The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1897-12-03

FRIEND.
was luckier than many, for held onto
the land. and I have good reason for
living In this wilderness. That Yankee
yesterday was not far out of the way.
If It's. unlawful what am doing. the
Yankees are to blame for 1t. They
made me a beggarl But you, stay with
me just little while. you've no idea
how lonely it is for an old man to be
cut off from everybody"
The invitation was given so heartily
that the young Englshman decided to
accept II. He had come over TO this
country to study the land and its peo-
pie, and here was n good chance to see
a phase of life and kind of people of
whom he had read I'm books.
The days stretched into weeks, the
weeks into months. and still the En-
glishman tarried. His days were spent
in riding about the country. hunting.
fishing and exploring the beauties of
the Cumberland hills. On one of these
exploring tours he came upon little
distillery built close TO the edge of
mountain brook. 1t was here the old
man brewed his "moonshine" whisky.
The arrangements were primitive and
quaint. but the Englishman never dis
cussed his discovery with his old
friend At night he and his friend ate
their frugal meal. smoked their pipes
and reveled in the loneliness of the
southern night. The old warrior told
OF the days before the war when the
country teemed with prosperity. and
the Englshman listened in sympa-
thetic silence.
Suddenly their peaceful seclusion
was rudely disturbed. While the
stranger strolled through the forest on
the hills a fusillade of rifle shots rent
the air. They came from the direction
of the little cabin. He fastened down
and soon reached the clearing in front
of the house. In his absence the old
man had been surprised by tax collec-
tors. Three of them lay dead in their
blood at the edge of the corn field.
Leaning against tree stump the En-
gllshman recognized his former travel
ing companion from New York. Col
Walkers rifle had done effective work.
The riderless horses Toasted on the
tender ears of the corn in the fields.
Nothing was to be seen of the old man.
The stranger. sick with fear over the
terrible tragedy. stumbled into the
cabin. There. CHASTITY white and with
disheveled hair, lay his old friend.
Blood trickled from several wounds
and formed little puddles along the
floor The blue jeans shirt rose and
fell with the labored breathing of the
/ dying man. He was unconscious The
/ Engllshman knelt besides him, mois-
tening his lips with drops of the burn
ing liquid which was responsible for
the tragedy. One bullet has grazed
the left temple. another had shattered
the elbow. and the third had pene-
trated the abdomen. The wound was
deadly. there was no recovery from it,
The wounded man regained conscious
ness and Immediately recognized his
/ young friend.
J "rhese sc0undrels have poured more
lead into me than is good for my health
The New York chap gave me away
He sent the tax collectors after me.
Well. he Is dead and I'll soon follow,
but before go | want to exact prom
ise from you. All my old friends are
N'oOs NY WIZ tltllti hllltQ III tue
war or died soon afterwards. and am
sorely troubled about my little girl
your daughter
"Yes. my daughter. have never
spoken about her TO any one / sent
her away to n convent In Paris This
rough. inhospitable life would not suit
her at all I intended to have her come
home when the place was built up
again. For her | stinted and saved
and made 'moonshine' whisky. | new
or liked the business. 1t isn't At for a
gentleman. Now my daughter has fin
ished her education and Is coming here
TO see her old father again. She will
not find me alive: but she will come in
to her own. There Is $4,000 In the
bank. And now. for the favor I'll ask
of you. It's a dying mans request.
will you fulfil lt?'
Yes. as far as is in my power"
"Then go to my daughter-and make
her your wife"
The Englishman was dumfounded.
He-to marry the daughter of a muir
derer. Had he forgotten that yonder
in the grass lay three men whom be
had killed.