The Penn's Grove record., 1896-09-04

AN "hhihs "a JStAhN OF1A Wv
mountains and would like to stay here
night at least"
For a moment Jonathan looked sur
prlsed. Then he babe 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 80 years
OF age. He possessed n dark beard Of
luNurlant growth, which concealed
what would have been considered 0
handsome face were 1t bereft of 1t,
hirsute ~appendage. The guest took his
seat near the fire and kept his peace
In a few minutes Jonathan returned
and Joined the family circle.
at appears to me, stranger, l saw yol
to-day In the village" Jonathan ven
tured.
Possibly; I was there" the guest an
swered.
ION ~business?"
ION business"
Then Jonathan was silent for a mo
ment. He was apparently Ill at ease.
81 suppose you have heard that 1t ID
pretty dangerous travelling in these
partsP ?" again ventured Jonathan.
rs it?' said the stranger. And iona
than became more dissatisfied with bic
way of ellcitlng Information.
stranger, 1t appears to me that Il,
might be better that you give your
name and business IN travelling over
these mountains" Jonathan spoke
bluntly.
The stnnger's eyes flashed like Goals
of ire, and then he answered calmly:
My name ia Arthur Smith. My bust
ness was that of a m~oonshiner or keeper
Of an Illicit dls~tIllery-that Is, until ]
was driven out of North Carolina"
why, why tell me this7" Jonathan
asked surprised.
Because l believe l 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"
We will have to see about It," said
the master OF the house, without com
hitting himself, and in a few minutes
Smith was shown to his room, ns tho
night was getting late.
The next morning Jonathan went ou>
early and returned soon after with some
of his neighbours friends. Smith was
IN on Jonathan's return, and the men
all held a short conference together,
which seemed to prove satisfactory all
around. The result was that the stran.
aer, Arthur Smith, had Joined the band
of Illicit dlstlllers carrying on their call
Ing in the mountains. For the present
Smith put up at the house of Jonathan,
and In tie 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
mountain, which in days gone by had
been used to grind their corn, which they
purchased from the farmers on the low
lands below.
Reports had reached the mountain,
GERS that strangers had been seen In the
village at the foot of the mountains,
and the secret stills We're 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 OF alone up the noun
tain road and turn off into the dense
underground to be gone hours at n time
He wa a particularly reticent man
never ventured u question and answer
cd those put to him in the most %laconit
way Imaginable. Once In a while, when
the others were not looking, his gaze
would be riveted on Alice, and Mrs
Jackson would shrewdly smile to herself
and declare inaudibly that the girl had
made a conquest.
One evening as darkness was coming
on Alice returned from the u OF
Mrs. Pearl, where she had made a short
visit, and coming suddenly around Q
bend in the road she observed W meE
in earnest conversation One Was Ar
thur Smith, the other a stranger. Only
for a moment did the two men seem tt
converse, and loon the newcomer hac
disappeared. When Sn,ith reached Jon
athan's house it was but shortly after
Alice arrived.
Lately the mountain stills had beei
operated more frequently than for somt
time. The reports of the revenue Off
GERS infesting the mountains had be
come less frequent and the stills vert
being operated with a greater degree
of security.
I'VE had better be getting up I'll,
mountain, lad" Jonathan said n even
ing in December. Supper had been pre-
pared earlier than usual, for ~Jonathani
still was to be worked In the growing
dusk.
"IIl follow you in half al hour. Fee
rather badly to-day, but believe I'll bt
oil right In a short WHILE" Smith an
swered indifferently.
Ivory well, Smith; I'll expect YOU
And Jonathan departed.
Probabaly some twenty minutes had
elapsed when Smith left the house and
l~eisurely made his way toward the Sc
cret still. Alice watched the stranger
closely, and when Smith had disappear
ed she threw a shawl over her head
there was an unpleasant chilliness in
the mountain air-and followed In ht
wake.
The old mill which concealed the still
vas some three-quarters Of a mile from
Jonathan's house, and as Alice proceed
ed on her way she occasionally caught
4 glimpse of the forms Of strange men
in the dense underground, going evil
IDENTIFY In the same direction with her
self. Once a strange man glanced at
her suspiciously, but did not modest her.
He was armed with a shotgun, and tool
her probably for some n who was re-
turning from a visit to a neighboring
n~ountaineer's home.
Soon the girl reached the old mill. IL
the evening twilight the dying sun was
fast disappearing behind the noun
tains, leaving a faint glare In Its wake,
which Lit up the scene with q soft gold
an light. Smith, the stranger, was stand
ing motionless In front Of the mill. peer
ing anxiously now and then into the
tense underground on both sides Of the
stream, which In past days had furnish