Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-29
feited life? He would not have time


suspicious"
Lorimer unlocked the door Of the cell
and went in. What Is the matter,
Grier?" he asked.
Il am getting tired Of this" said
Grier sullenly. "A mighty little more
and I would have given the whole
thing away, and then where would the
sheriff of Bradley te?"
Speak lower!" said Lorimer. Here
is your money, Grier."
| Grier struggled to his feet.
| "No-not yet" Lorimer's keener ears
had caught the sound of muff1ed voices
and his heart grew cold. You will
have to wait a little, Grier. I will see
that you get your chance-later."
"Lorimer," exclaimed Grier, ION your
honor, there is nothing wrong? I can
leave here in an hour?"
I'm less than a hour" said Lorimer.
| "Yes-on my honor
He closed the door behind him and
went outside. The jail was a flimsy af-
| fair, i'll constructed to resist assault
Five or six men, Cartwright among
them, stood outside whispering togeth-
er. The whispering ceased as Lorimer
appeared.
Once outside the jail, the sound.
| made by an advancing multitude was
plainly audible. The night was a dark
one, and a thin rain was falling.
What is 1t, boys?" asked Lorimer.
The Jail is to be attacked" said
Cartwright. 1.-The streets outside are
thronged with men. Most Of them are
sober, but a few Of them have been
drinking at the Spread Eagle since be-
fore supper. The sober ones are the
| worst. I hate to say it, Mr.. Lorimer.
but there is nothing we can do. have
seen the crowd and know what l am
talking about. They don't want to
hurt anybody"
do you mean that you are standing
in with the mob, Cartwright" asked
Lorimer deliberately.
mo, don't. I do mean, though
and I don't care who hears me say it
flee of life, and that is what this thing
is going to amount to If we resist.
I'VE will resist, however" said Lori
mer, still playing to the gallery, al
though fifty feet away the dark bulk Of
the mob could be dim.y seen through
the gloom and falling rain. "A word
with you, Cartwright"
They walked little to one side to-
gether.
"Grier thinks that he has some claim
upon me-" said the sheriff hurriedly.
I'VE went to school together, you know
And there Is going to be a devil Of
row, Cartwright, when he finds out
that I am not able to do anything for
him. If he apeals to the crowd"
He won't appeal to the crowd" said
Cartwright. He won't get chance. I
don't mind telling you, Lorimer, that
this thing will be rushed through in a
hurry"
Lorimer muttered something which
the other could not hear. Then there
came a hail from the darkness.
us that you. Lorimer? We want the
keys Of the jail. In q hurry. too. Do
you hear?"
Come and get them, them" said
Lorimer boldly, strong in the knowl-
edge that no harm would be allowed to
come to him in any event. Hold your
fire. boys" he said in a lower voice.
There was a murmur-a shout-and
Lorimers pistol exploded in the face
Of the mob, harmlessly. He was over
thrown, and there was rush into the
Jail over his PROSTATE body. 1t seemed
to him that only a moment Of dazed
confusion had passed when he found
himself standing upright again and
looking down the barrel of pistol. A
man stood at each elbow. Some one
had dragged Grier from his cell with
rope around his neck. Sanders and
Doty as we'll as Cartwright had mys-
teriously vanished; the place was lu-
minous with torches, and by their far
ing light, Grier bleeding, dusty and
disheveled, faced Lorimer steadily.
He hurled curse at the sheriff
once, but some one struck him across
the open mouth with pistol, and the
rest of the sentence was drowned in
rush of blood. 1t was a cowardly blow
and, somehow, Lorimer felt that Cart
wright must have dealt 1t, although he
had not seen him since the jail was
rushed by the mob.
He tried feebly to protest-too fee
bly,.
This is as good place as any," said
rough voice. "Here-over that tim
ber, boys with the rope. Now stand
aside, please. You may as we'll save
your breath. Mr.. Sheriff."
Grier was dragged under the heavy
rafter and the rope fastened more Sc
curely about his neck.
Say, boys, give him chance for a
last word, will you?" said burly
Irishman, and the rope was loosened.
1t had been drawn too tightly however
| The body collapsed like bag Of rotten
grain when the rope was removed. and
Grier slid forward on his face.
Lorimer made one step forward then
fell back HE is dcad!" he said, and
| there was a little catch in his voice.
Not much. Here, boys, bring some
water" said one Of the men.
Some one brought a pail. and the
contents were dashed over the unhap-
Nv man, who staggered to his feet, wip-
ing the blood and water from his face
with his sleeve as he arose.
Have you anything to say before
we swing you up?" somebody asked.
The tortured, baited creature faced
them resolute!y, with all the fear gone
from his face. The blood was still
flowing from his mouth, but, half suf-
focated, he looked beyond them all at
Lorimer's shrinking figure.