The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1923-10-25
Victim of the
Man-Chase
By MORRIS SCHULTZ

EBEN, the young coiored man, was
- crossing the road r~esplendent In
his new waistcoat, when he got the
first intimation that the chase was
on. A woman screamed on the hill
side, a little group of harvesters
stopped their work and stared.
"There he is, boysT he heard a
man shout.
And in that instant Eben, dreaming
of the yellow girl he was going to see,
was converted into a hunted fugitive.
A rider, coming along the road, dug
his heels into his horse and rode at
him, shouting. There was not an in
slant to lose. Eben dashed for the
canebreak and plunged into it.
AS he ran he could hear the shouts
behind him. He ran with all the fury
of despair. He knew that his pur-
suers were gathering. The whole
countryside would be upon him in a
few minutes. Looking back, he could
see the hillsides black with people.
They would set hounds upon him.
The fear Of the dogs lent Eben
wings. He dashed toward the river,
in the hope Of throwing them off the
scent. He struggled through the canes,
which were already ripping his new
clothes to ~tatters. His new hat was
gone. and the sweat was pouring down
his face. His eyes were wide and star
ing, the eyes of the hunted animal.
He reached the river, plunged in,
and, wading up to his neck, struck
along the further bank. From here he
could see his pursuers gathering a
posse on horseback. They were gall
Looping along the road. They had sus-
pected his maneuver. They were going
to cut him off at the ford.
Eben scrambled up the opposite
bank and dashed for the shelter of the
forest. At that moment his pursuers
gave tongue behind him.
He had been seen. He wished that
he had stuck to the canes. There were
only scattering clumps of palmetto
among the pines. Still he ran on, pant
ing, hardly human any more, animated
only by the wild thought of escape.
They would burn him to death If
they caught him. And in Imagination
he saw the lighted fagots, and heard
the hiss of the tongues Of flame, curl
ing about his limbs.
He ran on frantically. For a few
minutes he thought he had outdis-
tanced his pursuers. He stopped,
painting, upon a little hummock.
Then suddenly a renewed clangor
burst out behind him. He saw the
group of horsemen squirting through
of the pursuers when they sight the
quarry.
Eben ran. He ran like a blind man,
stumbling and dashing aside the
palmetto clusters. He ran in plain
sight of the mob. He had a vision of
households raised above him. He was
struck down, trampled down. Whips
curled about him. He was at bay,
fighting with teeth and limbs.
He was helpless, looking up with a
strange calm into the faces Of these
men. He saw death in them. He feared
no longer.
He was being taken back, running
like a dog, with bound wrists, at the
side of a galloping horse. He had been
driven through the water, back along
the road through the canes. Now he
was in the open street of the village,
and about him bayed a hundred in
furiated men. 1t was like q dream.
And Eben was afraid no longer. He
was very calm.
They were bringing fagots, oil cans,
kindling wood. A stake had been
driven into the ground, and Eben was
afraid.
What were they hcwling at him?
Confessl Confess! Was that what
they wanted.
Eyes, l shore done it," he heard him
self saying. 81 shore done it, and now
I'm going to glory. H%allelujahl"
A o a of triumph from the crowd.
He'd lone it. He had confessed. "What
did he do?" a mar was asking IN
other. "Oh, I dunno!" came the reply.
They were drenching the fagots with
oil. Then the sheriff came bursting
the crowd.
Sheriff, you won't take him!"
"But he amt done nothing, boys. I
What's he done?"
"Why-why-"
Nobody in the crowd knew what he
lad done. A man had heard a woman
screaming. |
"Pshaw, that was Mrs. Lindenfels! ,
She was calling to her kidd" !
Stupefaction. but he's confessedw +
"Pshaw, of course he's confessed !
lie dunno what he's confessed to. =
ley, Eben, what was it you done?" =
"Me? I dunno, Sheriff. I'm going to I
,lory. Hallelujah !" IF
you see, boys" said the sheriff. ,
Eben was unclaimed. The moi melt :
d sheepishly away A broad grin \
pread over Eben's face. Then he +
liz