The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1888-08-07
ON The PATH BELOW.
NJ Quad. in Detroit Free Press.

aIOuliu IL WIS StIeub anu ulfk. IL nus
always been wonder that his dogs did not
attack me. He had three, and they were as
cross and grabbed as old bears. They came
running down the trail to meet me, growing
and barking, but as soon as they came up they
made friends. They were playing around me
when 1 stood in front of the cabin and called;
"Hello! you! Hollo Hello!"
In about minute voice answered:
"Who is yer, an what's wanted?"
"Stranger in search of lodgings
He seemed to doubt it for he made no imme-
diate reply. After long minute L heard a
woman arguing:
"I tell you he must be all right If he wasn't
them dogs would hev devoured him!"
"Wall, comein" called the man, and Stun
bled along to the cabin to find him in the half
open door with his rifle in his hands. My ex-
plantations soon satisfied him that l was all
right, and he struck light, piled some blank
cts i'll corner, and said
stranger, that's the best lop / kin fix ye
off-hand Jist tumble down and doan' worry
about nothin'."
Il was soon fast asleep, having nothing to
keep me awake. Right i'll the heart of the
grim old mountain among people whose faces
had only glanced at--among men who settle
their disputes with knife or bulet-eutirely at
their mercy and i'll their power il they wanted
to rob or kill-and yet there was no cause to
be afraid. When you are the guest of q noun
taineer you are safe.
Next morning found the family to consist
of husband wife and three children. The old
est of the three children was boy of twelve,
who had killed his bear and was dead shot.
AS soon as had looked around me knew
that o distllery could be found near by.
After breakfast Burton pumped me for few
minutes, sized me up in his mind as go. *"
and said:
"Come up with me and see the boys. And
/ want to tell you that we've bin expecting
visitors for the last two days, an we may heV
scare befo' night
"What sort of visitors?"
"United States chaps arter our still.
They've had spy in yero trying to locate it.
We saw him twice yesterday"
There were three other men at the still,
which was hidden away i'll dark and rugged
ravine, approached by footpath which could
be ambushed at every rod All the corn was
"toted" on the mems backs over this path, and
the kegs of whisky were slung to pole and
carried between two men. The Still was per-
feet, but small, and in the five or six months it
had been in operation the men had not made
the wages of mechanics. l asked one of them
how long since he had had a five dollar bill,
scratched his head and finally replied:
"Wal1, stranger, you may remember the
battle of Stone Riyer?"
eyes"
"a right smart'ago, wasn't t?"
eyes; twenty-five years ago"
"Wall, Just arter that fight had o Are dol
lar bill, and that's the fust and last time"
What money they made by illicit distilling
went for boots and shoes, clothing of the plain
est kind, tinware, tobacco and tea. One of them
had had three pounds of brown sugar in his
house within year. The others had not had
an ounce; one had not tasted tea, coffee, sugar.
wheat bread or fresh meat Outside of wild
meat for over two years.
The still was about mile from the house
II any stranger came by the trail ono of the
dogs was sent up the ravine with piece of
cloth tied to his neck Half way between the
two, as discovered later on, was another path
intersecting This came out of another ravine,
and was used by the men only occasionally.
The boy was stationed at this intersection to
watch both paths and give an alarm if danger
| threatened. 1t was about IL O'Clock in the
| morning when he came running III and saiu
"Spy coming, pop!
Then an instantaneous and terrible change
| took place in the bearing of the men. We had
| been lying about at ease, every man seemingly
having heart full of kindness, but this an
nouncement started blazing fire in every eye,
set every jaw and could see desperation in
each face. 1t needed no handwriting on the
wall to tell me that the spy would be wiped off
the face of the earth without compunction If
discovery threatened. Burton beckoned to me,
made signal to others which they understood,
and we climbed up the rugged face of rock
ran for q quarter Of mile over broken ground
which was well wooded, and then suddenly
halted at a spot overlooking the second path
and high above it. Burton made me sign as
he crouched down beside large rock, and eau
tiously approaching L looked down into the
ravine and saw solitary man the spy. He
was coming up the path. Ii he passed the spot
where we were stationed his scent alone would
locate the Still.
Good heavens! but you are not going to
shoot him!" / whispered to Burton as he
cooked his rifle.
He half turned to look at me. His face was
as hard set as iron.
''For the sake of earning few dollars he
would see us starve!" he replied. Gle knows
his danger. Let him pass this rock and will
shoot him!'
dared say no more. Burton was desperate
and determined.
We looked down at an angle of forty-five de-
grees on the spy. You could have told that he
was spy by his actions. He had the gait Of
an Indian bent on surprise. III looked about
him like one who expected the whistle OF a
bullet at any moment lie came slowly on.
Could [ signal him?
Mol He was not looking up, but around
him.
Coming coming coming advancing at a
steady pace toward death Would Burton
shoot? He already had the man covered.
Thumpl thump! thump!
1t was my heart pounding away like pile
driver. 1t would be murder. | would be Access
sorry. If dared to shout-to--!"
Thank God Was it the fall Of fragment
of rock up on the mountain side, or the hoarse
! call of the great buzzard poised above US which
made the spy halt in his tracks? Ten feet
more and finger will press the trigger lie
peers this way and that-he looks up and
around-he starts to advance but halts again.
Is some one praying for him-has lie guard
ian angel who whispers warning?
1t is two minutes-two minutes which tick
away so slowly that they seem TO be hours in
| length. i lean against the great rock, almost
gasping fer breath, while Burton has his eye at
| the sights and his finger ready to pull. IL is %
| tableau on the threshold of death 1t is pam
| tomme at the edge of a grave
SEQ back! Go back" L entreat in my mind
to the spy.
He removes his hat, wipes his brow, and is
| evidently anxious
'If you value your life go backP / would
| fam say.
| He looks around him like one who feels dan
| ger in the very air.
"You will be shot If you advanced Hear
| and heed the warning"
| The warning reached him by that mysterious
| channel which the human nina has not faith
| omed. / saw him start i'm fear, and then,
| seeming entirely against bis will, he turned
| short about and almost ran as he hurried up
| the path and out of sight
"H'ml Heun has got off this time, shure,"
said Burton as he rose up and let the hammer
Of his rife down.