Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-11-26

| ness than usual, TO nnQ tnaI the SUN
hgnt was gone and that the room was
quite dark and cold. SO he went home
to supper. =
Don sit up for me tonight, moth'
err" he said as he lett the table after
the meal was over. Il shall hardly DC
nkeiy to come back tonight. Jim Ada
man is in town. and I shall probabi,
60 over to the hotel with him." Hfs
mother only nodded in spiritless sort
of way and went back to her dish
washing. s4fisi }
1t was nearly II O'Clock that nigh
when Lorimer entered the court house
! He carried no light, for the moon had
risen, and until he entered the ONCE
/ he would not need one. He fitted Se
key in the lock and the door swune
open. A dark lantern stood upon the
liable near the center Of the room, and
a man with a scrap Of black muslin
about his face was sorting small, neal
packages of bills in a businesslike
way. He turned with a start that was
not all assumed as the door opened
and the sheriff entered. St
II am glad that you have come" he
said in an odd, confused way. Il don't
know how to account for 1t, but feel
blamed nervous over the whole lay
out, somehow. Give me the money
and open up the gallery business right
away. Hush!" 4
| He leaned forward, listening, hie
eyes glowing behind the bit Of black.
| John Lorimer heard the sound that
had so startled Grier at the same tnE
stant-the faint crpnching Of gravel
and the low murmur Of approaching
voices. The eyes behind the scrap Of
black hardened suddenly and vicieusly
like the eyes Of a trapped animal, and
Grier, muttering something inaudible,
sprang forward. Under the impetus
of his spring the table was overturn-
ed and the Office plunged into total
darkness Lorimer, too terrified by the
sudden onslaught to resist the I'M
pulse, called sharply for help. He was
answered by q flare Of light and the
| vicious spit of pistol ball that grazed
| his cheek.
The sting of the bullet completed his
| unreasoning terror. He uttered some
inarliculate words, made one more
frantic effort to snatch the pistol from
Grier, and then called again for help.
He was conscious Of running feet on
the pavement outside, and the door
was thrown open. Some one had fired
again-so close to him that the pow
der burned his face. One of the men
who entered had carried lantern, but
the light was extingqished almost in
stantly, and the fighting went On IN
the darkness. He was the center Of a
confused mass Of struggling men. and
was battling in sheer desperation for
his life. And he fought as only cor
nered coward can fight. After long
time he heard again the malicious zip
Of bullet, a dark cloud enveloped
him and he knew no more.
Consciousness came back to him
slowly. 1T was as fine thing as. ]
ever saw!" Cartwright was saying. en-
Enthusiastically. IT knew that he was q
little nervous about the money, SO !
walked back downtown te have a leek
around. And by George, sir. he had
nailed him as sure as you were born.
1 didn't think that Lorimer had 1t in
him."
Hush, he's coming roqndl"
The sheriff opened his eyes slowly
and looked about him. One or two
lamps had been lighted. and there
were several men in the room who had
been drawn from the Spread Eagle sa-
loon over the way by the shots. On
the floor, bound hand and foet, lay
Jack Grier. His face was powder
stained and his upper lip cut and
bleeding. As Lerimer raised himself
to his knees, the gaze Of the prisoner
met his own.
II say, you fellows. what Is the mat
ter?" stammered the sheriff. my
head aches likes the devil"
You got a nasty crack on the skull
In the fracas, someway," said Cart
wright. 81 say, Lorimer, you have
fixed yourself by this nights work. We
will make the man who runs against
you for sheriff Of Bradley this year
look like 80 cents. It was as fine a
thing as ever saw, but foolhardy-
Lord, yes!"
Lorimer looked at Grier again, and
there was pleading in his eyes. He
spoke to Cartwright. How did you
fellows come to drop on to this?" he
asked.
II came down here because what
you said about the money stuck in my
mind" remarked Cartwright, land
Allen came with me. The others ran
oyer from the saloon after the shoot
ing began"
Grier wiped the blood from his lips
and tried to speak,
II was on my way to bed" said one
of the other men, shortly. Il have
been down to Jonas Watson's, His
daughter is sick"
The expression died out Of Grier's
face.
Take him over to the Jail, will you,
Carson?" asked Lorimer.
His face was white as he turned and
whispered to the doctor. Anything
serious?" he asked.
II didn't say that 1t was Agnes Wat
son, you fool" said the doctor, good
humoredly. "One Of the younger girls
| had severe attack Of Group"
Grier had not caught either question
or answer. He raised himself on his
elbow.
II say, you fellows" he said, sar-
castically, "let your circus begin, will
you? I am tired of waiting"
Carson and Cartwright carried him
over to the Jail. They asked him sew
eral questions on the way, but he was
as dumb as the proverbial oyster. So
they became disgusted at last and left
him alone.
AS for Lorimer, he awoke next