Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1912-11-01
! within my jurisdiction, and he


beamed blandly ON Fentress.
It's lie! cried the colonel
: You'll answer for that later!" said
the judge, with abrupt austerity OF
tone.
For all we know you may be some
fugitive from justice. Why, your
name isn't Price!"
Are you sure Of that?s asked the
Judge quickly.
You're an impostor! Your name
is Turberville!"
Permit me to relieve your appre-
tensions, 1t is TurberyiIle who has
received the appointment Would you
like to examine my credentials?-l
have them by memo? | am Obliged
for your introduction. 1t could not
have come at more timely moment"
The judge seemed to dismiss Fentress
contemptuously Once more he faced
the packed benches Put down your
weapons he commanded. This man
Murrell will not be released. At the
first effort at rescue he will be shot
where he sits-we have sworn this
plotting is at an end" He stalked
nearer the benches. Not one chance
In thousand remains to him. Either
he dies here or he lives to be taken
before every Judge in the state, II
necessary, until we find one with cour-
age to try him! Make no mistake
1t will best conserve the ends of JUS
t1ce to allow the state courts juris-
dlction in this case; and | pledge my
self to furnish evidence which will
start him well on his road to the gal
lows" The judge, tremendous pres
ence, stalked still nearer the benches.
Outfacing the crowd, sense OF the
splendor of the part he was being
called upon to play flowed through
him like some elixir; he felt that he
was transcending himself, that his in
spiration was drawn from the hidden
springs of the spirit, and that he
could neither falter nor go astray.
You don't know what you are med
ding with! This man has plotted to
lay the south in ruins-he has been
arming the negroes-it is incredible
that you should all know this-to
such | say, go home and thank God
for your escape! For the others
his shaggy brows met in a menacing
frown-"if they force our hand we
will toss them John Murren's dead
carcass-thats our answer to their
challenger
He strobe out among the gun muz-
zles which wavered where they still
covered him. He was thinking of Ma
haffy Mahaffy, who had said he was
still a man to be reckoned with For
the comfort of his own soul he was
proving 1t.
Do you know what servile insur-
rection means you men who have
wives and daughters, have you
thought of their fate? OF the mon
strous savagery to which they would
be. exposed? Do you believe he could
limit and control it? Look at him!
Why, he has never had a considera-
ton outside of his own safety, and yet
he expects you to risk your necks to
save his! He would have left the
state before the first blow was struck
his business was all down river.
but we are going to keep him here to,
answer for his crimes! The law, as
implacable as it is impartial, has put
its mark on him-the shadow in
which he sits is the shadow OF the
gailows!"
The judge paused but the only
sound in that expectant silence was
the heavy breathing OF men. He drew
his unwieldly form erect. while his
voice rumbled on, aggressive and
threatening in its every intonation.
You are here to defend something
that no longer exists. Your organ
ization is wrecked, your signals and
passwords are known, your secrets
have become public property can
even produce a list of your members:
there are none OF you who do not
stand in imminent peril--yet under
stand, | have no wish to strike at
those who have been misled or
coerced into Joining Murrel's band!"
The judges sodden old face glowed
now with the magnanimity of his SEN
timents. But | have no feeling OF
mercy for your leaders, none for Muir
rell himself. Put down your guns,-
you can only kill us after we have
killed Murrell-but you can't kill the
law! If the arch conspirator dies in
this room and hour, on whose head
will the punishment fall?' He swung
round his ponderous arm in sweep
ing gesture and shook fat but ex-
pressive fore-finger in the faces OF
those nearest him. "On yours-and
yours-and yours!'
Across the space that separated
them the judge grinned his triumph
at his enemy. He had known when
Fentress entered the room that a
word or a sign from him would pre-
cipitate riot, but he knew now that
neither this word nor this sign. would
be given. Then quite suddenly he
strobe down the aisle, and foot by
foot Fentress yielded ground before
his advance. A murderous light
flashed from the judges bloodshot
eyes and his right hand was stealing
toward the frayed tails of his coat.