The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1889-08-24

XSMJ WlMF talk All T Baf u iSa 5
MXTETNzA1 per; no telling
SG4lEtOWN who's around hid
TF1NS & The two men
CO. had from nearly opposite
49, = points been approaching each
tfIa other without mutual dIscoy-
erv. until only four or five
ri wards Of space separated them.
They had ere uched low to the
ground. moving stealthily and
slowly along, Indian fashion, as II feafiul
of detection. The place OF ther meeting
was q glade or hollow on the mountain
side, where scattered trees, thick busheS'
and long grass gave them good oppoftu-
mites of cOncealmeut as they moved
along. The first hail with which Their
colloquy opened, as they abruptly paused
on discovery, was sent forth IN hoarse
whisper. as we're the subsequent questions
and replies Becoming satisfied on their
mutual recognition, they crept close TO-
gether for a longer conference. Even
then so great was their caut on, they
would not stand upright, but kept close
to the dark background of thick patch OF
bushes as they sat on the ground, mat
the bright moon might not betray them to
any scout or spy.
The place Of their meeting, to be more
definite. was in lonely defile of the
Clinch Mountains, at least two days
tourney from Knoxville, Tenn. 1t was
scene of wild and savage grandeur, III
which the dwarfed figures of human
beings seemed out of place. The great
range rose like a wall toward the clouds,
steep and difficult of access, its lower
parts clothed with Struggling timber; It's
upper heights, as seen from below, bare
and rocky. Spurs and otfshoots of lesser
height made along its whole course those
hidden glades and glens, in one of which
our narrative opens. 1t was the night of
August 18TH 1861. The moon, in her
second quarter, brightly illumined the
grand prospect, upon which stranger
might well have cazed With awe-so still,
so savage, so va,t it seemed. And yet, as
We are soon to learn, in the hidden re-
cesses of those remote heights dwelt
thousands of human beings, men, women
and little children, enduring the woes Of
that ominous time, and sharing its few
comforts and joys.
Tie two men who had thus come to-
Cethor would have appeared, upon close
inspection. to tie fair types of the in
habtants of this region, with nothing to
particularly distinguish them, one from
another Each carr ed a long hunting
rife, and was clad III coarse homespun.
Their carded faces were stern and for
bidding; their hands were roughened with
toll. Coming close together, they ex-
changed . mol and a glance, which
answered Tor the hand-shake of more re-
fined localities, and Immediately con-
tinued their conversation in whisper.
Good enough, Wally; l knowed you'd
be hore Whar's your menu"
just over the rise of the hill. Yourn?"
Back yonder in the bushes. Whar is
that chaps den? l never was in this
gully efore. +"
Wallace Baird simply pointed up the
glen. Through a curtain of struggling
trees tie 1907 of a small frame building
was visible. His companion gazed at it
and his f zee darkened in the moonlight
Something | Ike an oath came from be-
tween his shut teeth.
That ar the serpents den-ar it?"
yes
DO you be sure he's thar"
Most likely; the boys say he's always
in nights. You'd heard of him, hadn't
vou fore | sent word to you to bring over
your men and meet Us here this night"
just little; you know We live furder
of h Won, and the talk wouldn't get to us
so soon. But we'd heard how you folks
suspicioned him and we was quite ready
to come at the word. Does he stay thar
alone5'
Yes
What doin'?"
"Walkn' round, sometimes all day. up
the mountains and Though the gullies,
with small dog at his heels. Has been
seen sitiin' on a rock with big white paper
on his knees, working with pencil or
something
"Ho!- making pictures of the country"
Seems like it.
Curse him." growled Burt Hankins.
SL!' the other warned. You mustn't
speak loud work
Il won't; but It's hard work to hold in
How longs he been round here?"
Bout a month, right here. lie don't
make any friends; he don't pear to want
to kroW any Of us. Eff he meets any one
In his wanderin' round he will say Good
mornin', or such; but he don't talk, an
don stop to give any one a chance to ask
questions
Know whar he come from?
i don't know, but I suspect"
har would ii be-"
Wallace Baird took from his pocket a
white envelope, considerably soiied from
being carried in that not over-clean recep-
tacle, and held it triumphantly mp TO the
eyes Of his companion.
You know whar live, he said, down
there below. Yesterday mornin' that chap
come walkin' back this way past nv place.
with a stick and big bundle on his ack;
I've heard EN- called knapsacks | don't
know whore he'd been; l never seen him
go and likely he went at night, week or
so before, but | believe he Il been to Knox
Vile"
Burt Hankins uttered a growl under
his breath, that might in the dark have
rf,I-4 So Il. s
Yes, by -!' he mutterred You
rightly suspicion him. | couldn't 60 TO
Knoxville, an be let to come home again,
nor you couldn't; we'd have some of Ish-
am Harms people after US, and be lucky
If We didn't have no choice but to go to
jail or join the secesh army. But this
chap can so and come in peace, it seems.
t don't say 1t for sure continued the
other but I'll lose my guess if we don't
find the proof of what ] suspicion, when
we once get into that den up there. How
ever that may be, as the man passed my
place, | says 10 my lad. Dan. Do you fol-
Ter him along ways, not being seen your
self, and watch if he does anything curl
ous. In an hour Dan was back; said he'd
logged him till he sot down under tree.
took this letter out of his pocket. read the
inside of it four or five times, and then sot
for while kind of thoughtful, looking at
the ground. Then he put the letter back
as he supposed; but it didn't reach the
place, and fell to the ground without his
knowing 1t. After he'd gone on. the lad
went an got 1t. and brought it to me
Here it Is; read it for yourself, ana see if
ain right
You ought TO know I can't read. Wal
lace. What does ii say?'
Maybe hadn't best stop now to read
It TO YOU, for time $ gong on, and | Judge
from the moon that it's past midnight.
But the letter makes it clear enough to
me that the fellows secesh. There's big
words IN it don't make out; pears to he
written by girl in Yicksburg
Nlcksburgl' interrupted Hankins,
Amt that somewhere down near Or
leans?'
To be sure it is-in Mississippi"
Well, then, what's the use of talkin'
any more about it, The fellows a secesh