Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-12-18

membered the unsparing character o
their own warfare, and were conscious
Of innumerable outrages, such as hat
driven Frampton to outlawry, the!
stood their ground bravely enough
Parrying the first stroke Of their as
| sailants, who had every advantage
they dashed aside from the path, ant
strove to escape by plunging in every
direction through the swamp. Blu
with the loss of the ridge, which Sin.
gleton with his few troopers now ira
versed in all directions, they lost al
chance Of extrication. They founder
ed from slough to"slough. while, dis
mounting and on foot, the Wings pur-
sued them. The cry for quarter or
all hands ended the combat, and the
survivors were drawn forth to become
prisoners. They threw down theil
arms, generally, and were spared; one
who resisted was cut down by Davis
who had shown himself a true man In
close contest; and one strove to es-
cape by turning back upon his path
and plunging on through the swamp
in an opposite direction to that taken
by the rest but there was an eye up
on him, quickened by hate. and dead
ly hostility which nothing could blind
"a footstep which he could not evade
The fugitive was the sanguinary
corporal Of Tuck-a wretch who al
ways carried the cord at his saddle
bow for sudden executions. and enjoy
ed nothing so we'll as its employment
His pursuer was the maniac Framp-
ton. That fierce man had singled out
this one antagonist, and throughout the
brief struggle, in which he bore an &C.
tive part, had never once withdrawn
his glance from him. But for this, the
wretch might have escaped; and even
then, had no guilt or fear paralyzed
his energy or judgment, his chances
might have been good; but he held
too long to his horse, and lost that
time, in trying to urge him along the
track he had taken, which, on foot, he
might have pursued much more effec-
tually. The animal became entangled
in some water vines. and before he
could get him free, or even get from
his back, the pursuer was plunging
into the swamp, with drawn sword
waving overhead. and but few PAGES
from him. Leaping from his steed,
which he left struggling, the fugitive
made for the opposite bank, and reach
ed Il before Frampton had yet got
through the slough. But even this ad-
vantage did not serve him long.
Though brave enough, the corporal
seemed at that moment to lack much
Of his wonted firmness. Probably he
knew the pursuer, had heard his sto-
ry, and dreaded his vengeance. 1t
was not improbable, indeed, that he
himself had been one Of those con-
cerned in the assault upon Frampton's
wife. II so, the fight Of the one and
the concentrated pursuit of the other
were both natural enough. Guilt Is
apt to despair, and to sink into imbe-
cility, in it's own consciousness OF
crime, and in the presence Of the true
avenger. Still, for a moment, there
was a show of spirit. He wheeled,
and confronted the pursuer with a
word of defiance; but the moment af-
ter, he turned again in flight. He ran
over the tussock upon which both of
them now stood, and, bounding through
pond that lay in his way, made of
for close cover Of cypress that grew
at a little distance.
Should he gain that cover, his safety
would most probably be certain, as he
would then have gained on Frampton,
and had long since been out Of reach
of the rest. But II the one ran with
the speed of fear, madness gave wings
to the other. The fugitive looked over
his shoulder once as he flew, and he
could see in the eye of his pursuer that
there was no pity, nothing but death;
and utterly vain must be his cry for
quarter. Perhaps he felt this convic-
ton only from a due consciousness of
what he deserved from his own afro
cities. The thought increased his
speed but, though capable and elastic
enough, he could not escape the man
who rushed behind him. Defying wood,
water, and every obstruction, the fierce
wretch pressed close upon the fugitive.
The corporal felt the splashing OF the
water from his adversary's feet; he
knew that the next moment must be
followed by the whirl Of the sabre; and
he sank motionless to the ground. The
blow went clean over him. but though
IL carried Frampton beyond him, yet
he did not fall. The maniac soon re-
covered. and confronted the corporal.
who now found 1t impossible to fly:
his hope was in fight only. But what
was his lifted weapon against that of
his opponent, welded by his superior
strength, made terrible by madness!
The sword was dashed aside-dashed
down in the heavy sweeping stroke
with which the other prefaced the con-
flict.
Mercy! Mercy" cried the corporal
as he saw that it was all over. A
howl like that of the wolf was the only
response, and the weapon bit through
the bone as the arm was unavailingly
thrown up to resist it. The stricken
member hung only by the skin and a
part Of the coat-sleeve. The steel was
ol In tho air-
Mercy, Frampton! have mercy"
The speech was silence, as. crushing
through bone and brain, the thick
sword dug it's way down into the very
eyes of the pleader. The avenger
knelt upon the senseless body, as II
lay at his feet. and poured forth above
it a strain Of impious thanksgiving to
Heaven for so much granted and gain
ed of the desired vengeance. His wild
wolfish laugh, at intervals while he
prayed, taught the rest of the party
where to look for him.
To be Continued.
ga A year and a half ago the munich
pality of Orbe, in the Canton Of Vaud
Switzerland, placed artificial nests ir