Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1896-09-09

| is your businessT' Aud Jonathan looked
at the stranger with suspicion.
81 am making a journey over tn.
mountains and would like to stay here
might at least"
For a moment Jonathan looked sur
prised. Then he bade the stranger en-
ter. while he went outside and put W
bis horse
In the light Of the room the strange
appeared to be a man OF some 30 years
OF age. He possessed a dark beard ol
luxuriant growth. which concealed
what would have been considered q
handsome face were 1t bereft of iti
hirsute appendage. The guest took hii
seat near the fire and kept his peace
In q few minutes Jonathan returned
and Joined the family circle.
ut appears to me. stranger. I saw you
to-day In the village" Jonathan ven.
tured
Possibly: was there" tho guest an
swered.
"On business7~
I'll DuDAu0o0.
Then Jonathan was silent for . mo
ment He was apparently Ill at ease.
Il suppose you have heard that It ID
pretty dangerous travelling In thess
partsY again ventured Jonathan.
rs Itr' said the stranger. And Jona,
than became more dissatisfied with his
way Of eliciting Information.
L. - O..
might be better that you give your
name and business In travelling over
these mOuntains." Jonathan spoke
bluntly.
The strangers eyes flashed like coalA
Of fire, and then he answered calmly:
My name Is Arthur Smith. My bust.
ness was that OF mOonshiner or keeper
Of an Illicit distillery-that is. until
was driven out Of North Carolina"
why, why tell me thisY' Jonathan
asked surprised.
Because I believe I am speaking
with a brother moonshiner. Probably
you may be able to refer me to someone
In these parts who may need my serv.
ices"
I'VE will have to see about It," said
the master of the house, without com.
mitting himself, and in a few minutes
Smith was shown to his room, a. the
night was getting late.
The next morning Jonathan went on.
early and returned soon after with some
of his neighbOr's friends. Smith was
up on Jonathan's return, and the men
all held short conference together
which seemed to prove satisfactory all
around. The result was that the stran.
ger, Arthur Smith, had Joined the band
of Illicit distlllers carrying on their call.
Ing in the mountains. For the present
Smith put up at the house Of Jonathan,
and in the evening. before darkness ap-
preached, went up to the latter's still,
located In an old mill on the bank of a
rushing torrent some distance up the
which in days gone by had
been used to grind their corn, which tney
purchased from the farmers on the low.
lands below.
Reports had reached the mountain
GERS that strangers had been seen In ths
village at tie foot OF the mountains,
and the secret stills were rarely in op-
Grafton of late. Smith, the stranger,
owing to the late turn in affairs, had
plenty of spare time on his hands and
would wander Or alone up the noun.
tain road and turn off into the dense
to be gone hours at time
He was a particularly reticent man
never ventured Il question and answer
I'd those put to him In the most laconit
way ina ginable. Once in n while, wher
the others We're not looking, his gaze
Jackson would shrewdly smile to herself
and declare inaudibly that the girl had
made q conquest.
One evening as darkness was coming
Dn Alice returned from the house oi
Mrs Pearl where she had made a short
visit, and coming suddenly around
bend In the road she observed TWO meI
In earnest conversation. One was Ar
thur Smith. the other a stranger. Only
for a moment did the two men seem tt
converse, and soon the newcomer hac
When Sn.ith reached Jon
athan's house 1t was but shortly afteI
Alice arrived.
Lately the mountain stills had beef
operated more frequently than for some
time. The reports of the revenue Off
GERS infesting the mountains had be
come less frequent and the stills were
being operated with a greater degree
Of security.
I'VE had better be getting up The
lad" Jonathan said one even
ing In December. Supper had been pre-
pared earlier than usual, for iona athnn'S
still was TO be worked in the growing
dusk.
iii follow you In half an hour. Fee
rather badly to-day, but believe I'll bt
oil right In a short WHILE" Smith an
swered indifrerently.
Ivory well. Smith: I'll expect you
And Jonathan departed
Probabaly some twenty minutes had
elapsed when Smith left the house and
made his way toward the Sc.
,ret still. Alice watched the stranger
closely, and when Smith had disappear.
I'd she threw q shawl over her head
here was an unpleasant chilliness in
he mountain air-and followed In ht
wake.
The old mill which concealed the still
vas some three-quarters Of q mile from
Ionathan's house, and as Alice proceed
ID on her way she occasionally caught
/ glimpse Of the forms Of strange men
n the dense underground. going evi-
iently In the same direction with her
elf. Once q strange man glanced at
Ter suspiciously, but did not molest her.
1e was armed with a shotgun. and took
Ter probably for some one who was re-
urning from a visit to a neiShborinS |
home.
Soon the girl reached the old mill. IL
he evening twilight the dying sun was
asst disappearing behind the noun