Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1913-09-30
THE MIDLANDERS
By CHARLES TENNEY JACKSON
Author Of CHE Dc, .. Souls. MY sro4bsr Ks+se. Etc.
CHAPTER xxv-continued
uopyr,sh. 1919. The BoDb.-Msrrln Company,

CHAPTER XxV-Continued
They came upon the blond-head-
ed young man who, In night. had
come to have authority In his manner
that tacit authority past all trap
pings of Office which men acknowl-
edge in crises. He stood by the road
a hundred yards outside the Lind
strom fence. All along this fence
and stretching into the woods. was the
hastily summoned posse. armed with
shotguns, rifles revolvers-with all
the mob-ineficiency Of community
unused to the issue Of force. Among
the woods and on the bridge across
sinsinawa creek, and all along the
way to town. were buggies, motor
cars, horsemen, pedestrians, coming
out and struggling back. The coroner's
men had been there, and all evidences
of Lindstrom's bloody work had been.
removed. In the fence corners, hres
were going; the deputies, chilled from
the all-night vigil. were making COZ
fee. Newsboys from Earlville were
now going among the crowds crying
papers; and these and the deputies
eating and some laughing neryousiy
with one another. gave the affair the
aspect of q huge grotesque picnic.
They hurled quips at one anothers
courage, and taunts to the embryo
war correspondents who hurried BACK
to the telegraph offices, and then
came on to question leading citizens,
and to badger Harlan Van Hart the
prospective district attorney, VINO
seemed In control. Murmurs were
heard. why wasn't something done!
Who fred the last shot? 1t was get
ting ridiculous, this waiting and argu-
ing and considering. The Chicago
newspaper men, who just arrived
were laughing over the laundering
and ineficiency. Some Of the deputies
had secured whisky and were already
drunk. ,. ,rt. ,r . ~ ft "H ~
Arne vance's machine reached Har-
Ian Just as this word was brought
curran saw his eye set coldly; ne
was glancing along his disorderiy
Gordon by the fence. He seemed
about to ride down the line, and then
he looked at his watch.
Harlan" cried Arne. I'VE brought
Wiley back!"
icurran was conscious that Janet,
at his side, and Harlan were looking
at each other with significant 81
lence. He was going to speak to Har-
Ian, when that young man Slowly
motioned to him to leave the machlne.
He descended and went along the RAN
fence from the others.
.,Wiley," muttered Harlan, will
you ga in there?"
wiley glanced at the Lindstrom
fort, a gray and silent frame shack
in the midst Of the corn stubble; a
stack. a broken down wagon, and the
well-house. No sign Of life, noth-
ing, yet from window here ana
there, with bewildering ubiquity' the
deadly rifie-shots had rung wheneV-
er a man had approached. John
will treat with you. he swore you
were the only man in the county ne
would trust. I rode near an hour
ago and delivered our message. Gave
him two hours to surrender or take
the consequences"
Harlan, those children!"
"I know. And his wife-and that
sneak of Frenchman is there. But
-" he glanced at the townspeople
resolutely, "they left it to me-and I'll
not endure this! Dead or alive
We'll take him this morning-and I'll
not answer for any one. I'll LEAD the
bows when the rush comes, Wiley"
The elder man looked up at him.
Eyes, I'd expect you" He was seek
ing an answer in Harlan's eyes
Harlan must know-surely he knew!
But Curran could not speak, so great
was the press Of this other great mat
ter.
Harlan put out his hand. Wiley
I depend on you. If they can Do
sayed-it will be you"
Curran looked about. Some nouon
that Harlan was doggedly suffering
under the covert gibes Of the spec
tators at the safe distance-the mob
who knew nothing Of the exigencies
Of the case-came to him. Some idea
that the day would be crucial for
the younger man, If he flinched under
the responsibility.
"I'll CO." he answered, and for the
first time since his own tragedy De-
gan. a trace Of the old friendly smile
came to his lips. At the fence ne
called back: "And II he does not
Gomez"
"The law will have to take its
course. I promise nothing"
Curran drew a white handkerchief
from his pocket as he crossed the
field. He was vaugely aware that
Arne Vance's machine had turned
down the creek road back to town.
But keener Still was tne ihipi eS'ioi'
that the thousands Of eyes were
watching him. Presently he heard
a murmur among the deputies, taken
I'D, growing, spreading to the masses
of the people away beyond. He did
not look back. They knew him, they
would recognize him, the recreant'
the fallen man of the county VINO
would have been their leader. Even
when a struggling shout went up, ne
did not turn; it rang with wild hys-
terical note. primal with hostility II
seemed to Curran. Then the watchers
saw him reach the house, pause at
the door, and be admitted.
The throng began to murmur again
and shift. But many stared silently
at the house in the bleak field. John
had not fired at "Curran Of the News.
They began to mutter and argue ex'
plantations. The correspondents went
off to put more stuff" on the wire
about this turn of affairs. And after
fifteen minutes, that seemed an hour
they saw Wiley Curran come out OIL