
Ing that my escape from a halter de-
pended upon my catching the murder.
er. AS ran could occasionally hear
him breaking his way through bushes
or over twigs. Then I heard shout
behind me:
Halt or I'll f1re!'
1t all passed through my mind like
fash. The man in the buggy must
have heard the shot. At any rate, no
had seen me run away, had driven on,
found both the body and the revolver
lying in the road, had picked up the
latter and was now threatening me
with it.
Ny mind was bent on one object
catching the murderer. Fear Of the
bullet. fear Of the scaffold, drove me
on, but, singularly enough, there was
another passion that spurred me far
more than fear. 1t was rage-rage Mt
the man who had sought to make me
suffer for his crime. No thought of
turning to explain matters to my pur-
suer entered my head. Such q course
would avail nothing. The murderer
would go on and he left with those
who, would scorn my story while he
secured safety.
Thus far ] had not caught sight of
the man on whose capture my life de-
pended, but now the wood grew thin
ner, and occasionally got glimpse Of
figure already darting around the
trunks Of the trees, occasionally Jump
ing fallen log. The mind is quick
and keen in danger. and it occurred to
me that when the pursuer came up
With me IN this open space he could
shoot me. cursed the moment that
l had neglected to pick up the weapon
myself, not SO much that I feared the
disadvantage which would come to me
when my pursuer should enter the more
open wood. but that the weapon would
have enabled me to bring down the
nun wanted.
A bullet fired from behind cut a twIa
over my head, and at the same time I
heard the crack Of pistol. A moment
later entered newly plowed field
and saw my man ahead disappear be.
hind barn. Beyond there was more
wood, fanked by fields, but I did not
see him enter either. was In the CEN
ter Of the plowed field, stumbling over
the furrows-for I was getting exhaust.
ed-'vhen my man behind reached the
edge of the wood.
felt something strike my arm. like
a stone, but felt no blood and con.
cluded 1t was spent pistol ball, It
urged me on, and, reaching the barn,
l cast a glance over tho strip of wood
beyond and It's fanking fields. saw
no one. My blood was still hot for the
chase. but my heart was pounding and
my strength was exhausted. Catching
Mt straw, turned into the barn In
the loft above heard sounds as of n
struggle. Climbing ladder, saW O
sight that astonlshed me. A man had
another pinned to the floor by lying
upon him and holding wrist with
each Of his own hands.
"Help to arrest this man." cried thu
one on top. : "He has committed mur
der" o'.'
- The man below relaxed his efforts
and In moment was passive between
us. ..--. t,':.., ..-.a. t..-.,...
Explain" said to the man as.
sisted.
was standing on the edge Of the
wood when this mani suppose 1t was
he--flred at the man In the road. I
saw tho victim fall and saw You 60 up