Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-01-23
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having heard him spoken Of as Nor.
toms new overseer, had meant to ask
Charley If he were really filling that
position. An underlined sense of relief
came to her with Norton's reply to
Toms question.
Going to turn farmer, is he?" asked
Ware.
$50 he says" Feeling that the only
subjects in which he had ever known
Ware to take the slightest interest
namely, crops and slaves, were ex-
hausted, Norton was extremely dis
appointed when the planter mani
tested a disposition to play the host
and returned to the house with them,
where his mere presence, forbidding
and sullen, was such a hardship that
Norton shortly took his leave.
We'll, hang Toni" he said, as he
rode away from Belle Plain. IF he
thinks he can freeze me out there's a
long siege ahead Of him."
Issuing from the lane he turned his
face in the direction of home but he
did not urge his horse off a walk. To
leave Belle Plain and Betty demanded
always his utmost resolution. His
way took him into the solemn twi-
light of untouched solitudes. A cool
breath rippled through the depth of
the woods and shaped it's own soft
harmonies where it lifted the great
branches that arched the road. He
crossed strips of bottom land where
the water stood in still pools about the
gnarled and moss covered trunks OF
trees At intervals down some slug
gish inlet he caught sight of the yell
low flood that was pouring past, or
saw the Arkansas coast beyond, with
its mighty sweep of unbroken forest
that rose out of the river mists and
blended with the gray distance that
lay along the horizon.
He was within two miles Of Thicket
Point when, passing about a sudden
turn in the road, he found himself
confronted by three men, and before
he could gather up his reins which he
held loosely, one of them had seized
his horse by the bit. Norton, was un-
armed, he had not even a riding whip
This being the case, he prepared to
make the best Of an unpleasant situ-
alton which he felt he could not alter
He ran his eye over the three men.
II am sorry, gentlemen, but I reckon
you have hold of the wrong person.
Get down." said one of the men
briefly.
II haven't any money, that's why
say you have hold of the wrong per-
son."
We don't want your money" The
unexpectedness of this reply somewhat
disturbed Norton.
What do you want, them" he ask
ed
| I'VE got a word to say to you"
Il can hear it in the saddle"
Get down." repeated the man, q
surly, bull-necked fellow. Come
hurry up" he added.
Norton hesitated for an instant, then
swung himself out Of the saddle and
stood in the road confronting the
spokesman of the party.
Now, what do you wish to say to
me?" he asked.
Just this-you keep away from
Belle Plain"
You go to hell" said Norton
promptly. The man glowered heavily
at him through the gathering gloom
of twilight.
I'VE want your word that you'll
keep away from Belle Plain" he said
with sullen insistence.
well, you won't get it," responded
Norton with quiet decision.
We won't?"
Certainly you WON'T" Norton's
eyes began to flash. He wondered II
these were Toms emissaries. He was
both quick tempered and high spirit
ed. Falling back a step, he sprane
forward and dealt the bull-necked man
a savage blow. The latter grunted
heavily but kept his feet. In the same
instant one of the men who had never
taken his eyes off Norton from the
moment he quilted the saddle, raised
his fist and struck the young planter
In the back Of the neck.
You curl" cried Norton, blind and
dizzy, as he wheeled on him.
Damn him-let him have it," roar
ed the bull-necked man.
| Afterward Norton was able to re-
member that the three rushed on him
that he was knocked down and kicked
with merciless brutality, then con-
seriousness left him. He lay very still
in the trampled dust of the road. The
bull necked man regarded the limr
figure in grim silence for a moment
"That'll do, he's had enough; we
amt to kill him this time" he said
An instant later he, with his two
companions, had vanished silently into
the woods.
Norton's horse trotted down the
road When it entered the yard al
Thicket Point half an hour later, Car
rington was on the porch.
is that you, Norton?" he called
but there was no response, and he saw
the horse was riderless. jeff" III
cried. summoning Norton's servan
from the house.
What's the matter, Mas'r?" asked
the negro, as he appeared in the oper
door.
Why. here's Mr. Norton's horse
come home without him. Do yol
know where he went this afternoon?
Il heard him say he reckoned he't
ride over to Belle Plain, Mas'r," an
swered jeff. grinning. Il low the hos!
done broke away and come home b!
he'self-he couldn't a-thrOwed Mas
Charley"
Wen make sure of that. Get Ian
terms and a couple of the boys" sai(
Darlington
1t was mid afternoon Of the day fol