The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1890-11-10

DdsSett ~ BWlue 10 iedu en-. Are ye pre-
pared, Jimg"
Reckon"
"And Nary
"She'un is prepared"
well, then, that's all I've got to say.
Hope you'll hurt they'uns till they'll be-
have themselves. Good-by, John-goud-
by, Mary"
She was off with that. I had q dim
suspicion Of what was meant, but the
GOODNESS of the trio puzzled me. When
she was out of sight l asked:
SIS it tronble?"
Stranger" replied Hungerford, as he
pulled a twig of a bush and bit at it,
'Fve been warned awayi1
"How-whyg"
Took sides with the Cldhams against
the Bassetts, and the Bassetts have
warned me to leave"
"And as you have refused to go they
are coming to take you out and switch
your"
'Exactly-if they KIM"
"And are they coming tonight"
81 reckon"
"And you"-
81 shell be ready"
We sat in silence for a moment. I
looked up at Mrs. Hungerford, but she
was sewing away and trotting her foot
as placidly as if danger was at the other
end of the world. The children soon
began a game of tag, and the husband
softly whistled as he switched the twig
over the ground.
''Great heavensl bat you take it cool
ly," exclaimed as I noted everything.
Stranger" answered Hungerford as
he turned TO me, II need somebody to
back with me tonight. This amt your
fuss. You don't know the Oldhams
from the Bassetts. Deed you may have
stayed with an Oldham last night. You
don't want to mix in, and yet
81 don't want to kill or be killed, but
can't / help you some other way?'
"You kin. He'un is all right. Mary,
/ knew he'un was"
"Glad ont" she briefly replied, not
even looking up from her knitting.
Hungerford took the whole matter as
coolly as If it was an ordinary business
lIdllcLCllOA- luClO was OAA1 OnO way
by which his cabin could be approached.
1t was arranged that I should secrete
myself in the cowshed on the one hand,
and his wife in the smoke house on the
other, and at the proper moment this
flank fire would have its effect.
Hungerforl was to hold the house, and
he was the only one who was to shoot to
kill. As he said it wasn't my fuss, bat
it wasn't human nature to leave him to
fight a mob alone. When all had been
arranged we went into supper, and after
the meal a double barreled shotgun was
got down and loaded for the wife. The
husband had his army musket, which he
loaded with buckshot, and | had my re-
yolver as o weapon. AS we finished our
preparations and sat down on the door
step the wife ~careiessly inquired of her
husband:
"Gwine to shoot to kill. John?"
Reckon l orteT," he replied.
"And mel"
..That's according. Mebbe you'll have
TO-"
"And the stranger
Ou. LC II 44lC LA6AA-
"Pap, can't I shoot?" asked the eldest
a girl of 10.
"Shct, TillyI"
The children went off into a corner
and rejoiced that there was going TO be
50 fout," but by and by grew sleepy
and went of to bed. Up to 10 o'clock
we talked Of everything bat the coming
event. At that hour Hungerford said:
Reckon it's time. They'll be here
by H."
The wife tied a shawl over her head,
picked up and examined the gun and
walked off to her station with never a
word. Invent W to the shed, took the
place picked ont for me and five minutes
later all was darkness and silence. It
was just about II that l heard the low
hum Of voices and the footballs Of men,
and ten minutes later four or five of tho
gang Of twenty came directly up to the
she'd and leaned against it as they in
spected the house
"All sound asleep" whispered one
I'VE are dead shore of him. added a
second.
There's to be no let up. boysr' can
toned a third.
we must switch him till he gives in.
We've had enough fooling."
What of the wife:" whispered the
FIRST.
BLAST hsrI She's Is bad As be u