The Press., 1895-04-18

about them, and the low notes of night birds weighted the air. Again, as they crossed some streak of light left like a lost angel amid 8 surrounding host of darkness, it was clear day about them, as if another Joshua had bidden the sun fighting against time. Less frequently, however, these spaces of light came to i, their path. A little longer and all the glory of the afterglOw was gone. Once the raiders only by a hedge of laurel. | They distinctly heard their talk, and the mothers heart leaped with terror as she heard frequent mention of Zeb's name. Such blackness had fallen on the mount ain that the women were obliged to feel their way up by the boulders and tree trunks, only they knew that every step must lead up, up, and that haste must be in every spring, They could hear the | signing, grooming sound that Ma Kato had warned the raiders to listen for. The raiders heard it also. They hastily sta tioned their men by twos and threes to catch any moonshiner that might escape the posse that made ready, loaded guns in hand, to advance on the still.
 Out on the darkness the two women could see the tire-light from the caves mouth, a long line of shine down the mountain side. There was no time for the women to enter the cave, no time to give warning that the tell-tale streak of | light be smOthered. The two women, all most breathless from the long running climb up the mountain by the most 1ug- ged of by-paths, stood on one side the belt of yellow glow clinging close against great oak trunk, sheltered from view of the raiders by clump of thick leaved mountain camellias.
 There was little noise in the still only the voices of Nick and Feb could be heard therein in the intervals of the grinding of that mill of misery. This was a night of work. The old woman and the girl could plainly see four raiders coming cautiously up the line of yellow light. There was one moment of infinitely horror-striking silence and then whistle, piercing and most peculiar, rent the air.
 Ma Kato had suddenly recalled out of bygone years the shrill, strange whistle of warning that she had heard on the mountain side many time when danger threatened old Kato in his still. The raiders, startled at the weird sound, felt that they were entrapped. Nick and Feb rushed out. By inspiration of terror each struck out different ways down the mount ain side out of the cave's mouth Two raiders plunged down the rugged way af- ter Nick. Two turned swiftly to grasp Feb. In flash 'Stillery Lu had snatched a gun from one raider and in less than a moment her strong arms were about5 the other, pinioning his arms to his side. The mother, inspired by her child's dar- ing, grasped the unarmed man in a very wise of bitter terror.
 Zeb had glanced back to see in the streak of light his sister, like beauteous Amazon, in the heat of conflict and his mother holding, like grim wrinkled fate, one spruce young raider, then he was off into the fastnesses of old Sand. Over the slope echoed the calls of the raiders. The two captured ones soon wrenched themselves free from the women and were ready to laugh with their comrades at their unique misadventure.
 Nick was caught. The barrels of gold ell liquor were poured down the mountain sides, the charcoal scattered to the winds, the vessels broken-old Ma Kato herself raised heavy stone and threw it with all her force on the mighty iron kettle-the fire was smothered, and the old still in the cave was no more. Feb hid out for some weeks, ministered to by his mother and sister, but the raiders returned no more. They probably discerned that they held the moving spirit of the illicit distilling and that young Feb was more a victim than criminal.
 It was not long before Feb was back in the cabin above the cave. The grass was no longer allowed to weave it's green meshes in the fields. The fall crops were planted. Peace and the simple prosperity of the humble came once more to his cabin. Every day, at least once, some times twice, he declared cheerfullY and loudly, as if an uplifted tone could reach Luella's deaf ears, Deaf and dumb crit. ters of gals is the best 'count gals thar is. 1 wouldn't give Luella thar now for every gal on the mounting fer outright vally of good work and cooking up good vittles and oll