按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
therefore； felt unwilling to go down with me until he had first called on
Mr。 Winters alone。 He therefore paid him a visit。 From that interview
he assured me that he gathered the impression that he did not believe I
would have any difficulty with Mr。 Winters； and that he （Winters） would
call on me at four o'clock in my own office。
MY OWN PRECAUTIONS。
As Sheriff Cummings was in Gold Hill that afternoon； and as I desired to
converse with him about the previous assault； I invited him to my office；
and he came。 Although a half hour had passed beyond four o'clock； Mr。
Winters had not called； and we both of us began preparing to go home。
Just then； Philip Lynch； Publisher of the Gold Hill News； came in and
said； blandly and cheerily； as if bringing good news：
〃Hello； John B。 Winters wants to see you。〃
I replied； 〃Indeed！ Why he sent me word that he would call on me here
this afternoon at four o'clock！〃
〃O； well； it don't do to be too ceremonious just now； he's in my office；
and that will do as wellcome on in； Winters wants to consult with you
alone。 He's got something to say to you。〃
Though slightly uneasy at this change of programme； yet believing that in
an editor's house I ought to be safe； and anyhow that I would be within
hail of the street； I hurriedly； and but partially whispered my dim
apprehensions to Mr。 Cummings； and asked him if he would not keep near
enough to hear my voice in case I should call。 He consented to do so
while waiting for some other parties； and to come in if he heard my voice
or thought I had need of protection。
On reaching the editorial part of the News office； which viewed from the
street is dark； I did not see Mr。 Winters； and again my misgivings arose。
Had I paused long enough to consider the case； I should have invited
Sheriff Cummings in； but as Lynch went down stairs； he said： 〃This way；
Wiegandit's best to be private；〃 or some such remark。
＇I do not desire to strain the reader's fancy； hurtfully； and yet it
would be a favor to me if he would try to fancy this lamb in battle； or
the duelling ground or at the head of a vigilance committeeM。 T。：＇
I followed； and without Mr。 Cummings； and without arms； which I never do
or will carry； unless as a soldier in war； or unless I should yet come to
feel I must fight a duel； or to join and aid in the ranks of a necessary
Vigilance Committee。 But by following I made a fatal mistake。 Following
was entering a trap； and whatever animal suffers itself to be caught
should expect the common fate of a caged rat； as I fear events to come
will prove。
Traps commonly are not set for benevolence。
＇His body…guard is shut out：＇
THE TRAP INSIDE。
I followed Lynch down stairs。 At their foot a door to the left opened
into a small room。 From that room another door opened into yet another
room； and once entered I found myself inveigled into what many will ever
henceforth regard as a private subterranean Gold Hill den； admirably
adapted in proper hands to the purposes of murder； raw or disguised； for
from it； with both or even one door closed； when too late； I saw that I
could not be heard by Sheriff Cummings； and from it； BY VIOLENCE AND BY
FORCE； I was prevented from making a peaceable exit； when I thought I saw
the studious object of this 〃consultation〃 was no other than to compass
my killing； in the presence of Philip Lynch as a witness； as soon as by
insult a proverbially excitable man should be exasperated to the point of
assailing Mr。 Winters； so that Mr。 Lynch； by his conscience and by his
well known tenderness of heart toward the rich and potent would be
compelled to testify that he saw Gen。 John B。 Winters kill Conrad Wiegand
in 〃self…defence。〃 But I am going too fast。
OUR HOST。
Mr。 Lynch was present during the most of the time （say a little short of
an hour）； but three times he left the room。 His testimony； therefore；
would be available only as to the bulk of what transpired。 On entering
this carpeted den I was invited to a seat near one corner of the room。
Mr。 Lynch took a seat near the window。 J。 B。 Winters sat （at first） near
the door； and began his remarks essentially as follows：
〃I have come here to exact of you a retraction； in black and white； of
those damnably false charges which you have preferred against me in that…
infamous lying sheet of yours； and you must declare yourself their
author； that you published them knowing them to be false； and that your
motives were malicious。〃
〃Hold； Mr。 Winters。 Your language is insulting and your demand an
