Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1916-09-27
CHAPTER XIV.
IN 4 aaA AAaasM

8.
CHAPTER XIV.
TIVE Last Straw.
THE sun was high when we
| awoke. We were not feeling
very fresh, to say the least,
4 and We took some little time
to get Strengthened around Then we
went down to the Morena cabin.
am not going to dwell on what We
found there. All four Of Its inmates
had been killed with buckshot and the
place ransacked from end to end. APP
parently the first volley had killed our
former partners and Sonora Morena
as they lay. Morena had staggered to
his feet and halfway across the room.
The excitement caused by this fright
ful crime was intense. Every man
quit work. A great crowd assembled.
Morton as sheriff was very busy, and
loud threats were uttered by his sateE-
lites as to the apprehension Of the
murderers. The temper Of the crowd,
however, was sullen. No man dared
trust hts neighbor, and yet every hon
eat breast swelled with 1mpOtent In.
dignation ut this wholesale and IN.
provoked massacre. No clew was pos
sible. Everybody remembered, Of
course. how broadcast and publicly
the fact Of the gold had been scatter
ed. Nobody dared utter his suspicious
II he had any. .-.....
The victims were buried by. q large
concourse that eddied and hesitated
and muttered long after the graves
had been filed In. Vaguely It was felt
that tho condition Of affairs was In
tolerable, but no one knew how It was
to be remedied. Nothing definite could
be proved against any one. and yet !
believe that every honest man knew
to moral certainty Ut least the cap
tains and instigators Of the various
outrages. 4 leader could have raised
an avenging mob, provided he could
have survived the necessary ten min
utes!
We scattered at Last to our various
occupations I was too much upset
to work, SO returned to where Yank
was smoking over the fire. He had,
as near as I can remember, said not
one word since the discovery Of the
tragedy. On my approach he took his
pipe from his mouth
Nothing done?" he inquired
Nothing" replied. "What Is there
to be doneT
Don't know" said he, replacing his
pipe; then around the stem Of it. II
was fond Of those people"
$50 was +" u agreed sincerely.
Have you thought what lucky es-
cape you yourself had? r Il t.s.,-
Yank nodded. We sat for a long
time IN silence. My thoughts turned
slowly and sullenly in a heavy, i'm
potent anger. A small bird chirped
plaintively from the thicket near at
hand. Except for the tinkle Of our
little stream and the muffled roar Of
the distant river, this was the only
sound to strike across the dead black
silence Of the autumn night. So per.
sistently did the bird utter It's single
call that at last 1t aroused even my
downcast attention, so that remark
ed on it carelessly to Yank. He came
out Of his brown study and raised his
head.
ats no bird; it's q human" he said
after listening a moment ''That's
signal. Go see what it Is Just wan.
der out carelessly:",
In the depths Of the thicket found
human figure crouched. 1t glided to
me. and I made out dimly the squat
form Of Pete, Barnes negro slave.
from the hotel
"Lo-dee, massa," whispered he, done
thought you nevah. would come"
"What is 1t, Peter asked in the
same guarded tones
II done got ssmefln' to tell you.
While ketchin' a III bit Of sleep
'longside that white trash Motions
place I done heah dey all plannin' to
git out warrant for to ares Massa
Fairfax and Massa Pine and Massa
Mash for a-killin' dem men las week.
and I heah dem say dey gwine fer to
Glib dem trial. and II dey fight dey
gwine done shoot EN-"
THAT Is serious news, Pete" said /.
"Who were talking?" But Pete, who
was already frightened half to death.
grew suddenly cautious.
II don Jest rightly know, san" he
said sullenly. II couldn't tell. Jes'
Massa Motion. BE say he gwinesw'ar
in good big posse"
II can believe that" said I thought
fully. "Pete." turned on him sud
denly, don't you know they'd skin
you alive If they found out you'd been
here?"
Pete was shaking violently. and at
my words a strong shudder went
through his frame. and his teeth struck
family together.
"Why did you do IT."
"Massa Fairfax is quality, sah," he
replied with a certain dignity. Il jest
pore niger. but knows quality
when sees it, and I don't aim to have
no pore white truck kill none OF my
folks If I can help it."
"Pete," said l. fully satisfied. you
are a good fellow. Now get along
back"
He disappeared before the words
were fairly out of my mouth.
"Yank," announced, returning to
the fire. "I've-got to 60 uptown. That
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