Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-02-04

again..
IF you mean by that, to bet youl
own ears against mine, I'll take you
|upr said Jack laughing, while the
men could not resist Joining him.
| IIinch glared around him with a fierce
chafed look, before which those who
knew him best quailed, and with com
pressed lips silently loaded his gun
A new target was put. up, at which,
after long and careful aim, he fired
1.-THE shot was fine one. The edge
of the ball had just broke the centre.
Jack, after looking at it, quietly re-
marked
! Plumbing out the centre is my
fashion; l Il show you kink or two,
Captain Hinch, about the clear thing
in shootin-' Give US another board
there, boy s.
Another was set up, and after
throwing out his gun on the level, in
the same rapid careless style as be-
fore, he fired; and when the eager
crowd around the targ get announced
that he had driven the centre cross
clear out, he turned upon his heel,
and with a pleasant nod to Hinch,
started to walk off. The ruffian
Shouted hoarsely after him
. 4 thought you weresa ID cow
ard! You've made two good shots
by accident, and now you sneak off
to brag that you've beat me- Come
back, sirl You can't shoot before a
muzzle half as true.'
Jack walked on without noticing
the mortal insult and challenge, while
Hinch laughed tauntihgly long and
loud, -jeering him with exulting bit.
terness, as long as he could make
himself heard, as "a flash in the pan,
"a dunghill cock, who had spread
his white feather, while the men who
had been surprised in to a profound
respect for Long, and were now still
more astonished at what they con
sidered his backing out joined clam
or9usly in hooting his retreat. i
The fools! They made fatal mis-
take, in supposing he left the insult
unresented from any fear for himself.
Jack Long had a young and pretty
wife at home, and his love for her
was stronger than his resentment for
MS own indignity. His passions
we're slow and had never been fully /.
He of them at least but
his love, and that pres sented her in I
'tantly foriorn and deserted, with her
title ones, in this wild country, should
ne throw away his life with such des-
oerate odds; and seeing the turn the
flair was likely to take, he had prii-
lently determined to get away before
t had gone too far But had any Of
hose men seen the spasmof agony 4,
which shivered across his massive fea-
ures, as these gibing voices rang
Ipon his ears in insult which noproud
rec hunter might end,i they would
ave taken the hint, to beware Of ,
hating the silently foaming boar any 4,
Dnger. Ii
This was an iIl-starred day for
ack, thohgh; from this time troubles 1
egan to thicken about him. The !
ven tenor of his simple happy life .
as dest troyed, and indignity and !
utrage followed each other fast /,
Inch never forgave the unlucky I
kill which had robbed him Of his .
roudest boast, that of being the best >
larksman on the frontier; and he /,
wore, in base yindictive hate; to dog .
i'm to the death, or make bin leave :
he country. Soon after this, "a val !,
able horse belonging to q rich and >
swerful planter, disappeared. He .
as one Of those men who had com y !,
r3mised with the Regulators, paying ;.
much black-mail for exemptions :, :
Jm their depredations, and protec- ! !
on against Others Of the same :,
amp; and he now applied to Hinch, i i,
P the recovery Of his hors 9, and the = :
mis- ahment of the thief. This n
inch, under their contract, vas =
und to do, and promised to accom-
ish forthwith. He and some of his ne
en- went off on the trail of the I
ssing horse, and returning next III
y, announced that they had fol- mi
we'd it with all their skill through Ca
great many windings, evidently in ln'
nding to throw off pursuit, and had - =
last traced itIIto Jack Longs pick r. r.
fence, and there could be no doubt -,
the was the thief. The planter A,
ew nothing Of Jack, but that he fill