It
seemed to turn away, after a little distance, from the direct line to
the city, and to bear to the west, toward the river. He feared that
he had made a mistake in leaving the railroad, but he only walked the
faster. Now and then he would break into a run and keep running until
his breath gave out, then he would drop back into a walk.
His feet began to hurt him. One shoe rubbed his heel until the pain
became so intense that he could not bear it, and he sat down by the
roadside and removed his shoes and stockings, and then ran on in his
bare feet. The sunlight grew hotter; no air was stirring; the dust
hung above the road in clouds. Deep thirst came back upon the boy;
his limbs grew weak and tired; his bared feet were bruised upon the
stones.
But he scarcely thought of these things; his only anxiety was that the
moments were passing, that the road was long, that unless he reached
his journey's end in time injustice would be done and wrong prevail.
So he pressed on; abating not one jot of his swiftness, falling
not one hair's breadth from his height of resolution, on and on,
foot-sore, thirsty, in deep distress; but with a heart unyielding
as the flint, with a purpose strong as steel, with a heroism more
magnificent than that which meets the points of glittering bayonets
or the mouths of belching cannon.
CHAPTER XVI.
A BLOCK IN THE WHEEL.
At half-past one o'clock people began to loiter into the court-house
at Wilkesbarre; at two the court-room was full.
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