Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-12-11
CHAPTER XI.


broke out so violently that l really
feared for his reason. And 1t was
mainly nv fault, for read him pas
sionate poem, the outcry Of a madden
ed soul, and he swore that it had been
written for him, that it was MIS- ano
| caught his spirit and fancied that ne
miyht have written it, for / beiieVeo
then, as l believe now, that grea'
things do not come from a quiet heart
that quiet hearts may criticise, out
that they do not create, that genius Is
a condition, an agony, tortured John
Bunyan.
l went to the spring to get bucket
of fresh water, and when l returned
Alf was nowhere to be found. l went
ont and shouted his name, but no an
swer came back. l went out into the
woods, walked up and down the road
but could see nothing of him. Ihe
shadows fell short and the old people
and Guinea and Chyd returned from
church, and the noon tide meal was
spread, but Alf came not. But save
with me there was no anxiety, as ne
was wont to poke about alone, they
said. Evening, bed time came. Chyd
went home, and went up to my room
heard the old man locking the smoke
house door-heard his wife singing a
hvmn. heard Guinea's faint footsteps
AS she returned from the gate, whlther
she went to bid her lover goodnight
and her little feet fell not upon the
path. but upon my heart. / went 10
bed. leaving the lamp burning low, ana
was almost asleep when heard ALI on
the stairs. He ran into the room with
both hands pressed against his head.
sn,ang up. He ran to me and dropped
upon his knees at the bedside, drop
ned and clutched the covering ana
buried his face in it. 1 put my arm
about him, knelt beside him, heard his
smothered muttering, and put my face
against his, BILL he gasped in shtV-
ering whisper, Bill, have killed him!
"Merciful Cod" l cried, springing
back. He reached round, as If to draw
me down beside him. Hush, don't let
them hear down stairs. Come mere
Bill"
lifted him to his feet, turned him
round so that l could see his face. 1t
was horror stricken. Il have killed
-DaF-S'tHart." -.-
He stood with both hands on my
shoulders looking into my eyes.
Wait a minute and I'll tell you. 1t
wasn't altogether my fault He ought
be be dead. He tried to kill me. l
left here without any thought Of see
ing him; didn't want to see him.
went away over yonder into the woods.
I heard you calling me. Later In the
day I came out near the wagon max
ers shop, and several fellows were
sitting there, and 1 stopped to answer
a question somebody asked me, and
pretty soon here came Stuart. He
grinned at me, but this didn't make me
want to kill him. Do they hear me
down stairs?'
GO on, for Gods sake!" l urged.
why did you kill him? Didn't you
know"
"I knew everything. Bill. But /
didn't want to kill him. turned
away, and walked up the road, and he
came along after me on his horse. Ano
when we were some distance away he
made a sighting remark about Millie.
I wheeled around and he snatched out
a pistol and pointed it at me. hadn |
a thing, and there he was on horse
and with a pistol pointed at me. There
was not a stone nothing within reach.
l was cool, had sense, and told him
that he might have his fun, but that
I would see him again. And when he
had cursed me and abused me as much
as he liked he rode away, leaving me
standing there. l ran over to Parker's
and told him that l wanted pistol 10
shoot a dog with, and he gave 1t tC
me. Then l went back to the road and
waited. He had gone over to the gen.
erals, l thought, and l know that ne
would come back that way. l Woulo
make him swallow his words-I knew
that he didn't mean what he said about
Millie-knew that he simply wanted
t. stir me up and have an excuse to Kill
me. So l waited in the road not far
from Doc Etheredge's, waited long
time and at last l heard some one
coming on a horse. l didn't hide;
stood in the middle Of the road. man
came up, but it wasn't him; 1t was
Etheredge. He spoke to me, asked me
good naturedly why l was standing
there, and l told him that was wait
ing for a dog that l wanted to Kill
He turned into his gate, q snort dis
tance off, and l stood there. After a
while l heard another horse, and
knew his gait-singlefoot. 1t was Stu
art. He was singing and he didn't ap'
pear to see me until he was almost on
me. His horse SHE'D. Who is that?
he asked, and l told him. And you are
going to take back what you said
remarked as quietly as l could, or I'm
going TO kill you right here He didn't
say word-he snatched at his pistol
and then l fired, and he fell forward or
his horses neck. The horse jumped
and l sprang forward and caught the
body and eased it to the ground
stretched it in the road and left 1t
But went up TO Etheredge's house
and halloOed. and when he answered
told him that the dog had come anc
that his name was Dan Stuart, and tha'
he would find him lying in the road
| heard him shout something, but
didn't wait for him to come out, ou
went into the woods and came or
home. And now I've got to GO
Go where?" l asked, facing hin
round as he strove to turn from me.
ITO town to give myself up. Don
tell the old folks tonight. Tell then
in the mOrning-tell them that theyl
find me in jail"
strove TO restrain him; coult
scarcely believe what he had told me
asked him if he had not been dream
ing. He shook his head, pulling away