Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1911-08-24
cHAPTER v.-(continued.l


II dunno, Massa, | done heerd 'em
talk some bout dey plans, an, bout
some gal dey wanted ter fin, but
didn't git no right sense to It De
Gin'ral. he was might still man."
The General? Whom do you mean !?
Not Waite'?"
John SitleY done called him dat
Then Keith remembered Just a.
dim, misty thread at first, changing
slowly into clear recollection. He
was riding with dispatches from Long
street to Stonewall jackson, and had
been shot through the side. The
flrst of Jackson's troops he reached
was a brigade Of North Carolinians.
commanded by General Waite-Gen-
eral Willis Waite. He had fallen from
his horse at the -outposts, was brought
helpless to the Generals tent, and an
other sent on with the papers And
Mrs. Waite had dressed and bandaged
his wound. That was where he had
seen that woman's face before. with
its haunting familiarity He drew the
locket from beneath his shirt, and
gazed at the countenance revealed.
with new intelligence. There could be
no doubt--it was the face OF her who
had cared for him so tenderly in that
tent at Manassas before the fever
came and he had lost consciousness.
And that. then. was Willis Waite W
ing In that shallow grave near the
Cimmaron Crossing. and for whose
death he had been arrested. Twas a
strange world. and small one. What
miserable ending to life like his
q division commander of the Army OF
Northern Virginia, a Lieutenant-G Gov
ernor Of his state. What strange
combination OF circumstances could
ever have brought such man to this
place, and sent him forth across those
Indian-scouted plains? Surely nothing
ordinary. And why should those Dor
der desperadoes have followed.
through sixty miles Of desolation, to
strike him down? 1t was not robbery.
at least In the ordinary sense What
then? And how was BLACK Bart" in
Nolyed? Why should he be sufficient
~ interested to swear. out a warrant.
and then assist in his arrest? There
must be something to all this not APP
parent upon the surface-some object,
some purpose shrouded in mystery.
No mere quarrel. no ordinary feud. no
accident of meeting, no theory of COM
monplace robbery. would account for
the deed, or for the desperate efforts
now being made to conceal 1t.
Some way. these questions. thus
surging upon him, became call to
live to fight. to unravel their mystery
The memory of that sweet-faced wom-
an who had bent above him when the
fever began It's mastery, appealed to
him now with the opportunity Of serv-
ice. He might be able to clear this.
bring to her the truth save her from
despair. and hand over to justice the
murderers of her husband. It was up
to him alone to accomplish this-no
one else knew what he knew, suspect
ed what he suspected And there was
but one way-throrgh escape. To re-
main there In weak surrender to fate
could have but one ending. and that
swift and sudden. He had no doubt
rs to "Black Bart's" purpose, or OF his
ability to use the Red Light" outfit
as desired. The whole plan was clear
~ evident. and there would be no de-
lay In execution all they were wait
ing for was night, and a lax guard. He
glanced about at the walls of the
room. his eyes grown hard. his teeth
e1enched.
"Neb, he said shortly, Il guess that
was your outfit all right, but they
were not killed by Indians. They
were run down by gang from this
town--the same fellows who have put
You and me IN here. don't know
what they were after Mats to be
found out later.-bu the fight you put
up at the camp spoiled their game for |
once. and led to your arrest. They
failed to get what was wanted In
Carson. and SO they trailed the party |
70 tho Cimmaron Crossing. Then I /
got ON their track. and fearing the re-
suit, they've landed me also. Now |
they'll get rid Of us both as best they /
can. These fellows won't want any
trial-that would be- liable to give the
whole trick away-but they have got
TO put US where We won't talk. There
IL an easy way to do this. and that Is
BY q lynching bee. Do You get my
DRIFT. Neba"
The whites Of the negro's eyes were
very much In evidence. his hands grip
ping at tia bench on which he sat.
-Fo' de- Lawd. yes. Massa Jack.
aho' doeas eorrcborates de whole
thing
.arha,, -, -. ,.,,,,,.