Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1890-03-14
He cxtinguishcd the light and locked

muttcrcd, ''if these boys think I'm sick
and gone to bed or sumpin. Ii any
thing was to bappcn-cuss was TO plug
one or two NV EN-. they mought low I'd
sortcr warned him if they knowcd I'd
! ben thar"
He reflected grimly that in such an
event he was very liable to receive the
same sort Of treatment that was melted
out to the last man suspected of spying.
Loud words, pcntifully ntcrlardcd
Nith oaths, reached his cars ms he passed
the big boarding shanty, keeping well in
the shadow of the trees. His progress
over the 'risc" and up the "draw" was
almost noisclcss, and rapid in spite of
| the dense darkness beneath the great
trees.
Presently Sigsby knocked at the door
of the log and slab shnnty. AS there
came no reply, he knocked again and
! iancicd he heard Il faint response.
"Somc trap to kctch me, like us not,
he mnttcrcd, suspiciously, "but Iii
risk it,
His revolver was ready for instant
action rs he raised the latch and entered
the room which was wrapped in dark
ness.
"lIcllo, thar" Sigsby salutcd eau
tiously. "Don't bc quick with no guns
| Letter for you
! faint moan replied from somewhere
in the darkness. Sigsby's suspicion of II
! trap was strengthened, and he mcditatcl
whether it was better to fire his revolver
in the direction Of the sound or to run
the risk of having the trap sprung on
him. The moan was repeated
'What's the matter, pardncr!" he
asked, moving silently to one side us he
did so.
| "Wali, I'll rcsk it," he muiicrcd, as
another moan answered him.
He scratched Il match and held his
half closed hand i'll such Il way that "A
single ray of light was flashed in the
direction from which the moan had
sounded. The moments light revealed
face aglow with fever, lit with eyes
bright with dcirium's glare
There was no need for caution now,
and SiSsby speedily had light burning
He examined the sick man more closely.
''Purt' bad oil, " he muttcrcd. "IIain't
eaten fer days, like as not. It's tough
shorcln
"Wall," hc added, presently, Zone is
bout as shore us the other. If the bows
don't down him, the fever will. Mount
ain fcvcr's first cousin to the grave
yard.
The sufferer moancd and tossed fccby
IN his dclirium, and, when Sig,by held a
in OF water 10 his lips, he drank with
almost frcnzic,l cagcrncs>
''Drycr'n a bone" remarked Sip,by.
"Wal, The boys II soon ease his misery.
reckon. Pore cussl Hes in II hard row
u stumpS, but now he's come out here To
hunt the boys; lc ortnt to kick if they
hunt him"
The sufferer rolled his head slowly from
side to side and moancd
DO your groanin now" remarked the
visitor grimly, ''fcr the boysll deprive
you NV that privilege soon. Thar'll be
detective on tree for breakfast, | reckon
Wal, must be a-gcttin'. Don't seem to
he nuthn' worth pacliin Off. BY George
mighty nigh forgot his letter, I'll lest
see what orders his bosses has sent him.
Mought do me some good and thcy never
will him."
He opened the oddly addressed Gu
vclope. and slowly spelled out the cpistlc
it contained. When it was done, he
spelled 1t clear through IL second time.
wall, I'm blabbergastcd!" he ciacu-
lated, as he laid the letter facc inward
on the table. 1t was II short message and
was printed in the same eccentric fashion
as the address
oval, I'm blabbcryastc,li" old man
SiTsiNr rnnp.,tu1 ..lJI,,,,l, a.
Some how, that minds me wv"
He paused.
Presently, he said, slowly:
"Prays fer him every night an
mornin' Names Bessie Minds me NV
never mind.'' lie shook himself
ilcrccly
deserves all he gifts, he sail.
hoarscly. "Didn't he come ycrc to hunt
the boys: Yer net yer life he did,"
lie answered himself with fierce
energy, shaking his ist nj the moaning
figure on the bed. Then he turned to
leave the shanty, bat paused, with hi,
hand on the rude latch
''Prays fer him every night an mora
in, J." he muitercI .'Somcbody ort to
[ write an tell her when he's downcd.
He took Il step toward the letter that
lay face upward on the t,blc. The
quaint characters seemed staring him in
the face.
"Prays fer him, he muttercd slowly.
"Namc's Bessie! Minds me, no-Tll-
III do it! Do it or drop a-irying!" he
cried with fierce energy
The sick man moancd again.
Her dad-Bessics dad" old mau
Sigsby muttercd, and laid his cooked
revolver on the table beside the letter.
Then he took down the sick mans
repeating rifle from the Wall and placed
1t near the other weapon.
Likes not I'll groan like him p,lrt'
soon" he said, with a nod toward the
bed. 1.-The boys mean bnsincssl"
"Thcy mean business" he repeated
presently. $50 do r.
There was noise outside and il
knock ut the door.