enormity。 I trust I was not invited here either to be insulted or
coerced。 I supposed myself here by invitation of Mr。 Lynch； at your
request。〃
〃Nor did I come here to insult you。 I have already told you that I am
here for a very different purpose。〃
〃Yet your language has been offensive； and even now shows strong
excitement。 If insult is repeated I shall either leave the room or call
in Sheriff Cummings； whom I just left standing and waiting for me outside
the door。〃
〃No； you won't； sir。 You may just as well understand it at once as not。
Here you are my man； and I'll tell you why！ Months ago you put your
property out of your hands； boasting that you did so to escape losing it
on prosecution for libel。〃
〃It is true that I did convert all my immovable property into personal
property； such as I could trust safely to others； and chiefly to escape
ruin through possible libel suits。〃
〃Very good； sir。 Having placed yourself beyond the pale of the law； may
God help your soul if you DON'T make precisely such a retraction as I
have demanded。 I've got you now； and bybefore you can get out of this
room you've got to both write and sign precisely the retraction I have
demanded； and before you go； anyhowyou…low…livedlying…； I'll
teach you what personal responsibility is outside of the law； and； by；
Sheriff Cummings and all the friends you've got in the world besides；
can't save you； you…； etc。！ No； sir。 I'm alone now； and I'm prepared
to be shot down just here and now rather than be villified by you as I
have been； and suffer you to escape me after publishing those charges；
not only here where I am known and universally respected； but where I am
not personally known and may be injured。〃
I confess this speech； with its terrible and but too plainly implied
threat of killing me if I did not sign the paper he demanded； terrified
me； especially as I saw he was working himself up to the highest possible
pitch of passion； and instinct told me that any reply other than one of
seeming concession to his demands would only be fuel to a raging fire；
so I replied：
〃Well； if I've got to sign；〃 and then I paused some time。 Resuming；
I said； 〃But； Mr。 Winters； you are greatly excited。 Besides； I see you
are laboring under a total misapprehension。 It is your duty not to
inflame but to calm yourself。 I am prepared to show you； if you will
only point out the article that you allude to； that you regard as
'charges' what no calm and logical mind has any right to regard as such。
Show me the charges； and I will try； at all events； and if it becomes
plain that no charges have been preferred； then plainly there can be
nothing to retract； and no one could rightly urge you to demand a
retraction。 You should beware of making so serious a mistake； for
however honest a man may be； every one is liable to misapprehend。
Besides you assume that I am the author of some certain article which you
have not pointed out。 It is hasty to do so。〃
He then pointed to some numbered paragraphs in a TRIBUNE article； headed
〃What's the Matter with Yellow Jacket？〃 saying 〃 That's what I refer to。〃
To gain time for general reflection and resolution； I took up the paper
and looked it over for awhile； he remaining silent； and as I hoped；
cooling。 I then resumed saying； 〃As I supposed。 I do not admit having
written that article； nor have you any right to assume so important a
point； and then base important action upon your assumption。 You might
deeply regret it afterwards。 In my published Address to the People； I
notified the world that no information as to the authorship of any
article would be given without the consent of the writer。 I therefore
cannot honorably tell you who wrote that article； nor can you exact it。〃
〃If you are not the author； then I do demand to know who is？〃
〃I must decline to say。〃
〃Then； by； I brand you as its author； and shall treat you accordingly。〃
〃Passing that point； the most important misapprehension which I notice
is； that you regard them as 'charges' at all； when their context； both at
their beginning and end； show they are not。 These words introduce them：
'Such an investigation ＇just before indicated＇； we think MIGHT result in
showing some of the following points。' Then follow eleven specifications；
and the succeeding paragraph shows that the suggested investigation
'might EXONERATE those who are generally believed guilty。' You see；
therefore； the context proves they are not preferred as charges； and this
you seem to have overlooked。〃
While making those comments； Mr。 Winters frequently interrupted me in
such a way as to convince me that he