The Opelousas courier., 1897-05-15

==sH - heavy with blac
%1 Hl@ clouds, and tn
-J lsI= low mutterine
&I5sS..za of thunder whic
%@Ess seemed to issrl
from the ~ravines and gorgea, and tn
zigzag flashes Of lightning whic
darted away from the hill tops, a
foretold the coming storm.
Down over the rocks and anon
the shrubs q young mountaineer wa
making his way. He seemed to knoy
his ground, and moved onward witt
unhesitating step until he reached
point overlooking o deep,w lid, gorge
where, far down through the darkness
shone the faint glow of light. Th'
young woodsman stopped a moment
then muttered:
"He's thar already. Pears to me-
that fire makes too much light, though.
Wonder what Bob's a gwine to say
when / tell him! This is about the
safest pocket in the hull ridge, AND
now l guess we'll have to move"
He turned away and passed around
to the side of the gorge, where he
made his way down by a circuitous
path to the bed of the ravlne 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, and on it was a large
copper kettle with a cap and stem. A
fire was burning under the kettle, and
near the furnace, seated upon a rough
bench, was a young man 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 q large, wide
brimmed white hat, the brim turned
up in front and pinned to the crown
with a large thorn. In a 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 a blood resemblance,
for they were cousins-Bob and ALT
Rankin.
ALT entered through the doorway of
the cabin and crossed the earthen
floor the furnace, where he stirred
and I'd plenished the fire. The place
was a Slockade distillery owned by the
two cousins, and operated by them,
with TIE assistance of Tom Drake, who
worked on a profit sharing basis.
Along one side of tbs 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, N which
the worm" was coilId, with the
waters of a bright little stream near
by.
When ALI had e'chunked" the fire,
be sat down by the other man on the
After a little pause, Bob
"Where is Tom?"
"What dye reckon?" answered Ali.
"About Tom? Dunno"
"Well, you moughtn't think it,
Bob; but he's jined the revenuers."
"You don't mean to tell"
'Yes, but l do, though. He went
Town to Walhal1a to-day to take the
oath; and he's promised to gin us all
After a long pause, during which
Sob sat with his chin in his hands, he
poke.
Cali. I never 'spected it. I FEVER
"No more did I; but hits a fact,s
or Sarey told me no more'n q hour
go"
"Sarey told you herself?"
eyes, and she's powerful cut up
bout it,"
"We've worked together right here,
Tom and me, for nigh on to seven
rear, and never had airy shootin' OF
scrape atween us-not airy
ALI, l don't hardly believe it,"
Bob shook his head slowly and
lropped his chin into his hands again. T
"Welff,o Said ALI, 'I guess you'll
ave to arter a while. I seed Sarey
about a hour ago, and she told me
III about it; and, Bob, she actually
ned tears, she was SO cut up. she was"
"What did she say, Alf?"
"She said as how Tom had iined the
evenuers, and turned agin us; and as
.ow we'd all better keep q sharp look
b'case Tom knows every smoke
the ridge"
"Poo. sarey," said Bob, half to him
elf. "She sot SIGH q powerful sight
y Tom, and she was a gwine to mar [
y him this fall. And I loved her
nough more'n Tom did !; but I seed /,
ne loved him, SO | didn't try to come {
tween 'em-didn't ever try to. Ard
ow he's gone and disgraced hisself, |
nd maybe broke Sarey's heart. ALI,
ell meet, him and me, and faint a {
wine to be long of. And when we J
0, Alf-well, it's him or me, him or
e. that's all and the young block )
tapped one OF the reyolvers in G
ls beltsignifcantly.. "Iloved Sarey;
i'd Tom-well, I'd hate tc do it, Aft t
1t it's him or me thar amt no other 4
81. as | can see."
Bob arose and "chunked" the FIRE y
1der the kettle, then walked around to L
side Of the furnace, where q little
bite stream Of spirits was pouring t
the end of the protudlng worm"
to q long keg. b
"HoW is it??'' asked ALI. q
fsaood enrueh that mash will thru q
I I'LL rIgha, aaid Bob, returning i
i sassl5s himself ia TIA l,anrts Il
ssEa y aslslA dropped his ealI1 !sls Z