The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-02-09

~>>O Sss&HfSA kASkAOS at ulo OlUOW,
while Luke Thixton and Milt McBriar.
for all their immobility of feature,
braced themselves. Like some rest
less animal of many legs. the rough
throng along the courtroom benches
scraped its feet on the floor.
Young Jeb shifted hic chair little
20 that the figure of the defendant
might be In an uninterrupted line of
vision. His right hand quietly slipped
under his coat. and his fingers
loosened q weapon In it's holster and
nursed the trigger.
Then, with dragging Of shoe-leath.
er. the twelve good men and true"
shambled to semicircle before the
bench. gazing stolidly and blankly at
the rows Of battered law books which
served his honor az q background.
There they stood awkwardly in the
gaze OF all. Judge Sidering glanced
into the beetling countenance of their
foreman and inquired in that bored
voice which seems q judicial atfecta-
tion even In questions of life and
death: Gentlemen. have you agreed
upon verdict Z" +.
The foreman nodded. The sheet of
paper. which he passed to the clerk,
had been signed by more than one
Juror With cross because he could
not write.
I'VE. the jury" read the clerk in
clear voice, find the defendant, Luke
Thixton. guilty as charged In the In.
dictment-" There. although he had
not yet reached the end, he INDUCED
ina dramatic pause, then read on the
more important clause in the terms OF
the Kentucky law which leaves the
placing Of the penalty In the hands of
the jurors-"and Ak his punishment
at death"
As though relieved from q. great
pressure. young Jeb McNash withdrew
his hand from his holster and settled
back in his chair with fxs rnvscles.
Judge Sidering's forma. asstion
broke In on the dead quiet, 80 say
you all. gentlemenf"; and twelve
shaggy heads nodded wordless afirma-
ton. i'
Soldiers filed, In from the rear. In
less than thirty seconds the prisoner
had disappeared. Outside the gatlinx
guns remained In place. and the troops
patrolled the streets. A
For two days the McBriars STAYED
In town, but the troops fingered long.
or. and In that time Luke had again
been taken back to Louisville.
Once more Old Milt led back a dis
gruntled faction with no more spirited
program than to 60 home and bide
Ito time again. When they brought
Luke back to hang him.. his friends
would have one final chance.
A seeming Of quiet, under, which hot
wrath gm0idercd, settled over hill and
cove. but . new note began to run
through the cabins of the McBriar de-
.pendents. It was = note Of waning
faith and loyalty for their chief.
0lq Ailt read the signs and felt that
he dominion Mas now . thing upon
which decay had Get its seal. and un.
der his grave hce ne masked a break.
ing heart. His star was setting. and
since he Was no longer young and ut
terly incapable Of bending, he sick.
ened slowly through the wet winter.
and men spoke Of him as an invalid.
With Afilt "ailin,," there was no one
to take up the reins OF clan govern
ment. and those elements that had
been held together only by his iron
dominance began drifting asunder.
One min day when q group of Nc
Briars met with their sacks Of grist al
. wstof.mill. someone put the ques.
tion: Who's a-goin' ter go down thar
an take Luke Thixton away from ther
Haveys now thet Old Milt's down en-
outY'
There was long silence, and at last
Q voice drawled: Hit hain't q goin'
ter be me. What's Luke Thixton tor
me, anyhow? He didn't nuver lend
me no money"
i reckon thar's heap o. sense in
thet." answered another. Pears
IKE, when l come ter recollect, mos
OF ther fightin' an fursin' I've done
IN my time hain't been in my own
quarrels nohow." And slowly that
spirit spread.
When Anse Havey went over to the
school one day Juanita took him again
TO the rife-rack. now once more we'll
niied. Have look. my lord bar.
parian." she laughed. MARS is pay.
ing me tribute. So shall 1t ever be
with tyranny"
ITO BE CONTlNUED)