Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-02-06
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VAUGHAN KESTER lAMsaRN
Copyrsh. BobbsMsrM Company \MNRyNHax
ESTABLISHED 1855.
Copyright 1911 The BobbsMerr Company
CHAPTER XIV.
The Cabin Across the Bayou.

Tom Ware was seated alone oVel
his breakfast. He had left his bed as
the pale morning light crept across
the great fields that were alike hi
pride and his despair-what was the
use OF trying to sleep when sleep was
an impossibility! The memory OF thai
tragedy at the church door was a BLACK
horror to him; it gave substance tc
his dreams, 1t brought him awake
with writhing lips that voiced his feal
in the dead stiffness Of the night. The
DAYS were scarcely less terrible. Steel
ed and resolute as his will could make
him, he was not able to speak Of what
he had seen with composure. Being
as he was In this terribly perturbeo
state he had shirked his morning toilet
and presented a proportionately hag-
gard and unkempt appearance. He
was about to quit the table when big
Steve entered the room to say there
was a white fellow at the door wished
to see him.
Fetch him along in here" said Ware
briefly, without lifting his bloodsho,
eyes.
Brought into his presence the white
fellow delivered a penciled note which
proved to be from Murrell, and then on
Wares invitation partook Of whisky
When he was gone. the planter order
ed his horse, and while he waited for
it to be brought up from the stables,
re-read Murrelrs note. The express
sion Of his unprepossessing features
indicated what was passing In mis-
mind, his mood was one Of sullen re-
bellion. He felt Murrell was bent on
committing him to an aggregate OF
crime he would never have considered
possible, and all for love Of girl-a
pink checked, white-faced chit Of a
girl-disgust boiled up within him.
ragged choked him: this was the rot
ten spot in Murrell's makeup, the man
was mad-stark mad
AS Ware rode away from Belle
Plain he cursed him under his breath
with vindictive thoroughness. His
own inclination toward evil was never
very robust; he could have connived
and schemed over a long period OF
years to despoil Betty of her property
he would have counted this legiti-
mate field for enterprise; but murder
and abduction was quite another thing,
would wash his hands of all fur
ther connection with Murrell, he had
other things to lose besides Belle Plain,
and the present would be as good a
time as any to let the outlaw know
he could be coerced and bullied no
longer. But he had a saving recollec-
tion Of the way in which Murrell dealt
with what he counted treachery; an
unguarded word, and he would not
dare to travel those roads even at
broad noon day, while to pass before
a lighted window at night would be
to invite death; nowhere would he
be safe.
Three miles from Belle Plain he ell
tered bride path that led toward the
river; he was now traversing part
of the Quintard tract. Two miles
from the point where he had quilted
the main road he came out upon the
shores of a wide bayou. Looking
across this he saw at distance of half
a mile what seemed to be a clearing
of considerable extent, 1t was the first
sign Of human occupation he had seen
since leaving Belle Plain.
An impenetrable swamp defended the
head Of the bayou which he skirted
Doubling back as though he were going
10 retrace his steps to Belle Plain
finally he gained a position opposite
the clearing which still showed re-
motely across the wide reach OF slug
gish water. Here he dismounted and
tied his horse, then as one tolerably
familiar with the locality and its re-
sources, he went down to the shore
and launched a dugout which he found
concealed in some bushes; entering
It he pointed it's blunt bow in the d.
rection Of the clearing opposite. A
growth Of small timber was still stand
ing along the waters edge, but as he
drew nearer, those betterments which
the resident Of that lonely spot had
seen fit to make for his own convent
ence, came under his scrutiny; these
consisted Of a log cabin and several
lesser sheds.
A,,I rfrNd
the simple expedient Of dragging hall
it's length out of the water, he ad'
yanced toward the cabin. AS he dio
so he saw two women at work heckline
fax under an open shed. They were
the wife and daughter of George
Hicks, his overseers brother.
Morning, Mrs. Hicks" he said, ad'
dressing himself to the mother. hulk
ing ruffian of woman.
"Howdy, sir?" she answered. Hel
daughter glanced indifferently II
Wares direction. She was fine strap
ping girl, giving that sense of physica
abundance which the planter admired
They'd better keep her out OF Muir
rells way" he thought; aloud III
said, ."Anybody with the captain?"
Colonel Fentress is"
"Humph!" muttered Ware. He NOV.
ed to the door Of the cabin and pushing
II open, entered the room where Muir
rell and Fentress were seated facing
each other across the breakfast table
The planter nodded curtly. He had moi
seen Murrell since the murder, and the
sight Of him quickened the spirit o'
antagonism which he had been nurs'
ing. You roust a fellow out early
enough" he grumbled, rubbing his
unshaven chin with the back Of his
hand.
81 was afraid you'd be gone some.
where. Sit down-here, between the
colonel and me-" said Murrell.
We'll, what the devil do you want
of me, anyhow" demanded the plant
er.
"How's your sister. Tom?" inquired
Murrell.
Il reckon she's the way you'd expect
her to be-" Ware dropped his voice
to a whisper. Those women were JUS