Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1907-12-19

up. MY voice seemed 70 come from
miles away and to belong to some
other man.
That's 1t, you're all right" said
the voice encouraglngly, and about
the half of Niagara fell on my face.
Then the mists before my eyes
cleared away, and found that ! was
on the floor of the inner bedroom and
Wainwright had emptied a water jug
over me. The light of a small kero-
sene lamp gave a gloomy illumination
to the place. Lockhart and H'itzhugh
leaned against the door, and Wilson
bent with Wainwright over me. The
boy was sitting on the bed, crying
shrilly over the melancholy situation.
What is it?" / asked, gathering my
scattered wits. "What has happened?"
We've been ljcked' said Vain
wright regretfully. The rest of the
boys got took, but we got in here.
Fitz and me seen the nasty knock you
got, and dragged you back, and when
we got you here the paror was full
of the hounds, and Porter and Abrams
and Brown was missing. We found
you was cut, and we've tried to fix
you up
locked at my bandged arm, and
put one more count in the indictment
against Terrill. He had tried to stab
me over the heart at the time he had
wrenched free, but he had merely
slashed my arm. 1t was not a severe
wound, but it gave me pain.
"Only a scratch" said Wainwright.
envied the philosophic calm with
which he regarded it,
It'll heal" | returned shortly
where is the other gang? Are they
gomez
NO; there's half dozen of 'em
out in the parlor, l reckon"
you'd better tell him." said Fitz-
hugh, shifting an unpleasant task.
well" said Wainwright, I'VE heard
orders given to shoot the first man
that comes out before morning, but
before all to kill you if you sticks your
nose outside before sun-up."
The amiable intentions of the vic
tors set me to thinking. If it was i'm
portant to- keep here till morning, it
must be important to me to get out.
There was no duty to keep here, fof /
need fear no attack on the boy who
was with us. looked at my watch,
and found it was near. / o'clock.
: Tie those blankets together" or
dered, as soon as | was able to get
my feet.
The men obeyed me in silence while
Wainwright yainly tried to quiet the
child. / was satisfied to have him
cry, for the more noise he made the
( less our movements would be heard. l
had a plan that l thought might be
carried out.
While the others were at work, |
cautiously raised the window and
peered through the shutters. The
rain was falling briskly, and the wind
| still blew a gale. | thought ! dis
tinguished the dark figure of a man
on guard within a few feet of the
/ building, and my heart sank.
/ How many are in the parlor, Viii.
SOM" asked,
! Wilson applied his eye to the key
hole.
Cant see anybody but that one
eyed fellow, Broderick, but there
might be more"
/. A flash of memory came to me, and
1 felt in my pocket for Mother Bor.
tons mysterious scrawI Give that to a
one-eyed man." she had said. 1t was
forlorn hope but worth the trying.
Hand this to Broderick,' / said, "as
soon as you can do it without any
ones seeing you"
/ Wilson did not like the. task, but
he took the envelope and silently
brought the door ajar. His first in
vestigations were evidently. reassur-
ing, for he soon had half his body out
side.
He's got it," he said on reappear,
ing.
A little later there was a gentle tap
at the door, and the head of the one
eyed man was thrust in.
ITS as much as my LIES worth, "
he whispered What do you want me
to do?"
How many men are in the street
below here?"
There's one, but more are in call"
Well l want him got out of the
way"
That's easy" said Broderick, with
diabolical wink OF his one eye. TN
have him change places with me-"
Good How many men are here?"
you don't need to know that.
! There's enough to bury you"
Have Meeker and Terrill gomez
Tom? He's in the next room here,
and can count it mercy Of the saints
If he gifts out in a week. Meeker's
gone with the old man. Well, | can't
stay a-gabbin' any longer, or I'll be
caught. and then the divil himself
couldn't save me"
| shuddered at the thought of the
"old man. and the shadow of Dodd-
ridge Knapp weighed on my spirits.
"Are you ready for an excursion,
| Fitzhugh?" / whispered.
IIa noOdpd accent