The Spectre In The Cart | Page 8

mind
was the eagerness with which I had prosecuted him and the joy I had
felt at my success.
"Of course, I know now it was simply that I was overworked and
needed rest; but at that time the trouble was serious.
"It haunted me all day, and that night I could not sleep. For many days
afterwards, it clung to me, and I found myself unable to forget it, or to
sleep as I had been used to do.
"The new trial of Absalom came on in time, and the fight was had all
over again. It was longer than before, as every man in our county had
an opinion, and a jury had to be brought from another county. But
again the verdict was the same. And again an appeal was taken; was
refused by the next higher court; and allowed by the highest; this time
because a talesman had said he had expressed an opinion, but had not
formed one. In time the appeal was heard once more, and after much
delay, due to the number of cases on the docket and the immense labor
of studying carefully so huge a record, it was decided. It was again
reversed, on the technicality mentioned, and a new trial was ordered.
"That same day the court adjourned for the term.
"Having a bed-room adjoining my office, I spent that night in town. I
did not go to sleep until late, and had not been asleep long when I was
awakened by the continual repetition of a monotonous sound. At first I
thought I was dreaming, but as I aroused it came to me distinctly: the
sound of blows in the distance struck regularly. I awaked fully. The
noise was in the direction of the jail. I dressed hastily and went down
on the street. I stepped into the arms of a half-dozen masked men who
quietly laid me on my back, blindfolded me and bound me so that I
could not move. I threatened and struggled; but to no purpose, and
finally gave it up and tried expostulation. They told me that they

intended no harm to me; but that I was their prisoner and they meant to
keep me. They had come for their man, they said, and they meant to
have him. They were perfectly quiet and acted with the precision of old
soldiers.
"All the time I could hear the blows at the jail as the mob pounded the
iron door with sledges, and now and then a shout or cry from within.
"The blows were on the inner door, for the mob had quickly gained
access to the outer corridor. They had come prepared and, stout as the
door was, it could not resist long. Then one great roar went up and the
blows ceased suddenly, and then one cry.
"In a little while I heard the regular tramp of men, and in a few minutes
the column came up the street, marching like soldiers. There must have
been five hundred of them. The prisoner was in the midst, bare-headed
and walking between two mounted men, and was moaning and
pleading and cursing by turns.
"I asked my captors if I might speak, and they gave me ten minutes. I
stood up on the top step of the house, and for a few minutes I made
what I consider to have been the best speech I ever made or shall make.
I told them in closing that I should use all my powers to find out who
they were, and if I could do so I should prosecute them, everyone, and
try and have them hanged for murder.
"They heard me patiently, but without a word, and when I was through,
one of the leaders made a short reply. They agreed with me about the
law; but they felt that the way it was being used was such as to cause a
failure of justice. They had waited patiently, and were apparently no
nearer seeing justice executed than in the beginning. So they proposed
to take the law into their own hands. The remedy was, to do away with
all but proper defences and execute the law without unreasonable delay.
"It was the first mob I had ever seen, and I experienced a sensation of
utter powerlessness and insignificance; just as in a storm at sea, a
hurricane, or a conflagration. The individual disappeared before the
irresistible force.

"An order was given and the column moved on silently.
"A question arose among my guards as to what should be done with
me.
"They wished to pledge me to return to my rooms and take no steps
until morning, but I would give no pledges. So they took me along with
them.
"From the time they started there