Putnam patriot., 1912-05-10

fellow-the Hicks girl is rowing them" He glanced from one to the other of his companions. who seemed to take firmer hold of themselves un- der his eye. It'll be all right" he protested lightly. Hes as good as ours. Wait till l 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 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 a 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!"
 "Arresti"
 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 here?" he asked.
 Waiting to arrest -aint that plain7" said Hues, with a 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 well turn me loose you cant arrest mel"
 I've done it." answered Hues. I've 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.
 "Youu 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 Murrells 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 he had half expected had not hap pened. MurrelI, 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 or crime by which he had been benefited in the past or had expected to profit in the future seemed toppling in upon him, but his mind elutched one i'm portant fact. Hues, if he knew Of Betty's disappearance. did not con- meet Murrell with 1t. Ware sucked in comfort between his twitehing lips. Stealing niggersi No one would be- neve that he, planter, had hand In that, and for a brief instant he con- sidered signaling Bess to return. Slos- son must be told of Murrells 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 a hopeless, beaten gesture. And Mur' reIl had gone weak-with his own eyes he had seen it-Murreli-whom he believed without fear! He felt that 
 he had been grievously betrayed in his trust and a hot rage poured through him. At last he climbed in- to the saddle, and, swaying like a drunken man, galloped of.
 When he reached the river road he paused and scanned it's 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 harshIy. 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 moro recent trail left by the four men. and e he grasped the sisnincance of %