Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1891-05-30

anu " dSu nave petI a-JOWefl0 Ter
months, and what good do it do!"
''Git to bed, say" exclaimed Turlev,
his anger rising again.
Il must speak, i you strike me-"
cried jim, excitedly. ''What good do
all this swearing and drinking and fight.
irg do? Father, don't do this thinc..n
What thing? Is the boy crazy?"
Turley gazed at the others in pretended
surprise
'Why-why--" Jim hesitated, He
had heard nothing definite, yet he felt
that some revengfu! deed was contem-
plated. ''You know what, father.''
Listen at him: He'll be maxim out
next that his pop wants to hurt some
one. See here, Jim, don't you bother
your mead. / want to be good to you,
II you'll let me, but you mustn't meddlc.
Now git to bed, and when YOU feel like
llstenin agin, wrop up your head in the
blanket: hlt']l be safest Tor you"
The boy gave his father one haunting
look and hohbled away. After that the
men conversed in low tones for while.
Then the visitors rose to depart.
''Mind now o-morrow-about moon.
rise"
That was all Jim heard. It did not
still his fears that some wicked thine
was On foot to injure the Magees
Jim's intirmity had left him almost
alone since his mothers death. He had
neither brothers nor sisters, and his
| [ather was absent much Of the time
Moreover, there was not much In com
mon between him and his father. The
| boy loved him in dumb, independent
way, and the father repaid this love with
| pity rather than with affection
| Jim spent much of his time wandering
in the mountains. With his one steel
pointed crutch he was singularly active,
and h is solitary life had bred in him an
unTeasOnlnS love OF nature.
The next morning after the scene in
his cabin, Huse Turley shouldered his.
| long rifle and went away. He had hardly
spoken to his son, who, feeling lonely,
wandered off, after he had eaten his mid
day meal, into the woods. He took an
out of the way course, fearing that he
should meet Mr.. Lamb or some one of
the Magee family.
He was tortured by conflicting sense
of desire and duty. lie felt that some
one should be warned of what his father
and the others were about to do, and yet
what did he know Of it! Was it right
to go against his father, Or to assume
be?
He was still debating this when the
crack of rifle rang out near by. Then
a gentle faced, tall young man came owe,
the ridge with two squirrel at his belt
and gun on his shoulder.
"There," thought jim, ''it'l1 all come
out now! I came this way on purpose
not to meet him, and here he is. 50
'Why, Jim,' said Parson Lamb
pleasantly, 81 didn't expect to meet you
h,rel"
"Neither did I you, replied Jim.
They spent some, time together, while
Mr.. Lamb talked without seeming t
care to hunt any more; but all the Will,
Jim thought, "Shall | tell him? shau
tell him."
The Young minister found jim rather
bsent-minded, and this, perhaps, in
clined him to leave the boy. When b
had gone, jim, more distressed and un
decided than ever, wandered still further
dreading to go home. Lettering on thus
farther and farther, he found himself q
sundown within a mile of Wash Mageei
cabin.
''How did get way here." he asked
himself. "Looks like I must have felt
ought to come this way, seeing as
didn't tell the parson. I'm master tired
Seems like I'll have to rest
Instead of making his way home ward
Jim lay down at spot whence, in th
gathering twilight, he could see througl
the open door of Magee's cabin. Tn
trail passed just below him.
His long mental struggle was CROWN!
painful, yet he could not decide what
do. Meantime the stars appeared, th
night wind sighed, and many wier
S sounds rose ftfully, addin G to his d.
preston and increasing bis sense of hell
:, lessness.