The Arkansaw traveler., 1889-04-13


 a right to go to town, haven't they?"
 "Yes, but not armed, ready to engage in deadly encounter"
 "Who is supposed to know what their intention is? Any man has a right to carry gun, and no officer need know that you've got pistol until you begin to it, and he aint going to put him. self to much trouble to take it away from you then, l reckon. Come, fellows, it's time to be moving"
 Day was just breaking when we mounted our horses. The screech-owl futtered from his bower of green brier vines and the fox startled from his nap, which after night of revery, he had dropped into at early morning, scampered up the hillside. The air was heavy with promise of rain, and the sun, when he showed himself above a rugged spur of the distant ridge, broke in dull streaks like an added egg.
 "We won't go in the main street" said Brit sides speaking to me- "We'll sorter scatter before we get to town, ride in unconcerned and hitch our horses, and then stay close together can. Joe Britsdes, my cousin, stayed there last night, and will tell us how the land lays If nothing happens we'll go around to old Major Patterson's and get something to eat about dinner time. You've met the old fellow, haven't you?"
 "Yes. He's peculiar old man, careful lest by some unweighed word he might give otlense. Such an outbreak this must greatly frighten one so timid"
 Jim Britsidcs laughed "Alf" he called.
 "lIere"
 "ThiS man says that oil Patterson must be |
 Ali snorted, and the boy Sam, who rode just behind me, giggled.
 "You don't know that old fellow" said Jim Britsides. "He's the gar1est man l ever saw. He's had more fights and whipped more fellows than any man in Shellcut. His family feud is all wiped out he's the only survivor of both factions. He'd rather stand out and burn powder than to eat the sweetest pie that was ever baked. He is getting old, though, and is sorer quieting down. Zeb" "Yes'
 14V VUa1l ho Ialn ha b.tl and hitch as many of LIS can, in the lot back of Potter's store"
 The little town scarcely awake when we rode in. Here and there clerks were sweeping out the stores The town COW, bruised by many a brckbat, knock kneed and mournful of counte- nance, stood on the public square and bawled in echoing complaint of her own wretchedness ; but the town hog, active hungry and greedy, hither and thither, overturning goods boxes and scatter ing piles of trash that had been swept from the stores.
 We dismounted in the vacant lot indicated by Jim Britsides, hitched our horses to racks and fences and stood about with the apparent careless ness of the average farmer who comes to town on court day. saw no hostile sign, and as the town began to awake to its dronng occur patton, fancied that, after all there might be danger of a con- iict, and l so expressed myself in a remark addressed to Jim Britsides. He smiled grimly, and, pointing to fellow who skulking along back street. replied
 "Yanders one of them now. Oh, they'll all be here; don't you fret about that"
 "I wouldn't do much fretting if none of them came," answered.
 "But I would" he rejoined, wrnkling his chin and scratching his wiry whiskers. "This thing has been the quiver until want to it settled one way or the other. An, how air you, Joe? (speak- ing to a man who came out of back door.) How is everything?"
 "All right, 1 reckon?"
 "Many of them here?"
 "Not yet, but they air droppin' in putty peart."
 "Have you seen anything of Boyd Savely?"
 "No, but he is in town"
 "How long has he been here?"
 "Stsyed here all night"
 "Has Henry Osbury returned?" l asked.
 "No. You are MT. Burwood, ain't you2"
 "Yes"