The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1897-06-08
Hr2tOnJOr The Prog csstUs Farmer.l
NELLO.
4 Western North Carolina Story.
By WALTER L. WOMBLE.
Author of "LOue in the MIsts" "Au B,t Lost :,
"The Black Bracelet" "a Hd,vest of
WGd Oats" Etc Etc.

a footing with and entitled me to all
the privileges accorded g full fedged
Illicit distilery demolisher. But it
was not until about four years there
after that the incidets that go to make
up this strange story occurred.
The day was hot. I had removed
my coat and was just in the act Of
casting myself upon the grass beneath
the cool shade Of the chestnuts that
grew on the banks of the French Broad
just in front Of my mountain home,
when I spied Uncle Richard (com
monty known as Capt. Dick leisurely
tying his canoe at the landing, q few
yards from whore I stood. In q few
minutes he joined me. He had been
over to AsheVille for the mail and held
an open letter in his hand.
"Well, Harry, my boy, we've got
work to do now," he said, tapping the
sheet of paper significantly.
"IndeedI What's upH" 1 asked.
"Orders to raid Old Nick" he an
swered.
"Whol Nick Stephenson4" I asked.
"The same" he replied; land to tell
you the truth, it's q job 1 don't like"
"Nor do /, from the description you
have often given of the scoundrel," /
answered.
"And yet I have not told you the
half. For downright cruelty, crime
and villainy I have never met his
equal. The outrages perpetrated by
him would fill a volume. He's no
common back-woods ignoramuS, az
q great many who have had no dealings
with him imagine, but man Of educar
ton and brains. And here's where
the trouble lies. His intelligence, COM
bined with natural cunning, makes him
q most dangerous man to deal with"
But from what you said 9 few days
since, / thought he left the State years
ago, and had located somewhere In
East Tennessee among the Smokes"
80 it was supposed, but il noW turns
out that he never left the State at all,
and for several years past has been
doing q Furnishing business near Sun
set Pass, about twenty. five or thirty
miles from here. I've tackled him
twice in my life, and each time came
off defeated and my ranks thinned."
ut was during your second attack,
l believe I have heard you say, that
you stopped day or two at our home.
I was quite young then, but I remember
the occurrence distinctly"
Yes, and when I left, il you remem-
Der, 1 took you with me, for the pur-
pose of sending you to school.
"ADd it was lucky for mt that you
did, for scarcely a week had passed,
ere I received your letter, telling me of
the sudden death of my parents and
the mysterious disappearance Of my
baby sister"
Eyes, your parents were foully muir.
! dered; there is no doubt Of that-poi-
soned, some aid-but the baby, search
as we would, no trace could be found Of
it. Do you know, my boy, it has often
occurred to me that this same Nick
Stephenson has been at the bottom of
all our misfortunes. For instance:
Ny wife and baby girl were drowned
shortly after my first attack, and the
poisoning of your parents occurred a
couple of weeks following my second"
Rather strange, I'll admit; and the
body of my little cousin, like that Of
my sister, never came to lights"
mo; Notwithstanding the fact that
the river was dragged and searched
thoroughly for miles below here, the
body was never recovered"
Little more was said upon this sub
sct, but during the night all necessary
arrangements were made, and early
the next morning, with twelve picked
men-veterans in the caused Of Justice
we set out for Sunset Pass" OF THE
Valley Of Golden Light" The coun-
try was rough, and it was not until
the close of the following day that we
reached a deserted log cabin a few
miles from the Pass. Here we decided
to remain for the present, or at least
until we had ascertained the exact To-
cation of "Old Nick" the number of
his band and his strength generally.
After supper a consultation was held,
which resulted in myself being unani-
mously chosen to take the initiative
step or reconoitering tour. In other
words, I was to go to the Pass early the
next morning, remain there during the
day, learn all I could, and report at
headquarters after dark.
Accordingly, Iarose early the next