The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1908-08-26
b HARRY sTILWELL EDWARDS

B On Ending herself The focus of So many
eyes. the negro was brought forward.
She hsd seen the face o. The robbef
Who entered her room. and whom she
had beaten of. ia a dim light only. but
It's every feature vas indeHbly upon
heF memory. The sight Of that face
again stilled her beating heart and
Gained every nerve. Her level gaze
sought lis eyes. but theF would not
meet it Once. once only. they rested
o. he- face. No pity. no mercy. was
there lt vas the face OF a Judge aud
an eXecutioHar She had not spoken
Ehen shrieks broke the stiffness and
a negro woman, who had come across
tAe cotton field plunged into the light
and. falling. clasped the girls knees.
The womaa was almost breathless
Etth excitement and exhaustion. SIZE
had rln from the distant cabin where
the negro had been seized. lie was
her BOY. and came but seldom 10 this
plantation. and then only TO escape the
consequences of crime elsewhere.
Don't do il. missy-foi Gods sakcl
q warnt him. No. 70 God. it Warut
hiI. he been deFe al night, Say It
~aFng him. hoBey-yo mammy's boy
honey. An she nussed you an you-ni
Yo' sisters died Ia my arms. Speak
missy. Tell EN- quick. honey, 1t
VsTn't NANNY my's-mammy's boy"
TIE girl reached down and rested
her hand on the head OF the Old wo.
man Her face was white aud her
voice barely audible.
Hush, mammy!a She looked latent.
ly on the brutal face OF the prisoner.
Eho mad been brought closer, A shud.
der shook her form, but she did not
turn away her eyes. The words she
spoke then we're inaudible to any OF
the group except her father. He start.
ed violently.
Child. Child" he cried, a look Of
fear on his face. Remember what you
are doingls
What does your daughter say. col
onel?" asked the leader
The planter paused and looked on
the girl whose struggle TO be calm was
apparent to all He waited IN vain.
That this is not the mani" he said
at length.
The amazement OF the crowd was
evident, though there was no immedl.
ate response. The members drew
slowly into little groups. The leader
sat his horse. thoughtfully regarding
the girl.
III she's sartin. thar aIn't nothin'
for US to do but turn him loose ard trJ
agin. MY young frien' are you sartln
that this ain't ther man who went into
yo' room tonight" The girl looked
appealingly towards him, the negro
woman patting her hand and moaning.
4 am certain" she said. and her
white face was not turned away. The
old man gazed steadily into it and
lifted his hat
Every man In the party read the
meaning OF hts action and every hat
was lifted as the woman and girl with.
drew.
Colonel" he said. when they were
gone, under this statement OF tn case
we can't do nothln' but turn tn man
loose. In a courthouse, II she went
thar. as you wouldn't have her, 20
daughter would acquit tn prisoner
Public opinion wouldn't indorse any
Whence on our part Boys. unite him"
The negro was being united. his
hands extended for the purpose. when
the man who was working at the knot
paused, looking intently at the pris-
oner's wrist He called the leader and
whispered to him: and as he whispered
the negro sought to draw the wrist
back under the rough shirt sleeve.
IN tn struggle. colonel" said the
leader, coming now to where the IA.
therstood thoughtful and depressed. his
eyes bent on the fiickerlng FIRE, did
yo' daughter say anything erbout er
wound she made? Try an remember
please, sah-it may save her comm
back"
None whatever The pistol she
held was seized and would have been
wrenched from her but that In her
desperation she succeeded in Wait!
Watt" he cried, rushing forward.
There must have been a wound! Look
for wound on his wrist"
The negro's arm was seized and, in
spite of a frantic struggle on his part
to conceal It. the print Of the girls
teeth, where they had sunk into the
flesh. became visible He would have
cried out but hand was laid over
his mouth until a gag had been found.
Stay here, colonel, said the leader
as the party mounted and rode away
with their prisoner We won't need
no help"
The planter remained lie waited
sadly by the fire until Peter extln-
guished It and then passed slowly to
the house.
Through the still open window he
saw his daughter on her knees, con.