The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1883-09-19

Wnere In the distance the former driver WA
staggering along and wildly gessiclsting
for the stage to wait.
"Drive on" he said shortly. ct viii do
Jimt system lots of good to walk
81 reckon yer right, pardner," said the
new recruit, starting up the team. "Jin %
powerful walker at times."
1t would be great plsssure 70 chronicle
the remainder of that mountain ride, IS
scenery and its memory, but it would alter
al be only the sleeping of two old w0snel
and the rather commonplace conversation
carried on between very pretty young,
LADY and rather susceptible young gentle
man, species OF talk, Is every one under
stands, In which, while the words msy m 3sn
but little or they msy mean great deal.
and eyes dare more than lips. A talk in this
case at least, which left them feeling won.
deriuIy well acquainted with each oIhsr
and made them obliyious to the fac. that
while one was minister at the bottom Of
the ladder, the other, in spite of dark eyes
and pleasant ways, was tho daughter Of enc
of tie most desperate moonshiners IN ali
the mountains of Esst Teonesses, and, as
she had expressed It, IS little of an outlaw
herself"
So they journeyed on over the rough rad
to its ending. On the ample porch CT ths
Three Forks House e motley crowd was
gathered 80 they slighted, crowd that
jerred at the poor volunteer driver, that
smiled with generous recognition as it
greeted the girl and glanced at the black
frock of the carson with look savoring Of
range along the row of faces With growing
feeling of disappointment TIE face she
wished for was absent.
NAra epv af otfr fOlka ha-o Ar
she fnslly asked of man who wa. lesning
carelessly up against the front door.
saint teen none OF 'em, Mics Bslle. /
reckon they're mighty busy on the farm,
bout now," he replied slowly, with e sly
wink at the man next him. Shall L hitch
up Old Ned for yelf"
"Oh, no, indeed. I'd much rather walk"
she replied quickly, and turning TO her CON.
panicn of the afternoon, added: 81 Nill cav
good. by to you, for presume you will stop
here
off you will permit" he answered, after
taking the preferred hand, az will walk at
least part way with you. 1t will make
pleasant ending 10 the ride,n and, as she
bowed an answer, they turned and strollei
away together, out on the MARROW rocky
road that in the winding way led up toward
the blue capped summit far above than.
The road was pleasant one, lying clio in
the sunlight, shaded hero and there By treas,
which eemCd to find roots in the very
stones.
"How fres sll things look up hare" he
ventured finally TO btesk the silence. IL
wonder do The people dwelling hero enj "
them or is that blessing reserved for strslg-
ersf'
"Ir DECD they do eIjoy them always in
their way" was the reply. SD yol not
know that muuntineers. more perhaps than
homes3" Have you 50 scoa fJfg0tten how
hard they fought for them during tho wsr2
Why this very mountain itself was q vontin-
ual battle ground for years"
"Pel haps the Ugh! il not over even yet"
he said csrelessly.
Ytu come nearer truth than you think"
with irown. at ia not over. You do no.
believe me2 Then COX I'D, little to tee
right, lst under thestump OF that old broken
tree. Do you see sDythingp
Gordon shaded Lis eyes from the binding
sun and looked earnestly il the direction she
had pointed out.
81 certainly do see something" hs answer.
ed, finally; but what, / can scarcely distin-
guish. 1t looks like Il man leaning upon
fomething."
alt is man." she cried, little proudly,
"atsnoing whore he can sec twenty miles
down the valley, ard that thing be ie,ms
leaning upon is his gun. one shot frcm viii ch
would put oil of Bald Mountain under arms.
What do you think of us noWY' Tnere WAS
nothing but pride and defiance in the girfs
words, but in her eyes Gordon read world
of pleading for his judgment and ne answer.
ed ihoughtfGuy:
"Ttat have never understood your peop'e,
and eIhsrs never shall"
For moment they were silent; III an she
ssld SO low as scarcely 10 rescn him: Il only
wish you had not come"
And 1 am very glad l did" was the re-
ply.
"And why" she questioned.
'ro have met YOU would have been enough.
think" and her eyes sank 10 the yellow
road, but he dush On her cheeks answered
him.
1t was very nearly dark when the new
minister of Tree Forks returned to the h tel,
and after hasty supper sought the seclusion
Of his room. 1t wss two hours later when
csyalcsde of horsemen dasht d down from the
mountain and drew up before the house. Taey
entered the little Office without CEREMONY and
roughly demanded TO be shown the preacher.
The host was nervous ard full of Tears Tor his
guests safety.
Now, 1im," he said plesdingly to the
speaker, give the feiisr come kind OF
SHOW. cent YET He SCENE to be q pretty d..
cent kind OF a chap this tims."
"Give Lin show!' echoed the man,
''why, bless We, old man, we be'ant goin' to
hurt his prec Gus hide. The boys lsi want
ter thank him fer lickin' that drunken
Skaegs, that's all. Trot him on; NJ tip
At tie hurried request of tbs land lord
Gordon came down into the eff e feeling
decidedly nervous, bat endeavaring 10 so.
pesr perfectly calm. The men drew back
little rs he entered and lef. the one wh) had
previously acted Ne spokesman standing
alone 10 the center Of the hoot. This person
Was a tall, awkward butstronc-feAt1redm sn
of al lesst 60 years, bearing sbou! his pers IN
marks Of hardship srd q certain CONSCIOUS
nefs Of inherent command. Taking cd his
old, battered ielt hat he ran his fayers
through a shock Of gray hair sad ssii SOL
EMMY;
"PaIfon, we've reckone1 as how you must
be n pretty tquar sort of ch-p" The lis
teBer bowed wonderirgly al the comp i'm sat.
aye see the last of your breed VIVA, Tls here
kinder played it on the boys, and ed they WAS
sorter lsyin for the next cuss ths. cum along
ter git even. They met up to my house on
old Badly, and then Civ 'en the story
about yer stopping the stage an lickin' Jim
Skaggs, and told 'em as how you wus