The Tupelo journal., 1909-02-19

wv 1922
the Sinner" He was ~red-headed, fat
and filthy, and his little red eyes
burned in his head like the eyes Of
an angry pig.
Barris went through his pockets
methodically while P%ierpont held him
and l held the torch. The Sinner
was a gold mine; pockets, shirt, boot
legs, hat, even his dirty fists, clutched
tight and bleeding, were bursting with
Jumps of soft yellow gold. Barris
dropped this "moonshine gold" as We
had come to call it, into the pockets
of his s~hooting-coat, and withdrew tc
question the prisoner. He came back
again in a few minutes and motioned
his mounted men to take the Sinner
in charge. W. watched them, rifle on
thigh, walking their horses slowly
away into the darkness, the Sinner
tightly bound, shutting sullenly be
tween them.
"Who is the Sinner" asked Pier
pont, slipping the revolver into his
pocket again.
"a moonshiner, counterfeiter, forger
and highwayman," said Barris, land
probably a murderer. Drummond will
be glad to see him, and think it like
ly he will be persuaded to confess to
him what he refuses to confess to me-
Wouldn't he TALK" l asked.
Not a syllable. Pierpont, there is
nothing more for you to do"
For me to do? Are you not coming
back with us, Barris?"
mo" said Barris.
We walked along the dark road In
silence for a while, l wondering what
Barris intended to do, but he said
nothing more until we reached our
own veranda. Here he held out his
hand, first to Pierpont, then to me,
saying good-by, as though he were go
ing on a long journey.
How soon will you be back?' ]
called out to him as he turned away
toward the gate. He came across the
lawn again and again took our hands
with a quiet affection that / had never
imagined him capable of.
Il am going" he said, ito put an
end to his gold-making tonight.
know that you fellows never suspected
what | was about on my little solitary
evening stroTls after dinner. l will
tell you. Already | have u~nobtrusive'
ly killed four of these goldmakers-
my men put them under ground just
below the new wash-out at the four.
mile stone. There are three left alive
the Sinner whom we have, another
criminal named Yellow or 'Yeller,'
in the vernacular, and the third
1.-The third" repeated Pierpont, ex-
citedly.
''The third / have never yet seen.
But / know who and what he isl
know; and if he is of human flesh and
blood, his blood will flow tonight"
AS he spoke a slight noise across the
turf attracted my attention. A mounted
man was advancing silently in the
starlight over the spongy meadowland.
When he came nearer Barris struck a
match, and we saw that he bore a
corpse across his saddle bow.
"sYaller,' Col. Barris," said the man,
touching his slouched hat in salute.
This grim introduction to the corpse
made me shudder, and, after a mo-
ment's examination of the stiff, wide
eyed dead man, / drew back.
Identified said Barris, take him
to the four-mile post and carry his
effects to Washington-under seal,
mind, tombstone"
Away cantered the rider with his
CHASTITY burden, and Barris took our
hands onee more for the last time.
Then he went away, gayly, with q
jest on his lips, and Pierpont and
turned back into the house.
For an hour we sat moodily smoking
in the hall before the fire, saying little
until Pierpont burst out with: Il
wish Barris had taken one Of us with
him tonight"
The same thought had been run
ming in my mind, but I said: "Barris
knows what he's about"
This observation neither comforted
us nor opened the lane to further con
versation, and after q few minutes
Pierpont said goodnight and called for
Hewlett and hot water. When he had
been warmly tucked away by Hewlett,
I turned out all but one lamp, sent the
dogs away with David and dismissed
Hewlett for the night.
/ was not inclined to retire, for !
knew could not sleep. There was a