The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-31
BRAVE PAUL MADDEN.

gutSed wonder al the tail, brown bearded
stranger who had relieved him Of the
heavy pail Of water be was carrying up
the hillside to the tavern
He was quite unused 20 anything Of that
sort. Ever since ne was Z years old-and
he was u now-he had carried that buck
ct filed with water from the spring half
dosen times day, and no one had ever
offered assistance, though the ioungers on
the tavern porch must have noticed the
frail little fellow struggling up the steep
slope.
Paul scanned this new friend with deep
admiration as be trotted behind him along
the narrow path. What pretty gray clothes
he wore, and polished boots, and such an
odd round shaped bait He didn't belong
anywhere near Redman's Cave, that was
certain. The men Paul knew never spoke
in such soft, pleasant tones, nor had any
of them blue eyes that seemed TO smile Of
their own accord, or pointed brown beard
and mustache.
They parted company at the top OF the
hill, the stranger with a CHEEKY nod mount
ing the rickety porch, while Paul, too
abashed TO even say Thank you" hurried
round 10 the rear OF the tavern, where old
Susan was impatiently waiting for the
water
Paul's mother had died years ago, before
Jonas Madden moved from the little village
up TO this desolats mountain settlement,
and deprived Of a mothers care and SYM
patty the boys life had been dreary
enough.
His father neglected him, and old Susan,
in the multitudinous cares Of the cookery
and the housekeeping, scarcely found time
to mend his torn clothes even.
RedmAns Cave was lonesome place.
The nearest village wss eight miles of,
and though few travellers ever found their
way up the mountain certain activity and
hustle were always to be observed at Jonas
Madden's travern.
Gaunt mountaineers, with high boots
and grizzled faces, were continually going
and coming-some on foot and some on
horseback or in buckboards-and many a
night, from his little bedroom over the
bar, Paul had listened timidly TO thestrife
and tumult going on below
Little wonder that the boy bred amid
those surroundings was quick Co realize the
contrast between such people and the
stranger that had come that afternoon.
The latter sat at the rude supper table with
a certain grace and dignity that seemed 10
awe the uncouth men about him, nodding
pleasantly at Paul from time to time, and
later, when ebe sun WAS setting gloriously
down the valley, he propped his chair back
ON the porch and sat calmly smoking OBJ
livious, apparently, TO the suspicion that
his presence and appearance seemed To have
aroused among the sullen faced mountain
GERS
The men drew apart in knots and con-
versed in low cautious whispers, signs that
Paul noted with vague uDessineas. He
trudged back &c the rude stable where the
strangers horse was tethered in company
with one or two others-gaunt, powerful
mountain bessts-and climbing To the left
above began TO throw down great forks Of
hay. In the dark shadow Of the building
that lay toward the mountain some men
were talking, and their voices came indis-
tinctly to Paul's ears.
He worked on unheeding until single
sentence pitched In louder key, cansed
him to drop the fork and tiptoe cautiously
across the shaky floor. lie melt down
with his ear close to crevice and listened
breathlessly.
You're sure Of ii, are you'" said one Of
the men grufly, whose voice Paul did noe
recognize.
"Sartin." was the reply What elss
could no be doin' round hyerY He's a gov
er'ment spy, Bill, an no mistake"
An how dye know he's a goin ter leave
tonight" asked the first speaker.
Why, didn't / hear him tell Maddeni
Tn going on TO the next village to
night, he says Ten he nice an uOonlit
fur ridbn' He suspicious rs, that's what
it is. / tole yer not 70 60 whisperin' around
open"
AN whar shell we DO him upl" broke
in the grnf voice savagely.
Well. reckon the burnt cabin II be the
best place. You know Here the speAk-
er's voice sunk 70 a whisper. and in a mo-
Lnent more the men were gone.
Paul still leaned against the boards, too
frightened TO move. That conversation
had been no mystery 70 him. The strangers
life was in danger. These men were going
20 wait for him az the burned cabin mile
down the valley.
That much Paul understood perfectly,
the rest vaguely. he knew that govern
meDt spy was a dreaded word ~ He'd
mans Cave, aid he wa aware that moon
shine whisky was a staple product in THAI
region, nut Of the connection between the
two he was very ignorant.
He waited little isngsr IN his hiding
playe, and then, sliding down the shAky
ladder. he s.rolied carglsssiy back 70 The
tavern. The stranger standing on thu
porch zree4ea him With a pleasant smile
A group OF EuIIen faced rneB in the door
way glanced him over carelsssly a. be
passed betYesn them
Panl walked strai SIT on and climbed the
rsckesy stairs - toe little ssck room The
one w1Baox opened on the mountain. ever
whose crest the moon vas Just pe@p&nz-
The !sd raised the sash and looked ttntdly
out.
II mus. save him must. re r~peated
IN a ~hfzper Re wAS kind 20 me-
don's want him 20 grt hurt"
SssIl be~1ttsd irr-solutely, pot frov4ag
whn1 70 do He dare E0t warn ths Elau
opaply, that would - psrslous % boeb 81
tbGz. Ne, there was only ous wsy-oHly
Coz.
With lissle GhpsdsE PGal thFeS ose TOO.
over TIE aill and t6cn tss otksz. Twisting
hts bodyrovn I'd ks dung fAss for rDonsns
and ,hen dropgsd lightly % tbs ground.
Tis nospe Fl bh faIl Sss slfSh. Hs~zz
On his tsss insanity and sp@>ssipg into the
unosTRTow-n g tEs nass q rne raounxzTn-
He cirrled ~idslT rou1a the bsrr. taxing
good czrs 20 trad On 70 dry s-&oesez and
then bYsks into Tun orr tbs stony.
uneven groazd The moonlight sezroeiY
p>netr.ssd sSs struggling tsrnber AID Tie
tangled zBSsrgyoTsh He pusAed On
bilnely IA tEs dArkEsS., rip ~ on 'soFzY
WEES and bT-,tztrg ia lirchs % sons zod
fallen iogs blt his r1lrd u-vsT wanasr~d
IN - pur2os>
One. ~ he pseEeI for brief bre-shlng
spell. he tznrf-4 thas e hszr4 zoe Dali