The Holt County sentinel., 1894-03-30
An INCIDENT OF THE WAR.
IN FIVE CHAPTEtS.-CHAPTER 7.


WIN SIHs. EuU LIS TfLueI St.dSSslH-
hiskers which were allowed TO gro
DER Eis neck rather than on his chm, had
the same siivery hue. There was moth
irg remarkable about his appearance 10
casual observer. but to one who is &C
custowed to rctice moro closely, the
firmly closed mouth, the kean dark eyes
beneath his heavy eyebrows. would
clearly indicate that John Owens was
not O man to be trli1ed with. His head
and shoulders were slightly bent though
he sat on his handsome young bay horse
as one who has been accustomed TO the
saddle from earliest youth. The man
WAS ms muscular, keen and alert, as the
graceful gray hound that had YEARLY
stretched ats long limbs on the i-rown
prarie grass, as If to improve the time IN
resting, tina: its msster spent in looking
over as fair unduls.in9 tract Of open
pra:ie land rs ever lay to the suu.
a good piece Of land" he so!,lo9uized,
| beiieve II buy it; it will be worth
sonething sometimes. .... put one Of
the boys here. There's a fine range Tor
cattle too, ha said. looking off over the
beautiful Missouri hills towards the sc:
ting sun. ."It'l reva, be fenced up in
my tine thsts shore" The uan turned.
! aud rode away toward tee wooded hills
tha: lay to his left: passed great pond
shining in the late afternoon sun, around
which were grazing a drove Of cattle;
neal them lonely boy was getting his
suppe. by q covered wagon where he
had built a tire on the ground. A little
| farther, a dun colored stream was
running low III i:B banks. The trees
were casting !! cir bright leaves fur out
on it's sluggish water. The hoTseman
forded the shallow stream; allowing his
horse time TO drink, then he came 10 a
rail fence along which the roaC wound.
iie did not notice tie besuty of the
woods. gorgeous in thor autumn foliage.
nor the purple flowers that grew in the
fence row. u: the brlliency 81 tbs Will
vine which threw its bsautifui covering
oyer the weather benten rails. IS 4 10
hide thsie ugliness, though he did iook
up as v shaped Cock If Wild aeeee flea
sluocking above his head. HIS mind
was evidently occupied. but not with the
beauties VI nature. He passed. lng
house Of some years standing, and his
attention was Immediately attracted ty
two or three horssS ssddled aId bFidleG.
which were hitched 20 the fencs. Ieo
young men wers taking down tarse:,
at which they had been shooting. viii 6
40 older msn was smoking outside the
the frcnt door. The oruery bones
said cur horTemnn immediately, II won
DIR wh'ar there goin ter night, jest t,'
think OF that cir old pup in thar ,-llIn
me thnt my loyalt; is doubted. Jis, le'
Any OF 'em try. visitin' my premises, al d
II Tx EN-, that ne thing shore"
the bay hoIsc quicisned hi, pace, End
ponted it's ears forward. as they cans
open p.xlr.s lsnd again. The dog icspe,!
he fence Gr:! WE: With great bounds
across the cu-pt;eli evidently they we're
nearing home. The man stopped where
trough had been made OF All Old de
,sycd tree trunk. 1t Nas almost dark
and the COWS that hurgered around The
enclosure had been MIXED. The hired
man nrd the boys mad turned out the
horses ard gone to the uOnse. There
sat a fcu.e GA the end Of the old fee,:
trough shat .tG!tied John Owens as il
ne had seen a ghost: "Why man alive!
hc exclaimed. whn. on esrth air yer do
N here, Mr. Davis! Don't Yer know
;ha; gang Of .ornery VILLAINS that have
their headquarters right over yondsr In
the woods thar, you'd jist love TO XII.
very. :The uBn re addressed was o!G
aa.i pale. aod poorly clad. HIS clothing
and we'll worn shoes bad evidently seen
la.d service, aud been ir contact with
Missouri mud.
"i'd be glad tor see yes Peter DavIs.
would shore. uEder other circum
stances, but ys'd better git outer here
Odd Tommy Patterson was called ou'
AT ii shot down only abou: month ago
and that gang air stealth and csvor;ir
around nearly every nish: os the worlh
Jake Dorses WAS killed iu his own corn
field, aud jim Samson WAS hung Owe
.har in them woods iese taau u year aeu
lid hes; git inside, somebody be cODit.
along nos: Any time
I'm much ob.c-sei to yer TO. yer sd
viee john, and reckon from cns pin:
Il vieE I'd be SAFER TO take =. J.! N
agoin to do i; all the same. I've come
nome and come IN the day time too.
l han't seen nv family 70: Ii ON ts.
year. and I'm tired and sich, and I'm
old too I never nrter got skeered an6
run of IN the beginning and now I'm
soin home and I'm Goin thar TO night,
and il they want ter kill n,e :heyi iir.d
me right thar" replied the old man.
"Wel! come it, and have cup Of COT
Zee, it wuuid do you power o: good"
Now thank ys. I'm. goin on now. | jIst
eat down here on ye- feed trough to sor
ter rest, and thought may Ia Ia s.,s y.
around | aiers felt kinder friendly since
our folks knowed each o,hsr ia old Ksin
lucky"
The old man was deaf to the WRITE
ings sud eDtrea.ies pf his former '.ieGG
and noignbor. and p.ctirg up stou.
hickory walking stick which he carried.
he bads hls fri.nd good evcnu" sn:
walked fcebiy away.
Poor old fsl.er," said John Ovens O.
ne watched his old frIaui disappear III
the gathering darkness. Il dun no as
kin do any thing fur him. Lever did
ag,ss with old Peter in polyticks. bu;
hes mighty clever old man and Ia