Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1911 — If the Dead May Return [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

If the Dead May Return

A Victory Without a Shot

By F. A. Mitchel

In one of the old colonial manor bouses, for which Virginia is famang, a man lay dying. On the walls of his chamber bung a sword and sash, belt and pistol that had been placed there a dozen years before, when the southern Confederates bad gone home to return to work and to save what they could from the wreck of war. There was no one in the house except some negroes, and they were bowed down with grfef. Presently one of them entered the sick man’s chamber and said breathlessly: “She's coalin', Mars Colonel.** The melancholy eye lighted, but not with pleasure. There was a hopeless look In it Indicating that the invalid was preparing for an ordeal. Then came the sound of wheels on the driveway without, and in a few moments a woman, twenty years of age. perhaps, burst Into the room and. rushing to the bed, fell on her knees beside it, clasping the figure in her arms. “Oh, father!" she moaned. “I have sent fo' yo’,” the man said, speaking with difficulty, “to say that at last 1 have ceased to blame yo’. He did it all. 1 have not been able to find him. and now I must go from here. But if yo' know where he is tetl him that if the dead may return he shall hear from me.” "Father, leave him to Him who shall judge us all at last.” There was no reply. The effort the man had made had taken the little strength left in him. Slower and slower came his breath; there was a rattle in his throat, and he was dead. • • • • • * • “Can yo’ tell me, suh. if there is a man in this town named Lawrence— Edga’ Lawrence, fo’me’lv from Geo’gla?” The man addressed turned to the ' speaker and. on meeting his gaze, re- : treated a step or two. He saw a tall j man about fifty, whose erect figure

and shoulders thrown back suggested that be might have been a soldier. His hair and beard were grizzly gray, and there was a singular glitter in his eye. “Yes, sir,” replied the man questioned, “there is a man by that name here.” “Can you tell me where I can find him?” “He’s generally in the Empire saloon at this time of day.” “Very much obliged to yo’, sub.” And the stranger walked away toward the Empire saloon. “I’ll bet my hat,” said the observer to himself, “that man was in the late unpleasantness between the north and the south. These soldier men never get over their training. They speak as if they were giving or receiving orders and walk as if they were keeping step to music. He’s a queer looking old chap and no mistake. I shouldn’t have told him where to find Lawrence. Gone to settle a difficulty with him! He’ll go through the matter formally, and before he’s really started in he’ll get a bullet in his brain. I’ll follow him.” The evening sun hung quite low and cast the stranger’s shadow very long. While he walked on with the same measured tread as if trudging with soldiers, the observer’s attention was turned from him to this elongated shadow. There was something grotesque about it, as such shadows often are. Both body and legs were drawn out strangely and the legs triangulated like a pair of compasses. The stranger reaching the saloon, turned in, and the man who was following was close be hind him. Men were standing at the bar drinking, while others were seated at tables gambling. The stranger was standing straight as an arrow looking about him. Presently a man rose from one of the tables, and, passing the newcomer, the latter asked: “Can you tell me, suh, if Edga' Lawrence is present?” “That’s Edgar Lawrence sitting at that table over there;’’ “Which one?” “The man just dealin’ the cards.” The speaker referred to a table

