Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1896-10-29
CHAPTER III.

Inc 'hlcl OF ponce OF San Francis
co.."
CHAPTER IL.
The laugh that instinctively hroke
from Clarence's lips was so sincere and
unaffected that the man was discou-
certed. and at last joined in il. a little
shamefacedly. The grotrsquc blundcr
Of being taken rs fugitive from ius-
tice relieved Clarencc's mind from its
acute tension, he was momentarilv di-
rerted. and il was not until the boat
man had departed and he was again
alone that il seemed to have any col
lateral significance.
Then an uneasy recollection of Susv's
threat that she had The power To put
his wife in Fort Alcatrez came across
him.
Could she have already warned the
municipal authorities. and this man
but he quickly remembered any action
from such warning could only have
been taken by the United States
marshal, and not by civic official, and
dismissed the idea.
Nevertheless. when the stage with its
half-spent lamps still burning dimlv
against the morning light swept round
the curve and rolled heavily up to the
flee. he became watchful.
4 single yawnihg individual in its
doorway received a few letters aud par
GELS, but Clarence was evidently the
only waiting passenger. ANY hope that
he might have entertained that his mvs-
FERROUS predecessor would emerge from
some seclusion at that moment, was
disappointed.
AS he entered the coach hr made a
rapid survey of his fellow-trayelers. but
satisfied himself that the stranger was
not among them. They were mainly
small traders or farmers. a miner or
two. aud apparently Spanish-Amer-
lean of better degree and personality.
Possibly the circumstance that men
of this class usually preferred 10 travel
on horseback and were rarely seen in
public conveyances attracted his atten-
ton. and their eyes met more than once.
in mutual curiosity.
Presently Clarence addressed re-
mark Ia him in Spanish. lie replied flu
emily and courteously, but at the next
stopping place he asked a question of
the eNpressman IN an unmistakable
Missouri accent.
Clarence's curiosity was satisfied: he
was evidently one of those early Amer
lean settlers who had been so long domi-
ciled in southern California as to adopt
the speech as well as the habiliments
of the Spaniard.
The conversation fell upon the politi-
cal news of the previous night. or rather
seemed 10 be iazily continued from
some previous more exciting discussion,
in which one of the contestants. red
bearded miner, had subsidized into an &C.
casional growl of surly dissent.
1t struck Clarence that the Missourian
had been an amused auditor. and even,
judging from a twinkle in his eye, a
mischievous instigator of the contro-
yersy. lie was not surprised. therefore.
when the man turned to him with n
certain courtesy and said:
And what, sir, is the political feeling
in your district?"
But Clarence was in no mood TO be
drawn, and replied, almost CURLY, that
as he had come only from San Francis
co, they were probably as well informed
on that subject as himself.
A quick and searching glance from
the strangers eyes made him regret il,
but in the silence that ensued the red
bearded passenger, evidently still rank
ling at heart. saw his opportunity.
Slapping his hinge hands on his knees,
and leaned far forward, until he
seemed TO plunge his flaming beard -
like a firebrand-into the controversy.
he said grimly:
We'll, l kin tell you gen'rmen this!
II amt goin' 10 be no matter wot's the
political feeling here or thar-it amt
goin' TO be no matter wot's states
rights and wot's fed'ral rights-it amt
goin' to he no question whether the
COMMENTS got the right to relieve its
own soldiers that those secesh is be-
sieging in Fort Sumter, or whether
they haven't-but the first gun that
fired at the flag blows the chains OF.
every blamed niger south of Mason
and Dixon's line! You hear me! I'm
shoutin'! And whether you call YOUR
selves 'secesh,' or union or copper
head or peace men, you got to face it,"
There was an angry start i'm one or
two of the seats; one man caught at
the swinging side strap and half rose, a
husky voice began: Its a confound.
ed" and then all as suddenly sub
sided.
Every eye was turned to an insignifi-
cant figure in the back seat. IL was
woman holding a child on her lap and
gazing out of the window with her
sex's profound unconcern in politics.
Clarence understood the rude chiv-
airy of the road well enough to compre-
bend that this unconscious but omnipo-
tent figure had, more than once that
day, controlled the passions of the dis
putants. They dropped back weakly
to their seats, and their mutterings
rolled off in the rattle of the wheels.
Clarence glanced at the Missourian.
He was regarding the red-bearded miner
with singular curiosity.
The rain had ceased, but the after
noon shadows were deepening when
they at last reached Fair Plains, when
Clarence expected TO take horse to the
rancho. lie was astonished, however,
to learn that all the horses in the stable
were engaged, but remembering that
some of his own stock were in pastur-
age with a tenant at Fair Plains, and
that he should probably have better
selection, he turned his steps thither.
tTo BE Continued -
He'll Need Pile.-"Shall you build
yougtnew house with bricks?" mo,