Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-07-19

ing his serious face ne he made thee
PREPARATIONS. knew that he was not pre-
Taring 90 hunt.
One day In late November Jack. who
was cutting wood up the mountain side,
heard his sisters halo and saw her sig.
mailing from the knoll above the houss
Tor him 90 come home. When he joined
Minny she said: "Thar's two sojer men
down to the house. and one ~ ems az
uvaici all 10 death with gold lace AMI
sich hkins. And they sez ez how they've
come 10 talk with we uns aud to -. yO.
Jack Iluri entered the house and was
confruniei by man In gray uniform
and with q sword hookei % bis h.lt
"My name l. Captain Field. and | am
o mastering officer" said the man.
"wa-al. laint got no objections. said
Jack.
"wiil you please TO answer me . few
questions said the officer.
lets hear en-
"wha, is your full nAmer and Gap
tain Field took out . memorandum
book and prepared 10 writa.
Jack lluri."
GLOW old arv your
Twenty five"
slow tallf"
"'l,out siS feet, ! reckon
"IIow Is your healthr
"Tollable. thank you"
"Quits strong. chr
"well-far."
"Eycsight gooiy-
II reckon ~. but what In blares do
yo' want % know them things for de-
mandci Jack.
"well,- responded tho officer. as he
put away the book, 1--WE aro sent into
the-e mountains by General Leibetier
10 Ind out what men are NJ Tor duty In
the army You are Just the man for
. soldier. Mr. Hur,i. AMI ! propose 10
.end you on 20 Knoxville"
"whcther I'm willin or noy'
"You certainly must b" willing
"But I'm noti''
"rm sorry for that, but ] must carry
out orders. Please Ia get ready. a lot
of conscrip,s will 10 assembled this
evening at Williams stare"
"And you'll urge me to fght whether
want 10 or nor'
"oh. I'm sure you will want to-
laughed the officer.
"And yOli 'blccge me 20 10 leave my
mother and sisiah har all alone by thar.
sels whin the other 10y has gone aud
jined YOU unsy'
"Yss: tho-o aro our ORDERS said the
officer.
$50 hack % them n sent yo' and tel!
'ein "a how Jack Huri --r he'll -se yo'
and J,d Davis and the hull CoEfcd-cy
id afoah he'll fight 20 'eml I'm Union,
I am. and II ~ Ia I've got 10 shoulder q
rifle it'll be dead agin yo' uns. Now gi'
cut of this house" and Jack Hurd drew
himself up and pointed To the door.
The officer did not know human IA.
,ure Of the mountain variety very well,
otherwise he would never have at
tempted 20 force Jack lluri out % that
houss at the point % his revolver. lie
was In the act % drawing his pistol, as
was his COMPANION. when the young
giant, who still held In his night hand
the an with which he had been chop
ping. swung the weapon above his own
head and brought u down. blade fore
most, on the head of the unfortunate OH
Ger. The other man was seirei by Mrs.
Ilurd and her daughter and the pistol
was torn from his hand.
The mountaineer did not mean to kill
the man-gave the act no other thought,
indeed. than the fact that these men.
without reason. were about To drag INN
from his home, and u was the innate I'M
pulse of resistance and defense that I'm
p.lled the blow. But no matter the
motive. the Confederate captain lay dead
on the hearth.
No sudden remorse came To JACK
IIurd; the dormant tiger In his naturr
was aroused TO fury at the sight Of blood
and the realization of the wrong pro
posed and the indignity offered by thes"
men. He raised the AZ again, and the
other man would have shared the fate
" his captain had no, Minny thrown
herself on her brothers arm.
The young man saw In An instant thai
the time had come when he, too. must
leave his mothers house u he would
ave not only his freedom. but his life
lie hurrieily bound the captains con
fanion. then he went into the other halt
Of the double log cabin and put on hi-
pistols and took down his rifle.
.whar's yo' gwiney' askci his mother
who, with Minny. had followed him
"Iil 10 'bleeged to 20 noth." he re-
piled.
"And hghty'
"Yes, mother; that's all ez 10 left
"And you'll fight agin Pike
"I'ii fight agin his side. but ct 20 Be
hit comes In my way 10 help him. I'll do
hit jest NJ II thar had never come no
wah, /" said Jack hoarsely.
The preparations for Jacks highi
were ~ sudden - the act that made u
necessity.
"Iet that stranger loose after I've had
. good start" he said.
Ms. Hurd sobbsd and chung to him
She loved Pike - much A. abe did her
hptbom. but Jack had become more
essential TO her. Ever since reaching
manhood he had taken from her shoul
ders the burden she had borne 70 loug
and 70 uncomplainingly. They mout q
left mo one! Oh, God! they mout q left
mo one!- sobbed the poor woman.
Jack Kissed his mother and sister and
there were rings Of moisture about his
gray eyes ~ hs turned away from the
houss and Get his face TO the hills sweep
ing o6 In rugged ridges to the north.
Aftsr be had been gone m hour OF
more Mn. Huri released the prisoner.
who at ouce made his way 10 the rsu'
dssvous at Wfllisms' store Hsrs thsrs
| vsrs forty Cuofedsrats soldieu guard.