The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1912-09-14

for him. he could not know; and the
impulse to act forsook him.
He smote his hands together in a
hopeless beaten gesture. And Muir
rell had gone weak-with his own
eyes he had seen DECENTRALIZATION
he believed without fear! He felt that
he,had been grievously betrayed In
his trust and hot rage poured
through him. At last he climbed in
to the saddle. and, swaying like a
drunken man, galloped on
When he reached the river road
he paused and scanned its dusty sur
face. Hues and his party had turned
south when they issued from the wood
path. No doubt Murrell was being
taken to Memphis. Ware laughed
harshlyN The outlaw would be free
before another dawn broke.
He had halted near where Jim had
turned his team the previous night
after Betty and Hannibal had left the
carriage: the marks of the wheels
were as plainly distinguishable as the
more recent trail left by the four men.
and as he grasped the significance OF
that wide half circle his sense of in
jury overwhelmed him again. He
hoped to live to see Murrell hanged!
He was so completely lost in his
bitter reflections that he had been I'M
aware Of mounted man who was
coming toward him at swift gallop,
but now he heard the steady pounding
of hoofs and. startled by the sound,
looked up. A moment later the horse
man drew rein at his side.
"Ware!" he cried.
How are you. Carrington?" said
the planter.
You are wanted at Belle Plain" be-
gan Darlington. and seemed to hesi-
tate.
"Yes-yes, | am going there at once
now" stammered Ware, and gath
cred UP his reins with shaking hand
You've heard. take it?" said Car
rington slowly
YES" answered Ware, in hoarse
whisper. MY God, Darlington. I'm
heart sick; she has been like daugh-
ter to mel" he fell silent, mop
ping his face.
Il think understand your feeling"
said Darlington. giving him a level
glance
Then you'll excuse me-" and the
planted clapped spurs to his horse.
Once he looked back over his shout
der; he saw that Darlington had not
moved from the spot where they had
met.
AT Belle Plain. Ware found his
neighbors in possession of the place.
They greeted him quietly and spoke
In subdued tones of their sympathy.
The planter listened with an air OF
such abject misery that those who had
neither liked nor respected him, were
reused to sudden generous feeling
where he was concerned: they could
not question but that he was deeply
affected. After all the man might
have a side to his nature with which
they had never come In contact.
When he could he shut himself in
his room. He had experienced a day
of maddening anxiety: he had not
slcpt at all the previous night: In
mind and body he was worn out: and
now he was plunged into the thick OF
this sensation. He must keep control
Of himself, for every word he said
would be remembered. In the pres
ent there was sympathy for him. but
sooner or later people would return
to their sordid Unconditional Judg-
ments.
He sought to forecast the happen
ings of the next few hours. MurreIps
friends would break jail for him, that
was foregone conclusion; but the
Instruction he had planned was at
an end. Hues had dealt its death
blow. Moreover. though the law
might be impotent to deal with Muir
rell, he could not hope to escape the
vengeance OF the powerful class he
had plotted to destroy; he would have
to quit the country. Ware gloated in
this idea Of craven flight. Thank
God, he had seen the last OF him.
But. as always, his thoughts came
back to Betty. Slosson would wait at
Hicks place for the man Murrell had
promised him. and. falling the mes
senger. for the signal fire, but there
would be neither: and Slosson would
be ielt to determine his own course OF
action. Ware felt certain that he
would wait through the night, but as
sure as the morning broke, II no word
had reached him. he would send one
of his men across the bayou. who must
learn Of Murrells arrest. escape, flight
for in Wares mind these three
events were indissolubly associated.
The planters teeth knocked together.
He was having a terrible acquaint-
ance with fear. its very depths had
swallowed him up; it was black pit
in which he sank from horror to hor-