The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1896-05-29


table when julie and Bud were told of
the threatened resumption of work in
| the McNabb tunnel.
That's some more O. Latimer's do
ms, We can jest chalk that up on the
| dol" exclaimed the woman, vindictive-
| ly. "Thar'n new be no peace for we
| all s long as thar's airy one of 'em left!"
''Thar's like to be one more of 'em
fore they's any less, 1 reckon" said
jeff, making harpoon of his fork and
| spearing another corn pone from the
| dish on the other side oe the table.
GLOW dye make that out ?" inquired
| Bud.
81 done saw young Teller a-ridin'
round with the colonel this evenin',
an when asked Jim Dobles bout him
he said he was mighty thick with the
Latimers-'lowed maybe he's a-shinin'
| up to the gal"
Il didn'; see him." said Jed. what
for kind O. lookin' Teller was he?"
Sort O. biggity-lookin', like he
mought We jest got out of ban'-box;
has a middlin' heavy musstache, an
wears his beard whitfield down to
pint. That's about all notice, 'ceptin'
that he looks at We mighty hard, sort o
like catfish. Seem like 1 done met up
with him somewhars afore, but cayn.t
reflect when r whar."
"City teller, 1 reckon" said Jed, with
| contempt in his tone.
''Oh, sure; don't believe he ever did Il
lick O. work in his life; don't look as if
he ever did, nohov.''
81 don't see what gal like Hester
Latimer lows to find in n Teller O. that
Sort" said Jed, passing his cup for more
coffee.
What do you-all know bout Hester
Latimer's likes an dislikes?" demand
ed his sister, pausing with the cup and
| coffee-pot suspended.
"a good deal less n nothin', s'pose;
but I've got eyes, an reckon can use
'em same's anybody"
''Well, don't We go an forgit that they
| amt no sleeps eyes" retorted julie, an
grily. you amt got no call to be th'ow-
in 'em round at anybody that's kin to
the Latimer tribe"
A ravenous silence followed this re-
m-,rk, and when Bud left the table he
said to JEFF: want to see we bime-by:
come outside when We get th'oo."
jeff lighted his pipe moment later
and followed his younger brother to the
barn. What was We wantin', Buddy?"
he asked.
"'Bout that thar city feller-don't
We reckon VEAL could give him a sort
of scare that ID run him back whar he
come from?'
81 dunno. Why?"
ooh, 1 jest reckoned hit d be better.
bout a spell back, hit1l be some easier
ii they amt so many Of 'em."
you're plum right about that; but
then thar amt nothin' shore bout what
Jim Dobles was a-sayin; he only lowed
maybe that's what was a-goin' on
THAT don't make no difference, no.
how" argued Bud. eff he's got any
fight in him, he'll stand up for his
frien's, an if we can run him out fore
han we're jest that much ahead.
You're plum shore he amt revenuer?"
''Oh, L reckon not; from what could
pick up down at the settlement, 1 lowed
he's some teller that Tom Ludlow ID
llnowed back in the north; he's a-stop-
PIN at Ludlow's now. Talkin' about
revenuers, though, hit moughtu't be
SIGH Il bad idee to let on like the boys
done took him for one; hit d sort o
make the scare come more MATCHED
| like" I
| The brothers smoked in silence Tor a
few moments, and then began to dis
cuss plan suggested by the younger.
| While they talked the stars came out
one by one and the shadows deepened
in the cove until they lay black and
brooding over the thickets on the sides
of the. mountain. With the drawing
of the curtain of darkness the noises
of the night began-the drone OF the
jar fly passing with the fading light
into the chirping of the cricket and the
shrill song of the tree-toads. Thread
ing the irregular voices of nature with
the measured pulse of human effort.
the rhythmic beat of the BLOWING en-
gines at the Tregarthen furnace vi
brated upon the sti.! air; and at inter-
walls a dull red glare appearing above
the shoulder of the mountain an
nounced the feeding time of the fiery
monster of the valley.
The brothers talked en- in low tones,
pausing only once. when n shadow
passed the door-ydrd and glided toward
the forest.
who's that?' queried jeff, pcering
intently into the darkness.
Hits only Jed, l reckon" was the
reply.
"Whar's he goin' at this time O.
night?''
Il dunno; goin' to soak his haid in
the creek. maybe. more n half believe,
sometimes, that he's gcttin' foolish
bout the Latimer gal; he new did have
much sense, nohow. ButAas I was
a-sayin'." And the tain dropped
| back into the channel from which Jed's
appearance had diverted it.
The two men sat on a log behind the
barn, facing the cliff at the head of the
cove. Had they been gifted with the
visual powers of the owl which hooted
dismally from the top of a blasted oak
| standing in the adjacent corn-feld.
| they might have discerned, half an hour
later, black speck zigzagging up the
bace of the apparently inaccessible
cliff. 1t was Jed, and when he reached
| the summit just under the shadow of
! the tree that years before had borne
/ such CHASTITY fruit, he turned his face
southwark and walked rapidly toward