Where five men were playing cards, with piles of coins before them. The stranger triangulated over to the group and, standing behind the dealer, touched him lightly on his shoulder with the tip of his finger. The man jumped as if be had been stung. From force of habit, perhaps, his right hand went to his hip as he quickly turned and looked up Into the face bent down to his. For some moments the tableau was unchanged, then the stranger said: “Pa’don me, st*K fo* Interrupting yo’ game, but I should be obleeged If yo* would tell me if yo* name is Edga* Lawrence?" “Yes, sir,** said the man addressed, making an effort to speak in his usual voice. “I regret, suh. to disturb you. Geatlemen. I trust yo* will excuse me fo’ interrupting yo* in yoa* smusement. but I have a difficulty to settle with quo of you’ numbs'. Captain Lawrence.* Every face at the table was turned upward; every «y« fixed an the speak' er. ,No such subdued geatlemawCko tones had ever bees heand before in that sinkhole of laiquity. ▲ difficulty to settle with Lawrence—Captain Lawrence! No one had ever heard of Lawrence having a military title before. And why didn't Lawrence shoot him dead? Lawrence’s hand was on his pistol, and the stranger's hand was not hear a weapon. His close fitting coat buttoned tight to the throat showed no bulge where a weapon should be. Nevertheless. Lawrence did not draw his pistol. “Being a strange’ among you gentlemen." continued the speaker. “I would be obleeged to yo’ if one of yo’ numbe* would act fo' Captain Lawrence and one fo’ me. The sun has not yet set, and the twilight will be plenty long enough for us to settle ou* difficulty befo’ da’k.”

Every man gaped at the speaker till one of them broke the spell by rising and offering his services to him. Then another said to Lawrence: “Come, Ed; you’ll have to gratify the old fellow, and you’d better not try any of your games. He’s evidently captivated the boys, and if you shouldn’t treat him fair you might get into trouble. You've done too many wicked.things already.” Lawrence rose without a word. He steadied himself by resting his hand on the table. He was very pale. "What’s the matter with yon? Who is the old man?" 'Tve never seen him before.” was the only reply. The six of them walked out of the saloon and down the road to a patch of level ground which had been recently cleared. The sun, a blood red ball, stood near the horizon, casting fantastic shadows of all the party. Not a word was spoken by any one. Though the day had been warm, the air was pervaded by a chill. All noticed that Lawrence seemed to feel it especially, for he was shivering. “What distance do you prefer, sir?" asked the stranger’s second of him. “That, suh, is immaterial. Leave the terms entirely with Captain Lawrence.”

“Make it what you like.” said Lawrence. whose teeth were chattering, much to the surprise of the rest The seconds measured the ground for thirty paces, then approached the principals to relieve them of their weapons and give them others. The stranger bowed and said that he had no weapon: he never went armed. Lawrence’s pistol was taken from him, and both he and his antagonist were given weapons borrowed from among those present Then they were stood opposite each other. It seemed to those in attendance that Lawrence was unable to withstand the gaze of his antagonist The two men were placed at either end of the thirty paces, and the man who was acting for Lawrence stood ready to drop a handkerchief, at which the principals were to advance, firing. Before giving the signal he said: “Perhaps one of you gentlemen would give up the cause of this difficulty.” He turned to the stranger, who made no reply. His eye rested on his enemy. The speaker turned to Lawrence and asked him if he had anything to say by way of explanation. Lawrence paid no heed to him. '“Gentlemen, are you ready?” , There was no reply from either of the contestants. “Fire!” and the handkerchief floated to the ground. A bullet from Lawrence’s pistol went high in the air. The stranger, without firing, dropped his pistol and strpde unarmed toward his antagonist, his eyes, flaring like two great stars, fixed on Lawrence. As he passed him Lawrence was heard to laugh. There was something so uncanny about his laughter that It froze the blood of those looking on. The stranger passed right by his antagonist. Lawrence gave a shriek and. springing into the air as if he had been shot, fell back into the arms of his second.

Forgetting the stranger in the weird scene, every man rushed toward Lawrence and bent over him. When they looked up the former had disappeared. All this happened many years ago. Edgar Lawrence has long been an inmate of a lunatic asylum, and his case has from the time of his entry there been considered hopeless..- There are in Virginia two graves side by side, the one of a father, the other of his daughter. The lot where they are placed is an of the old manor house grounds that remains unchanged The mansion stands out, grand arid gloomy, while the grounds are divided into little patches, worked by hundreds of negroes. And. singular enough, not a man who witnessed that duel but died a violent death. The only one of the party living Is Edgar Lawrence, who fe a ravin* maniac.

'TELL ME IF YO’ NAME IS EDGA’ LAWRENCE.”