The Hindered Hand Part 19

"Ah! gentlemen, that girl deserved better of us than what we gave her. And I declare unto you that as the ages roll by, the people of the earth are going to make of those cruel flames that wrapped themselves about her nude body a fiery chariot of glory to carry the blessed memory of her devotion from age to age.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'Is it a crime for me, one of your sons, to invoke loyalty to the national const.i.tution? If so, I commit that crime.'"

(174-175.)]

"Such will be the verdict of the future; but, gentlemen of the jury, you are this moment the mouthpiece of your age and we are concerned about your verdict.

"Gentlemen of the jury, the evidence in this case, the revolting nature of the crime and every consideration of society demands a verdict of guilty. We have reached the apex of infamy in the crime which lies unavenged at our doors.

"Let us retrace our steps beginning here to-day. Seeing whither our present policy as a people toward the Negro has led us, let us adopt another course.

"Is it a crime for me, one of your sons to invoke loyalty to our national const.i.tution? If so I commit that crime. Let us accept the Negro as a partner in our government, and acts such as these will not occur. Nor in so saying do I abate one inch of my stand for white supremacy. As long as there are distinct races there will be racial aspirations for first place. But I crave not the first place born of the prestige of sitting upon a throne whose base is forever lapped by the waves of the blood of the innocent and the helpless. I stand for white supremacy in intellect, in soul power, in grasp upon the esteem of others through sheer force of character. But all this aside. Justice whom you cannot afford to banish from your borders calls upon you to p.r.o.nounce over this defendant's head the verdict of guilty."

Young Maul's speech was now over, but he did not sit down. Having declared himself in the manner that he did, he knew that he was henceforth to be a political outcast, a pariah. He had not stood up for the extension of the caste idea to the political system and knew that its ban would henceforth be upon him. Yet in spite of the dreary future which his speech had carved out for him his soul was at ease, for he was conscious of having advocated that which was best for his people.

Grasping his hat he strode out of the room, not waiting for the verdict of the jury.

"It is a pity that our section can find no place for so true a soul presided over by so bright a mind," thought the judge, his eyes following young Maul, as the latter pa.s.sed out of the court room, and through the court house yard, looking neither to the right nor to the left. The people understood his going. He was saying that he had done his duty and personally could be absolved from concern as to results.

The lawyers for the defense, feeling sure of the jury, saw no necessity for the making of speeches on their part. They waived their rights in this particular, and the jury, after being solemnly charged by the judge, was handed the case.

The Negro at the door selling lemonade had been an eager listener to all that was said in the case. He had now totally suspended his sales and, standing in the door was eagerly scanning the faces of the jurymen, who had announced that they did not need to retire, but could return a verdict on the spot.

"Come here, darkey, with your lemonade," called a white man on the outside to the Negro.

The Negro obeyed, though his heart for some cause was in the court room.

Suddenly there was a tumult in the court room and the Negro dropped his lemonade bucket and ran to the door. He saw a crowd surging about the lyncher that had been on trial, and he cried out in startling tones:

"Gemmen, don't do dat. Don't kill de man. De boy whut wuz burnt, I'm his daddy. I jes' wanted yer ter 'nounce de man guilty so as ter tek de stain off'n de dead; but fur Gawd's sake, don' lynch de man."

The judge saw through it all at once and hastened to Silas Harper's side, for it was he, Bud's father. In sorrowful tones the judge said, "You are mistaken, friend. They are congratulating the man. They are not trying to hurt him. The jury has said that he was not guilty. You had better come and go with me. They might become enraged against you and have another lynching."

Silas Harper's jaws fell apart in amazement and his eyes took on the look of a terror-stricken, hunted animal. He meekly slunk along after the judge, and to an outsider would have appeared to be a criminal doomed to die.

CHAPTER XXV.

_A Joyful Farewell._

Mr. Seabright sat upright in bed and rubbed his eyes. The gas was burning and there sat a man in one corner of his bedroom, turning a rifle over and over, in a cool manner, a keen look of satisfaction in his eyes.

"Am I dreaming? O, I am dreaming!" said Mr. Seabright, trying to thus rea.s.sure himself; but a man was sitting in a chair in the corner, all as plain as day.

"But I have had dreams that appeared as real," thought Mr. Seabright.

He pinched himself so as to further determine the fact as to whether he was awake or asleep. Being thoroughly convinced that he was awake, he quickly fell back in the bed and pulled the cover over his head.

Remembering, however, the man's rifle, he pulled the covering far enough down to allow one terrified eye to keep track of the weapon.

"Mr. Seabright!" called the intruder.

"Sir," responded Mr. Seabright, in sepulchral tones.

"I think your wife belongs to that man Marshall's church," remarked the man.

Mr. Seabright nodded a.s.sent.

"Tell her that her pastor will hardly live till morning and that he would like to see her," said the man.

Mr. Seabright had now found courage to pull the cover down from over the other eye, and it now rested on his nose.

"Did you hear me," said the man, rather sharply.

"You will please excuse my boldness," said Mr. Seabright, tremblingly, "but you have a totally wrong conception of my disposition I fear, Mr.

Stranger. You can get the full benefit of my services with only the b.u.t.t end of that thing pointing my way, instead of the occasional s.h.i.+fting of the muzzle in my direction."

The stranger smiled coldly and said, "Tell her what I said."

Mr. Seabright now got out of bed and proceeded to the door opening from his room into that of his wife.

"Arabelle!" called Mr. Seabright through the partly opened door.

Mrs. Seabright, who was in the midst of a horrible dream, sprang out of bed.

"Arabelle, Percy G. Marshall is dying and would like to see you."

"O my G.o.d! Can I save him?" she cried, wringing her hands.

Excited though she was, it was not long before she was attired and rus.h.i.+ng to the study of the church where she was told that she would find the dying man. The door of the study was slightly ajar so that she had no trouble in entering. There upon the sofa lay the dying man, his hand pressed to his side, evidently in an effort to staunch the flow of blood. It is the young man whom we saw repeating his childhood prayer after Mrs. Seabright in the Domain Hotel.

"I knew that it would come to this, mother. I wanted to live to tell you that," said the dying preacher.

"O my boy, my darling! O what has lain hold of me?" cried Mrs.

Seabright, as she knelt by the bedside of the dying one and kissed his lips fervently.

A gasp and the spirit of the young man was gone. A loud scream rang out on the night air when Mrs. Seabright realized that it was all over with him.

"Wait, my boy, mother is coming."

Taking from her bosom a small vial she swallowed the contents, fell across the breast of the dead and joined him in the spirit land.

When Mr. Seabright had delivered to Mrs. Seabright the message of the intruder, he turned and looked at the man in a helpless sort of way.

When Mrs. Seabright was gone the man remarked to Mr. Seabright:

"I been had my eye on your house for sevul years. It makes a good fort to shoot frum. It'll be turned to that use to-day. You'd better clean out, for a mob 'll be here soon."

"O my G.o.d! Have they found me out? O my G.o.d! my G.o.d!" said Mr.