Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-06-23

which I have been called it is we'll. II
l fail, it is also well. I have done my
duty and obeyed the call to the service
of my fellow-man!"
Again he paused as his voice choked
with deep emotion. The crowd star
ed as If in a spell.
THE scene you are enacting here
this morning is a disgrace to human
ity. You have surrendered to the un-
meaning fear that drives herd OF
swine over a precipice. You have, by
an act of your will, Joined in a move
ment to paralyze the motive power OF
the world-faith! There Is but one
thing that runs this earth of ours for
single day-faith in one another.
You are scrambling here for a few
dollars i'm this bank. What can you do
with it when you draw it out? There
Is not enough cash In the world to
transact a single days business. Bus
mess is run on credit-faith.
Faith is the sustaining force of all
personal and social life; a panic Is its
end-a lapse to the level of the beast
of the field whose life Is ruled by fear.
Banks were not made as strong
boxes for the boarding Of money.
Money was boarded in strong boxes
centuries before banks were invented.
Banks are institutions of public credit,
to facilitate the useful circulation OF
money, not its withdrawal from use.
The business of a bank Is to keep
money moving and make 1t do the
worlds work. You are attempting TO
stop the work by the destruction OF its
faith"
Suddenly a man who had quietly
pushed his way through the crowd
sprang on the step before the speaker
and thrust a revolver into his face.
A cry of horror swept the crowd, as
Stuart paused, turned pale and looked
steadily down the flashing barrel into
the madman's eyes.
who started this work Of destruc-
tion?" he cried YOU YOU Do
you hear me? And I've been COM
manded by God Almighty to end this
trouble by ending you!"
AS Stuart held the glittering eyes
levelled at him across the blue black
barrel he could see the mans nervous
and uncertain finger twitching at the
trigger.
For the first time In his conscious
existence he felt the singing anguish
of physical fear. Never had life-life
for its own sake with strong sound
limbs and alert mind-seemed so
sweet. At the first touch Of fear his
tall body had suddenly stiffened and
the pallor of death shrouded his face.
The next instant came the conscious
shame and horror Of the moments
cowardice. The crowd that watched
the tragic situation had not known,
but he knew and it was enough. His
face flushed red and his deep set eyes
began to sparkle with anger, the red
animal-a anger of power wrought to in
sane fury. Every nerve and muscle
and sinew quivered with the desire to
kill, a consuming passionate desperate
lust! His fingers closed involuntarily
as the claws of a beast and he drew
his breath with trembling intensity.
For one brief instant he hated all
men. Not merely the fool who had
shamed his soul with fear but all the
mob of kissing bowling brutes that
surged about him and all the millions
like them that crawl over the earth.
There was a pause Of only a few
seconds while these ideas flashed with
the vividness Of lightning through his
imagination. The crowd noted no
pause of any kind His acton seemed
instantaneous.
With a sudden panther-like spring
he leaped across the five feet which
separated him from the man who held
the revolver. His left hand gripped
the weapon and threw it into the air as
1t was fired while his right hand closed
on the throat Of his assailant. With
his knee against the mans breast he
hurled him down the steps, wrenched
the revolver from his hand and with
a single blow knocked him into insen-
sibility.
The spell was broken. The mob that
hated him saw their chance. A yell OF
rage swept them, and dozen men
sprang toward him with curses. For a
moment he held his own, when sud-
denly a well directed blow from behind
knocked him down.
He sprang to his feet instantly,
climbed on the shoulders Of the mass
of enraged men who pressed on him
from every direction and attempted to
walk on their heads toward the two
detectives who were fighting their way
toward him. He made two successful
leaps missed his foothold and fell In
the arms of his enemies. In blind fury
he felt the smash of blows on his face
and head. A stream Of blood was
trickling down his forehead and It's
salty taste penetrated his mouth. with
a desperate effort he freed his hands
and knocked two men down.
A sudden crash from space seemed
to send the world into a mass of fam
ing splinters and the light faded. He
heard the soft rustic of silk and felt
the pressure of a woman's lips on his.
Surely he must he dead was the first
thought that flashed through his mind.
And then from somewhere far away in
space came Mans voice low and tense:
Come back, Jim, dear, I've some
thing to tell you. You can't die, you
shall not die until I've told you!
A tear fell on his face and he knew
no more until suddenly, into the dark
cave i'm which he lay dead a ray OF
sunlight flashed.
He opened his eyes and found Nan
bending over him. His hand rested on
her soft arm and his head lay pillowed
on her breast.
Why, Nan, it's YOU"
Her lips quivered. She closed her
eyes and murmured:
Thank God, you're alive!"
IL.