Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1892-04-30

| OF tho trail has its ambush, and every
quarter Of "a mile its cliff, seemingly
ready to fall upon you. ! came to q
spot where three trails branched away.
1t was luck and chance. took one
which led me into a long. dark ravine,
where the summer sun has never vet
touched the icicles on the rugged rocks
nor cooled the mountain rivulet pouring
over the moss grown lodges. After go
ing a mile felt that was wrong, and
was about IL turn back when voice
suddenly called out through the semi
darkness:
stranger, you nr' kivered! Throw up
your hands,
II that command ever reaches your
ears, obey II at once and do your arguing
subsequently. II means that your head
or heart is in point blank range Of bullet
or buckslsOt, with finger resting on the
trigger and ready to pull il you don't
obey the summons.
Up went my hands.
After a long half minute q noun
taincer, who had dead sight on mo
with double barreled shotgun across a
point of rock twenty feet ahead, stepped
into view on the trail and said:
Stranger. slip down"
slipped of the saddle.
Now lead yer mule up that ravine to
tho rightr'
l simply saw man six feet high,
straight as an arrow, long haired, whis-
kers unkempt, dress, that Of o noun
taineer. Yes, I saw more. He held the
gun fair for my breast. One suspicious
move on my part and I was dead man.
He spoke in low voice, but there was
that In his tones which chilled me.
Without second look ut him took the
mule by the bits and led him up the
ravine. We had not gone twenty rods
before scented whisky still. At the
end Of five rods mora we were in o rude
camp. Two moonshiners sat on Q log,
guns across their knees, and back Of and
below them still was running OF its
extract Of corn.
"One o. them spies!" said the man who
had followed me as let 90 Of the mule
and sat down on u stump.
"a good ketch!" growled ono Of the
sitters.
Mighty kind in him to come yerey'
chuckled the other.
They were moonshiners, and they took
me for a spy sent out by the government
official Of that district. looked from
one to the other. There was determi-
nation in each look--aH implacable
sternness Of expression which would
have warned a genuine spy that his hour
had come. Not one glance Of pity-nos
one line Of mercy. a prisoner 2: the
stake among the Apaches would have
had more hope.
These men were law breakers-out.
laws-being hunted after every day in
the year. Why? Because they were
making a living-keeping soul and bod,
together--in the only way open TO them.
The bits of valleys in the grim old Cum
berlands will grow corn and potatoes.
The potatoes are wanted for the table
II there Is more corn than the razor
backed hog or the shackling mule can
consume it is dead loss. Convey it TO
market-two days to go and two TO
come, and sell it for two bits b,ishcl,
and tho owner and seller would starve
on the way. Make it into a barrel or
two of whisky and it will bring cash on
the spot, or very near it. IL is not to
grow rich--not hoping to better his con-
dition-but simply to live. 1t is against
the law Of the land The mountaincer
may go ragged and hungry, but he must
not distill. It is tho only law he breaks.
Ayel he even lives closer than most Of
| US to all the commandments. He breaks
| II because grim necessity forces him to.
| He Is outlawed and hunted that officials
may make fees.
knew all this before looked into the
stern, set faces around me, and ] knew
why looked In vain for q gleam of
| mercy.
81 am no spy" l said, as ] looked
| about me. ~ am . traveller making Tor
Cumberland Gap, and Two lost my way.
"Go up that pathI7 commanded the
| man who had captured me.
"Not until I satisfy you that am not
aspy."
"Kiver him, Joer whispered the man
TO one of the others, and a shot gun COW
cred my breast again.
L An0 iS<AOCh run bhCk uONu tio AovAhc
to be sure that no one had followed US.
When he returned he said:
"Say yer prayers, strangerl Joe, when
I riz my hand do you plug himr'
Ibid any Of you ever hear Of Joe Rick.
ibyf" I asked, trying bard to keep q
steady voice.
"Wall. what II we hads" asked the
icaler.
about year ago found him In jail
In B.. He had been there for several
months. He was sick and out OF money,
and aided him. Here's his name In my
note book. Seer
The man with the gun lowered his
weapon and came closer and asked:
WAS anybody else in the jail with
yoey
"Ycs-half q dozen-all moonshiners
sent In y worth Of pipes and tobacco
and got one Of them some quinine."
Hes the chap, surc's shootingi" ex
Stained the man as I turned TO the
others
ION my soul he is!- added tine leade'
as no came up and removed my hat.
"Durn our buttons~ whispered the
third.
In Q minute more IL was all right, and
/ lhey were cha King INV haud 20 yiQorously \