The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-02-19

F" letb NE 0vout u1ms ne 0f9o0s
upon feminine curiosity knew not
whereof he spake. AS compared with
the greed for enlightenment which as
sails the masculine mind at the ba.
scent of a mystery, the curiosity
woman is but sedative. Philip wa
no exception to the rule governing h!
sex, and the pathos in Elsie's voice was
becoming quite irresistible.
"Tell me about him." he urged; "I'il
promise anything you can ask in tbs
way of secrecy and discretion;" and
as she still hesitated, he did not scru.
to lay a snare in her way by addil.
''I'fn quite prepared for the worst
can say; I'll be dumb even if you te
me that the old man is an escaped mui
derer."
ooh, NO, mol" she said, quickly; 81
isn't anything like that lie did wro1
in the first place, but that was year
and years ago, and he didn't undo :
stand; and now the others have bee.
SO mean to him!"
81 think you'd better tell me abor
it, said Philip, gravely; "if you don
l may imagine it's worse than it rea..,
is, you know"
If Elsie did mot answer at once it VIZ
not because she was afraid to tri.
Thorndyke, but rather for the reasC:
that the daughter of James Dunca
could not we'll help inheriting some
thing of his cautious habit. At lengt.l
she said: Perhaps you could thinl-
of some way to help him; I'll tell you
the story, but you muslin t say anything
about it at home till after I've tolls.
father. Let's move back little way,
so he can't see us from down there
They reiterated few steps from the
brow of the cliff and Elsie sat down upon
log, while Philip stretched himself
upon the grass at her feet.
"The trouble commenced long time
ago, when the mountaineers used to
make whisky and sell it to the valley
people," she began. ''Ihey knew it
was against the law, but don't think
they cared much about that, and, amy
way, they kept on till one time the
revenue officers raided the mountain.
At that time John Kilgrow was living
on little farm over yonder where yo
see the old orchard, and for years h
had been in the habit of making few
gallons of apple brandy from the apples
that he couldn't sell. I'm sure he never
thought he was doing wrong; and
father says he never sold any of the
brandy, though he used to give it away,
sometimes, to his neighbors. Besides
the place up here, he owned a farm III
the big valley, and that was rented out
to man by the name of Gates.
Father says Gates always had a bad
name;. he used to encourage the moul
taineers to make whisky, and then L
would help them sell it in the vale,
He was owing Mr.. KAgrow two {
three years back rent at the time
the raid, and to get out of paying 2
told the deputy constable-or what
ever you call him-that Mr.. Kilgro
made brandy, offering to show him tt
house and the STILL"
'sThe internal wretch!-I beg you
pardon--I didn't mean to be profane-
Please go on"
"Cates did what he said he would
but he was sharp enough to see taa
Mr.. Kilgrow might get clear if he We
taken, or that he himself might be ar
rested as a witness; so he went to Mr.
KiIgrow first and pretended to war;
him as friend. Did you aver hear of
such a mean thing?"
''Never. I hope it didn't succeed"
eyes, it did; it all turned out just as
Gates had planned. The revenue men
surrounded the house, but Mr.. Kilgrov
got out of back window and ran. The.
chased him clear away over to the othe.
side of the mountain, shooting at him
every time they caught sight of him
and soaring the poor old man so thai
he left the country and never did comt
back till this spring. And now, as
say, he's afraid of everybody, except