Hopkinsville Kentuckian., 1913-07-12


4 II only Merriman would lay aside
his rife. But he kept his clasp Of Il
even at the supper table; It was only
later when he arose that he placed
It for moment against the mud wall
The watcher knew that his time had
come. Mollie's hands we're on Merri.
mans arm and she was pleading very
earnestly. Ben fancled that she was
crying.
He sprang to his seet and rushed
through the open door He saw In
distinctly; the world was revolving in
a fiery mist, through his weapon.
Next moment too enraged to FIRE. Ben
had dropped his rife and his hands
were on the sheriff's throat.
To and fro they wrestled The ta-
BILE was knocked down. The clumsy
chairs went spinning across the room.
The candle was dashed to the floor.
and in the bewildering night each
only knew that he was lighting for
life with an implacable adversary.
Ben dug his knuckles into the hollow
space between the point of the jaw
and the great cord behind the ear--an
old woodsman's trick, TO compress the
carotid and produce unconsciousness
He felt his enemy weakening. He had
him at his mercy now. Suddenly
tremendous blow fell upon his head
from behind. He heard the shivering
of the cheap rifle stock. flung out his
hands. felt for some stable hold in
the encompassing darkness, and tum-
bled to the ground The last thing
that he saw as his senses left him was
the faint glimmer of the relit candle
and Mollie's agonized face. in its
aureole hair.
Bent"
'Mollie!"
He started out through the whirling
phantasmagoria that surrounded him.
He was dizzy and deathly sick. Gradu-
ally, as the fog cleared from his brain,
he realized that he was lying in
little room. He lay in Mollie's room,
upon bed. and the face that he
loved best in all the world was bend
ing over him.
Thank God he is coming to.
Frank"
you had better leave him for the
present" 1t was the voice Of Merri-
man. He came into the circle of
Bens vision, mighty man, his face
swathed in bandages. Looking upon
him. Ben dimly wondered how he had
ever had the strength to wrestle with
such a fellow. He was too weak to
lift finger now.
We'll, young fellow!" Merriman
was seowling down at him. you've
done for yourself pretty well
now.- he continued. IF my nephew,
Walt, hadn't had the gumption to
come up at the right moment and
snatch my rifle you'd have had a muir
der charge against you. / thought
you were gone when l saw the whack
he gave you that night"
That night! When?"
Two weeks ago tomorrow. Yep,
reckon you've kind of lost count Of
time." he continued. smiling less evil
ly. You've been mighty near death,
young fellow, let me tell you"
NCh, SOCoo JOu NC WOug odlu
Ben feebly. When are you going to
take me back to the penitentiary?"
Frank Merriman scratched his head,
then. lingering his bandages, he
scowled; at length a smile broke out |
upon his face
When will you be ready to start?"
he asked
You'll have to put me in cart, l |
reckon" answered Ben. Frank" he |
"Pm likely to get life SEN
tence now and we aren't likely to |
meet again. / want to ask a promise |
Of you. Treat Mollie well. She's |
the finest girl in the world. and If
she was false to Newell, l reckon it
was for your sake, Frank"
The sheriff stared at him. Then he
turned abruptly away "The-devil-
he muttered.
He went to the door and called the
girl. Ben heard them whispering out
side. And presently he was aware,
In his weakness, that Mollie was
bending over him again.
"Ben!"
"Mollie!"
ben, dearest. Did you think had
betrayed you, Ben? Did you dare to
think that was untrue to your"
He felt her tears drop on his hand.
He listened dumbly, in an agony of
and doubts he dared not
utter.
Listen, Ben! You are free. Free
to go where you will. When you es-
capped the newspapers took up your
case. They demanded that you should
be set free. The governor was ap- !
pealed to. He said that you had been
punished enough. Your pardon ar
rived the week before you first came
to the cabin. That was why went |
10 the monntainT-I should have told |