The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-08-27
CHAPTER XVIIl--Contihued.

s hs eulmllatLUu "nou AO hSHtAOHSN
Nlypr's name with a taunt, which the
I'M for all his obstinate clinging to
N journalistic idea, did not deserve.
knowing my own temper, l drew
Eek into the Hollow.
Be followed me.
tried to speak.
Re took the word out of my mouth.
ms may have been with the intent
Quelling my anger, but the tone
M rasping, and, noting this and not
ii, words, my hand frightened insen-
dSy about the stick which the devil
if John Scoville) had put In my hand.
! bid be see this, or was he prompted
Ii some old memory Of boyish quar-
ss that he should give utterance to
list quick, sharp laugh Of scorn! l
sbslI never know, but ere the sound
h,l ceased the stick was whirling over
NJ head-there came crash and he
tlI My friend! My friend!
Next moment the earth seemed too
mrow, the heavens too contracted
tsf my misery. That he was dead
hst my blow had killed him, | never
lSabted for an instant. | knew it, as
"a know the face of Doom when once
4 has risen upon US. Never, never
again would this lump Of clay, which
few minutes before had filled the
Hollow with shrillest whistllng,
bFeathe or think or speak. He was
lead, dead, dead!-AndI? What was I?
The name which, no man hears un-
n0Eed, no amount Of repetition makes
easy to the tongue or welcome to the
aGI the name which | had
heard launched in full forensic elo-
Nelce so many times in accusation
lgsinst the wretches l had hardly re-
glded as being in the same human
class as myself rang in my ears as
though intoned from the very mouth
dhell. ! could not escape it. | should
1sTeT be able to escape 1t again.
though was standing in a familiar
ses1e-a scene | had known and fire.
gented from childhood, felt myself
Isolated from my past and as COM
pstely set apart from my fellows as
ne ShiDWrecked mariner tossed to
Fecarious foothold on his wave.
ashed rock. l forgot that other
aininals existed.
In that one awful moment I was in
~ own eyes the only blot upon the
1aVerse-the sole inhabitant of the
leE world into which l had plunged
lls world Of crime-the world upon
Fhleh had sat in judgment before
hev-
What broke the spell? God knows:
Y can say Is that, drawn by some
eaef will than my own, found my
gance travelling up the opposing bluff |
~ at Its top, framed between the
lasged wall and towering chimney of |
Spencers Folly, l saw the presence
BAD dreaded, the witness who was |
3 undo me.
! was Woman-a woman with a
lssle child in hand. l did not see her
ee lot she was just on the point of |
ailing away from the dizzy verge, but
eesalng could have been palmer than !
ae Silhouette which these two made
alast the flush Of that early evening
e long as could catch glimpse
slis Woman's futtering skirt as she
saeated through the ruins, | stood
ae, selt-conYicted, above the man
slaln, staring up at that blotch of
ils SKY which was as the gate of
~ 70 me. Not till their two figures
y disappeared and it was quite clear
sAn did the instinct of self-preserva-
s return. and with it the thought
q light. 'OGen'
!, ait where could l fly? No spot in
= Fhole world was secret enough to
4.eal me now. was marked man
q to stand my ground, and take
consequences than to act the cow.
part and sink away like those
a ~ men Of blood I had so often sat
Adgment upon.
Tad but followed this ,mnulsa,
NJ ! but gone among my fellows.
sssl mem the mark of Cain upon
N. l0Fenead and prayed, not for in.
sRce, but punishment, what DAVIS
pared! u nave Oeen
a,.s u aorror Of what lay at my feet
~. ~ nae from the Hollow. AS INV
~ 9 zen mechanically into the trail
~ ssl 81, which had come in innocence
sluoly purpose only few minutes
q startling thought shot
my benumbed mind. The
S,ss mad shown no haste in her
y. There had been a natural
50. : aer movement, dignity and a
ss n J, anieh spoke of ease, not shock.
r,s +, !. she had not seen! What IL
i. Psa was as yet unknown! Might
r nave time for-for what? did
svss 70 think; just pressed on,
n ! 2 myself, Let Providence de.
\ S, meet any one before reach
IA y. ooor my doom is settled. If
3se4 GID nnf A.. - a.. I ,