The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-05-07

looked up with establishment at his sud
den exclamation.
''Whar was hit, .Teff?" asked Bud.
Hit was down mt Waco; that's whar
hit was"-he got up and paced the floor
eHcitedly-"that's Jest whar hit was. i
done told you all bout that thar ruction
in the express office. when that plum
fool messenger lowed to stan VEAL
aft with gun; thar wasn't no time for
10 talk. an jest as fired done saw q
man comm in Mt the back do" He
pansed and then added, impressiyely:
Boys, hit was that thar city chap, an
he's down yere to get me-"
An awed silence fell upon the group
in the kitchen after jeff made this an
louncement. Bud put his gun together
and loaded it carefully, sitting quietly
afterward with the weapon across his
knees: and Jed came out of his dark
corner to feel mechanically ON the high
mantel shelf for his pipe. The night
had closed in with storm signals flying
in the western sky, and the rising wind
began to sigh dismally through the
trees, sending occasional putfs eddying
down the chimney to scatter little
clouds of light ashes from the expiring
embers on the hearth. The measured
sob of the great engine at the furnace
rose and fell ON the breeze, mingling IFS
tones with the hoarser mutterings of
The approaching storm. At the head
OF the cove there is a deep cleft in the
perpendicular wall of rock, known to
The dwelIers in Harmony Valley as
1.-The Chimney" With the breath of
the tempest, the assure becomes the di-
apason of natures great organ, and al
ready its deep reedy voice could be
heard. filling the cove with a sound like
the rushing of the waves on a sandy
beach, or like the distance softened
roar of mighty cataract. From his
watch tower in the blasted oak behind
he barn, a great owl added his mourn
tnl call to the weird noises of the night,
While all the shriler and cheerfuller
-oices of nature we're hushed and silent
III the presence of the storm-king. jeff
1iynum continued his monotonous walk
mp and down the narrow limits of the
Kitchen. stopping at each turn to peer
out of the windows into the thickening
gloom.
Bud was the first to speak. "What-all
does we low to do bout hit, jeff" he
inquired
The elder brother dropped into a
chair and thrust his hands deep into his
pockets II low / don't jest rightly
know, Buddy-I don't, for fact thar
cayn't be no mistake; I amt nowise
likely to forget that thar face; hits
been harnt to me moren one night
sence seed hit; hit has, for shore"
Jed got up and threw another stick
of wood on the fire. aye reckon ye're
plum shore, Jeffy' he asked. "'Pears
like this ycre feller's been mindin' his
own business tol'able clost sence he
come to the settlement"
"No, Jed, he hain't; that's what's
a-rattlin' me. He was a-pryin' round
this yere very cove only day before yis-
tildy; seed him; an julie she took him
up the mounting and p'inted him the
way back from the McNabb."
"Jule!"
Eyes, julie. l low she didn't know
who r what he was. She done left hin
standin',afore the mouth of the tunnel
An that amt the mos curiousest par
o hit; he scrambled into the hole ovel
the broken rocks, an jest about o min
3 utes afterwards he come a-pilin' out O
thar like he seed harnt, an the last
seed o. him he was a.makin' the longes
Kind O. tracks to'rdst the valley"
What d. We reckon he seed in thar p
''l'll new tell yc; but that hain't TIN
question; hit looks mighty like he's a
sneakin' round yere to fin out some
thin bout veal, an l reckon thar
got to be somethin' done"
Bud glanced around into the gather
ing shadows in the room, and asked
''Whar's JuleY
Il Dunno" replied JEFF; gone t
bald, l reckon"
Bud stood his rife in the chimney
corner and went out, coming back i
moment to say: II reckon she has
leastways, thar's no light"
Another interval of oppressive 81
lence followed Buds assurance. TIL
three men sat around the hearth, eac
knowing the others thought, and eac
hoping that one of the others woul
put the pitiless suggestion into words
While they waited the first great drop
of rain battered on the roof, and tn
souyhing of the wind through the tree
tops and the louder growing of tn
thunder, drowned the roar of 9TH
Chimney The dusky interior of til
Kitchen grew more shadowy as tn
handful of fire on the hearth died dowI
and the darkness was intensified by a
occasional fash of lightning contras1
ing its glare with the twilight of tn
room. The red glow from the Goals fe
unon the faces of the three brother
grouped about the fireplace and sittin
in silent Judgment upon a man who's
only otfense was his resemblance I
some other man. Each of the three fe
that there was terrible margin {
doubt, and yet each knew that it wa
only doubt and not certainty. Ii the
prisoner and the single witness of jeff
crime were identical, there could be n
safety for ut least one of them viii
the man lived; if Motif jeff were mi
taken, after all = the alternative wa
sufficiently dreadful to make them he
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