They think he
went west."
"Much obliged. Willetts is so upset he isn't sure of anything."
"Wiley!" The old man's voice shook; Minnie began to cry aloud. The
horseman wheeled about and turned his animal's head toward town. "Wiley!"
"Yes."
"Wiley, they haven't--you don't think they've got him?"
"By God, judge," said the man on horseback, "I'm afraid they have!"
CHAPTER X
THE COURT-HOUSE BELL
The court-house bell ringing in the night! No hesitating stroke of
Schofields' Henry, no uncertain touch, was on the rope. A loud, wild,
hurried clamor pealing out to wake the country-side, a rapid _clang!
clang! clang!_ that struck clear in to the spine.
The court-house bell had tolled for the death of Morton, of Garfield, of
Hendricks; had rung joy-peals of peace after the war and after political
campaigns; but it had rung as it was ringing now only three times; once
when Hibbard's mill burned, once when Webb Landis killed Sep Bardlock and
intrenched himself in the lumber-yard and would not be taken till he was
shot through and through, and once when the Rouen accommodation was
wrecked within twenty yards of the station.
Why was the bell ringing now? Men and women, startled into wide
wakefulness, groped to windows--no red mist hung over town or country.
What was it? The bell rang on.
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