The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-04-14

I5G$ low mutterings
- 'A.T TsssA of thunder which
-~ seemed to issue
from the ravines and gorges, and the
zigzag flashes of lightning which
darted away from the hill tops, all
foretold the coming storm.
Down over the rocks and among
the shrubs young mountaineer was
making his way. He seemed to know
his ground, and moved onward with
unhesitPting step until he reached q
point overlooking deep,w lid, gorge,
where, far down through the darkness,
shone the faint glow of light. The
young woodsman stopped a moment,
then muttered:
"He's thar air sady. Pears to me
that fire makes too much light, though.
Wonder what Bob's gwine to say
when 1 tell him This Is about the
safest pocket in the hull ridge, and
now guess we'll have to move"
He turned away and passed around
to the sido of the gorge, where he
made his way down by circuitous
path to the bed of the ravine below.
When he came within the glow OF the
light, he entered the doorway of q
small log house built up from the
ground. In one end of the place was
q rock furnace, end on it was large
copper kettle with cap and stem. A
fire was burning under the kettle, and
near the furnace, seated upon rough
bench, was a young nan with light
reddish hair, sandy mustache, and
blue eyes. His trousers were stuffed
down into his boot legs, and by his
side on the bench lay large, wide
brimmed white hat, the brim turned
up in front and pinned to the crown
with n large thorn. In q belt about
his waist were two shining revolvers,
The young man who entered the place
was dressed and accoutered very much
like the young man on the bench, and
in his face was O blood resemblance,
for they we're cousins and ALI
Rankin.
ALI entered through the doorway of
tho cabin aud crossed the earthen
floor to the furnace, where he stirred
and replenished the fire. The place
was blockade distillery owned by the
two cousins, and operated by them,
with the assistance of Tom Drake, who
worked on profit sharing basis.
Along one side of the shanty was a
high platform on which rested two
large watts. These were the mash tubs,
and entering through the end OF the
house was a little trough which sup
piled the cool water barrel, in which
the "worm" was coiled. with the
waters of bright little stream near
by.
When ALI had "chunked" the fire,
he sat down by the other man on the
bench. After little pause, Bob
asked:
"Where is Tom?"
"What dye reckon?" answered AIT.
"About TomP Dunno"
swell, you moughtn't think it,
Bob; but he's iined the revenuers.
''You don't mean to tell"
"Yes, but do, though. He went
down to Walhalla to-day to take the
oath and he's promised to gin us all
away"
After long pause, during which
Bob sat with his chin in his hands, he
spoke.
"Alf, I never 'spected ii, rever
did"
"No more did 1; but hits a fact,
for Sarey told me no more'n q hour
ago"
"Sarey told you herself?"
"Yes, and she's powerful cut up
about it"
"We'ye worked together right here,
Tom and me, for nigh on to seven
year, and never had airy shootin' or
cuttin' scrape a.ween us-not airy
one. ALI, l don't hardly believe it. "
Bob shook his head slowly and
dropped his chin into his hands again.
"Well, said ALI, "I guess you'll
have to arter a while. seed Sarey
jest about a hour ago, and she told me
all about it; and, Bob, she actually
shed tears, she was so cut mp, sheWas::"
"What did she-sny, Alf?"
"She said as how Tom hadJined the
reEenuers, and turned agin us and as
how we'd all better keep sharp look
out, b'case Tom knows every smoke
on the ridge"
"Poor Sarey, said Bob, half to him
self. ''She sot sich a powerful sight
by Tom, and she was'a gwine to mar.
ry him this fall. And 1 loved her
enough more'n Tom did; but l seed
she loved him, so 1 didn't try to come
atween 'em-didn't ever try to. And
now he's gone and disgraced hisself,
and maybe broke Sarey's heart. ALI,
We'll meet, HIM and me, and 'taiu't
gwine to be long off. And when we
do, Alt-well, it's him or me, him or
me, that's ALL !" aud the young block,