American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1881-04-16

Brierwood glanced at the door sharply
even fearfully-hs hand motionless
on the rolls of money.
''Only the wind. Amos, only the
wind!' said the short, stout man, impa-
tiently. .-
But he. himself, was disquieted the
next moment when u horse neighed
shrillY.
That amt my beasts, Amos. nor vii,
yourn!' hecried. starting up.
1T air the travellers, We sodden
hit" said Brierwood, lifting his I'M
couth foot and giving him iocose kick.
But the short man was not satisfied.
He rose, went outside. and jim could
hear him beating about among tho
bushes. Presently he came in again.
"'Twar the travellers critter, reckons
an that critter an saddle oughter be
counted in my sheer" 80
He had turned once more to go, but as
he swung his lanturn round. his mali
cious eve fell upon, the poor little plaid
bat sticking against the wall.
He stood in the door staring dumb
founded for moment. Then he
clenched his fist, and shook it ticrcely
:" How did We happen ter be hvar this
time o. the night. We limb?" he cried.
Dunno" faltered poor Jim.
The other man had returned, TOO.
''Waal. sir. eff that thar boy he'd been
a copper-head now, he'd hev bit us,
surer'
''He mought do that yit," said Amos
Brierwood. with grim significance. HE
hev been thar all this me-'kase he
air tied thar, don't ye see? An he hev
cues an he hev ears. What air ter
hender?'
The other mans face turned pale.
and Jim thought that they were afraid
ne would tell all he had seen and
heard. The manner of both had
changed, too. They had sku,king,
nervous way with them now in place
of the coarse bravado that had charac-
terized them hitherto.
Amos Brierwood pondercd few min
utes. Their he sullenly demanded
Whats yer name?"
at air Jeemes Coggin," quavered
the little boy.
..Cogg;n. heyP' exclaimed Brier-
wood. with a new idea bringing back
the malicious twinkle to his eyes. He
laughed as though nightly relieved,
and threw up his left hand and shook it
exultingly.
The shadow on the dark wall of that
manned hand with only the stump of a
thumb was weird. horrible thing to
the child. He had no idea that his con-
slant notice of it would stamp it in his
memory, and that something would
come OF this fact He was glad when
the shadow ceased to writhe and twist
upon the wall. and the man dropped his
arm to his side again.
Whats a-brewin, Amos?" asked the
other, who had been watching Brier-
wood curiously.
They whispered aside for a few mo-
mcnts-at first anxiously and then with
wild outlaws of satisfaction and self
graduation. When they approached
the boy. their manner had changed once
more.
.'Waal, declar, bubby," said Brier-
wood. agreeably, this hyar fix CT We
hev got inter air sateful fur true! 1t
air enough ter sot emmy boy on the
mounting car-a-wampus. 'Twar a good
thing ez we-uns happened ter KEN by
hyar on our way from the lanyard way
down yander in the valley whar we-uns
hev been ter git paid up fur workin' thar
some. Wen let ye out. Who done yer
th1hyas 1iek?"
@DwsoII witches; I; rdlkps!,, cried
poor 1A, bursting into tehr&
rsbSs H. r re %a s sSs a% ,S1s
time o the year-bein' We see. ez they
, He ehuckied as he said this, perhaps
sorrowfufiy shperstitIohs .per6aps be-
cause he had mapageL tocut uifnoticed
a large fragment from the end of the
comfortsr.f This he stuffed into his own
pocket as he talked on about two WITCH
es. whom he said he had met that after!
moon under; an oak tfdd feeding on
acorns.s :
AN now, KEN ter remind myself
that them witches war inquirin' round
'bout'n a boy-war his name Jcemes
Coggin? Let's see! That boys name
Das Jeemcs Cogginr'
While Jim stood breathlessly, intent
ly listening. Bricrwood had twisted
something into the folds of his comfort
er so dcxtrously that unless this were
united it would not fail-it was silk
handkerchief of a style never before
seen in the mountains. and he had made
a knot hard and fast in one corner.
Thar nowr' he exclaimed, holding
up the fragment of knitted yarn, II
hev tore yer comforter Never mind.
bubby--'twar tore afore. But it'll do
ter wrop up this money-purse what
b'longs ter yer dad. He ler' it hid in
the climbing O. the wall over yonder
close ter whar war sittin' when fust
KEN in. I'll put it back thar. 'kase yer
dad don't want nobody ter know whar
it air hid"
He strobe across the room and con.
cealed the empty pOcketbook in the
chinking.
"Ef ye won't tell who teched it, I'll
gin a good word fur We ter them witch
es what war inquirin' round fur We ter
day"
Jim promised in hot haste, and then,
the rain having ceased. he started fol
home. but Brierwood stopped him al
the door.
Hold on thar, Bub-I kem mighty
nigh furgettin' ter let We know ez l seer
yer brother ALT awhile back, an he
axed me ter git ye ter go by Ton
Brents house, an tell Tom ter mee1
him up the road piece by that thai
big Sulphur Spring. Will We gin Ton
that message2 Tell him Alt said tel
come quick"
Once more Jim promised "a So
The two men holding the lantern GU
in the porch watched him as he pound
ed down the dark road, his tow hail
sticking ont of his tattered black hat
the ends of his comforter Haunting il
the breeze, and every gesture showing
tho agitated haste of witch scarce
boy. Then they looked at each othe
significantly. and laughed loud AM
long.
= He'll tell sech a crooked tale ter
morrer. that Alt Coggin an his dad will
see sights along o. that travellers mon
! eyr said Brierwood, gloating over hi