"Hunchy! Hunchy!" he called, but his voice was weak, and he was not heard.
When he was almost exhausted he struck a tree with his arm. Pausing a second to feel the bark, he went quickly around it and stumbled over the board walk in front of Colonel Hornberger's house. Then he knew the way. The board walk passed the Block. He ran on it fast as he could, and burst in upon Lizzī as she sat before the fire with her face buried in her hands.
Between gasps for breath he began to tell his story, while his head resounded with whirring noises and his temples throbbed as if they would burst.
"Mind the baby, Benner," she called to him from the porch before he had finished.
A wail from the infant directed him to the cradle. Kneeling beside it, he struggled with his cough and rocked the crying child.
When the lynchers entered the bridge, Henry Myers climbed up to one of the cross-pieces. The end of the rope was thrown to him, and he made it fast. Then Gill was placed on a chair.
"Yer hev got ter die, John Gillfillan, an' yer may as well make a clean breast uv it," said Henry, his feet dangling not far from Gill's head.
The sullen faces of the angry men did not seem to frighten Gill, who could see them plainly in the light of several stable-lanterns distributed through the crowd. The rope pressed against his neck, but his hands were unbound.
"We'll give yer three minits ter make up yer mind, not as we've got enny doubts 'bout yer guilt, but we think yer might die easier hevin' told the truth onct in yer life."
Henry took a bull's-eye watch from his vest-pocket and asked for a lantern. By its light he grimly watched the hands.