The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-03-13
Ccopyrieht. 1913. By w. ]. Watt & CoJ
CHAPTER XV-continued.

In two days, the grand jury. with
much secrecy, returned true bill, and
a day later a considerable detachment
of infantry started on dusty hike up
Misery. Furtive and inscrutable Holl-
man eyes along the way watched them
from cabin doors, and counted them.
They meant also to count them coming
back. and they did not expect the
totals to tally.
Back of an iron spiked fence, and a
dusty sunburned lawn, the barrack-like
facades of the old administration
building and Kentucky state capitol
frowned on the street and railroad
track. About it, on two sides of the
Kentucky river, sprawled the town Of
Frankfort; sleepy. more or less dishev-
eled at the center, and stretching to
shaded environs Of colonial houses set
in lawns of rich bluegrass, amid the
shade of forest trees. Circling the
town in an embrace of quiet beauty
rose the Kentucky river hills.
Turning in to the gate of the state
house enclosure, a man, who seemed
to be an fastener by the cut of his
clothes. walked slowly up the brick
walk, and passed around the fountain
at the front of the capitol His steps
carried him direct to the main en-
trance Of the administration building.
and, having paused moment in the
rOtunda, he entered>the -secretary's Of
fee of the executive suite, and asked
for an interview with the governor.
Have you an appointment" the Sec
rotary asked.
The visitor shook his head Scrib-
bling a brief note on slip of paper, he
inclosed it in an envelope and handed
it to his questioner
You must pardon my seeming mys-
teriousness," he said, but if you let
me send in that note 1 think the gov
ernor will see me-"
Once more the secretary studied his
man with a slightly puzzled air, then
nodded and went through the door that
gave admission to the executives of
fee
His excellency opened the envelope
and his face showed an expression of
surprise. He raised his brows question
ingly.
"Rough-looking sort?" he inquired.
"Mountaineer?"
mo, sir. New Yorker would be my
guess. Is there anything suspicious?"
81 guess not" The governor laughed
Rather extraordinary note, but send
him in"
Through his eastern window the
governor gazed off across the hills of
South Frankfort, to the ribbon of river
that came down from the troublesome
hills. Then, hearing a movement at his
back, he turned, and his eyes took in
weil-dressed figure with confidence
inspiring features.
He picked up the slip from his desk
and, for moment, stood comparing
the name End the message with the
man who had sent them in. There
seemed to be in his mind some irrecon-
cilable contradiction between the two.
With a slightly frowning seriousness
the executive suggested:
This note says that you are Samson
South and that you want to see me
with reference to a pardon. Whose
pardon is it, Mr.. South
my own, sir
The governor raised his brows
slightly.
Your pardon for what? The news
papers do not even report that you
have yet been indicted" He shaded the
word yet" with a slight emphasis.
81 think lave been indicted within
the past day or two. I'm not sure my
self"
The governor continued to stare
The impression he had formed of the
Wildcat from press dispatches was
warning with the pleasing personal
presence of this visitor. Then his for9
head wrinkled under his black hair arc
his lips drew themselves sternly.
You haye.com to me too soon, sir
he said CURLY. THE pardoning powe,
is a thing to be most cautiously useC
at all times, and certainly never unit
the courts have acted. A case not We
adiudicated cannot address itself to ex
ecutive clemency."
Samson nodded.
Quite true" he admitted. eff 1 an
nounced that had come on the matte
of a pardon, it was largely that hal
to state some business and tina
seemed the briefest way of putting it.
Then there is something else?"
Eyes. If it were only a plea 70