The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-05-16
CHAPTER XIV.
The Bubble Bursts.

At about the same hour that the
judge was hurting threats and insults
! at Colonel Fentress, three men were
waiting ten miles away at the head OF
the bayou which served to isolate
, Hicks cabin. Now no one OF these
three had ever heard Of Judge Slocum
Price; the breath Of his fame had
never blown, however gently, in their
direction, yet they were preparing to
thrust opportunity upon him. 10 this
end they were loungihg about the
opening in the woods where the
horses belonging to Ware and Murrell
were tied.
, At length the dip of oars became
; audible in the silence and one OF the
trio stole down the path, matter OF
! fifty yards, to point that overlooked
the bayou. He was gone but mo-
ment
Its Murrell all right" be said in
an eager whisper. Him and another
fellow-the Hicks girl is rowing
them He glanced from one to the
other of his companions, who seemed
to take frmer hold of themselves un-
der his eye. It'll be all right" he
protested lightly. Hes as good as
ours. Wait till give you the word"
And he led the way into an adjacent
thicket.
Meantime Ware and Murrell had
landed and were coming along the
path, the outlaw a step or two in ad
vance of his friend. They reached the
| horses and were untying them when
the thicket suddenly disgorged the
three men; each held cooked pistol;
two Of these pistols covered Murrell
and the third was leveled at Ware.
"Hues!" cried Murrell in astonish-
ment, for the man confronting him
was the Clans messenger who should
have been speeding across the state.
"Toss up your hands, Murrell," said
Hues quietly.
One of the other men spoke.
"You are under arrest"
! Arrest"
"You are wanted for nigger-steal-
Ing" said the man. Still Murrell did
not seem to comprehend. He looked
at Hues in dull wonder.
What are you doing hereY he
askeds
waiting to arrest you-ain't that
plain?" said Hues, with grim smile.
The outlaws hands dropped at his
SIDE limp and helpless. With some
idea that he might attempt to draw
a weapon one of the men took hold
of him, but Murrell was nerveless to
his touch; his face had gone a ghast-
ly white and was streaked with the
! markings of terror.
"Well, by thunder!" cried the man
in utter amaZement
Murrell looked into Hues face.
"You-you-" and the words thick
; ened on his tongue, becoming an in
articulate murmur.
Its all up, john said Hues.
"No!" said Murrell, recovering him.
self. YOU may as we'll turn me loose
You can't arrest me-"
tive done it," answered Hues. 1--WE
been on your track for six MONTHS
How about this fellow" asked the
man whose pistol still covered Ware.
Hues glanced toward the planter and
shook his head.
Where are you going to take me?"
asked Murrell quickly. Again Hues
laughed.
You'll find that out in plenty OF
time, and then your friends can pass
the word around If they like; now
you'll come with me-"
Ware neither moved nor spoke as
Hues and his prisoner passed back
along the path, Hues with his hand
on Murrell's shouler, and one OF his
companions close at his heels, while
the third man led off the outlaws
horse
Presently the distant clatter of
hoofs was borne to Wares ears-only
that; the miracle Of courage and dar-
ing 10 had half expected had not hap
rened. Murrell, for all his wild boast
ing, was like other men. Like himself.
His bloodshot eyes slid around in
their sockets. There across the sun
lit stretch of water was Betty-the
thought of her brought him to quick
choking terrors. The whole fabric OF
crime by which he had been benefited
In the past or had expected to profit
in the future seemed topping IN upon
him, but his mind clutched one i'm
portant fact. Hues, if he knew Of
Bettys disappearance, did not con-
meet Murrell with it. Ware sucked in
comfort between his twitching lips.
Stealing niggers! No one would be-
lieve that he, planter, had hand in
that, and for brief instant he con-
. sidered signaling Bess to return. Slos-:
son must be told of Murrell's arrest.
but he was sick with apprehension,
some trap might have been prepared
for him, he could not know; and the
impulse to act forsook him.
He smote his hands together in
hopeless, beaten gesture. And Muir
rell had gone weak-with his own
eyes he had seen ADMINISTRATION
he believed without fearI He felt that