The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1893-01-11
4 PEDDLER'S PERIL.

then seated himself and gazed gloonily
into the fire. without vouchsafiDg either
a greeting to the stranger or word 70
his own family. Nan, passing by, whis-
pered TO the peddler:
Don't We mind uncle; he's got one Of
his bad spells on now, but if he amt
bothered it'll pass OF BY and by
The peddIer nodded. and began tale
concerning one Of his adventures IN
Texas. He was soon interrupted by
Aunt Niney.
sit up. stranger," said she. eve
hain't got much TO eat, but such as It Is
you're welcome
The old man ate his supper IN solemn
silence. after which he took his hat and
abruptly left the cabin. Aunt Niney
saw fit to explain.
"Mose. my old man, hain't been ex-
actlv Ike hisself since the revenOO men
carried his son John OF FIVE year ago
last April
Stillin s'po=e:
sYes. nd top Of that he shot one Of
'eIn while they were tryin 70 take him,
nd they put him n pen'tensh'ry al
Nashville for ten year.
The peddler remained silent for mo-
nent or two. But when the dishes were
washed ana put away he again enter
tanned the two women hy relating sun
dry "reminiscences 81 his own career. aui
also describing the wonders Of certain
great cities be hal visited
After awhile Nose again stalked 81
lently IN and took seat in a far corner.
While the peddler talked he continued
10 eve him closely, a. If suspicious that
the stranger was not just what he
should he.
.-Speakin Of the telephone, :, continued
the ueddler. --solae folks IN these m0In-
tains don't believe that people can talk
10 each other, nd them hundred or
more miles apart, bnt tel ye its fact.
I've seed X done myself.
I've lnowed Of men hollerin across
from one mountain 10 another" said
Aunt Viney dubi0usly. '.Mebbe they
could make themselves heard a matter
of two miles. But a hundred shs
shook her head disapproviugly.
Its so all the same. though. " sot
nd heard 'em talkin jus as we be now"
That's as big a lie as ever was told,
exclaimed old Nose, rising and making
for the door.
He seized his rife as he passed, threw
a lnenacing glance az the psddler and
once more left the cabin
81
head. amt he:~ asked the peddler, who
seemed 70 take 10 oifense whatever az
the old mans rude behavior.
Ever since john was took of he's had
queer spells that come over him every
now and then. I must say hes more'n
apt to De 'spishus OF strangers when they
come around. Hes always thinkin Of
revenoO spies. desSay that's whai
makes hin act 50 toward you. But You
mustn't mind him. never know'd him
TO succeed IN hurtin any one vet
1t was Nan who replied. for Aunt Vi
ney was making preparations TO retire
FOR the night. When the girl and the
peddler were left alone the latter seemed
somewhat curious about tins son John.
who for so many years had been under
the ban Of the Law.
John was always good to Uncle Nose
and Aunt Ainey, nd that's one reason
Uncle Mose takes It all so hard now"
Il spose. bein as you're kin TO 'eIn.
You must a felt powerful bad when
they took him OF
he eyed Nan closely as he spoke, and
the girl blnshed slightly.
Il amt 10 real kin to en- said she.
MY folks Is all dead, nd they raised
me from little gal, but John nd ne
was always good friends"
-'NOthin more:
The girl looked at him repr0vingly.
its about bedtime. said she coldlv.
''Shan't show you were yo1re 10 SLEEPY
The peddler rose, took up his pack and
followed her into the little shed room.
There was an open window by the bed,
through which the fun moon was shin
ing.
You won't need 10 light, reckon =
she remarked. Then. bidding him good
night, she returned 10 the main cabin
and went TO bed herself.
But for some reason she failed TO
sleep. The bright moonlight. the rasp-
ing cry Of katydids from the trees with |
out and the 6iscomforting nature Of her
thoughts kept hec awake. She fell
vaguely uneasy about Uncle Nose.
Where was hes Very likely at the little
moonshine siiH up Bear hollow, half q
nile away. lie often spent the night
there engaged IN his illicit toll. She re-
membered his unfriendly treatment q
The peddler, whose heavy breathing
could nOw he heard through the thin
Partition wall he had once laid IN
wait, :ii.e IN hand. for a passing drover.
whom he had set down for q SPY. Only
Aunt Niney's prompt appearance lad |
prevented a probable murder. Uncle /
Nose, though a good man enough when 1
in his right mind, was a dangerous, IN
certain parsonage when stirred by the 4
memory Of his son into a spirit Of half .
insane hostility against al the world
So uneasy did Nan become that at I
-ast she rose. slipped on her dress aud 4
stole out into the moonlight. An im- I
pulse she could not control inlpellad her 1
10 peep in at the peddler's open window. 4
She was prompted by an indefnable /
fear. What she say there caused her /
% start back, clasp her hands and gasp I
Tor breath. Then. trembling in ever /
limb. she looked again.
Ny God.- she faltered. Am ! 1
dresmin. Surely 1t can't bend yet /
must Relieve my own ewes
Acting under new impulse she turned 4
and fed along the trail leading to the
slill- Arrived there she found the place
silent and deserted. There was no FIRE
in the furnace and nothing TO be heard /
b1t the cries Of the whippcorwiIls upon
the mountain side.
Full of painful forebOdings she re-
traced her steps and once more crOuched
beneath the peddler's window. There
she waited until her limbs became
crsuped and the night air chilled her 10
the bone.
i might as wei lie down again. she
thought. Il reckon uncle's gone down
the valley, for be lowed today As he'd 4
have 70 90 after coffee night away. ]
could wake the man up, hut somehow I /
dassn't. He might think / was forward.
But a second frial Of the bed was 10
better than the first. The peddlef's
heavy breathing was ever IN her ears,
and her thoughts reverted constantly to
the sense of peril that vaguely, yet per-
kept her upon the tenterhookz
Of anxiety.
i wish mornin would come she
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