The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1897-03-05
A CASE IN EQUITY.
ny FRANCIS LYNDE.
rcsp,rirht. ,sss. BY J. B. Asp'asssSs,

was but a sucking as yet. and the turn
ing of fresh leaf in the book of reso-
lutions is, in any event, only begin
ming. Besides, ones mother is always
the first to accept show of frankness
as a substitute for the real quality,
and Mrs. Thorndyke would have found
reasons for refusing to believe Philip
if he had told her the plain truth.
The window in the attic bedroom
looked out upon the stretch of yellow
road leading to Allacoochee, and in
one of the inter sentence pauses Philip
saw two horscmen ride over the crest
of the spur which shut off the view of
the lower valley. They halted among
the trees on the hillside, and one Of
them pointed to the farmhouse, while
the other took something from his
pocket and went through the motions
of man drinking from bottle. Philip
watched them listlessly until, at the
end of 4 full minute, his curiosity
awol<e to comment upon the phenome-
nal thirst of the man who still sat like
an equestrian statue with arm bent and
head thrown back. There was field
glass hanging in its case on the wall,
and when Philip took it down and TO-
cused it upon the statuesque horseman
the mystery speedily took another form.
The man was not drinking; he was eX-
aiming the house and the adjacent
mountain through a glass not unlike
the one in whose field Philip was OBJ
serving him.
Thorndyke's first thought was of Kill
grow and his prosecutors, but before he
could form a, plan for warning the old
nountaineer the two horsemen rode
down to the house, and he heard one G.
them ask Mrs. Duncan if the road lc
to Alta Springs, a village on the weste,l
slope of Johns mountain. Since thc
question appeared to explain the recon
naissance, Philip let his suspicious
lapse, and straightway forgot the Incl
dent when the travellers had ridden on.
He had finished his letter, and was be-
ginning to wonder if Duncan would
succeed in finding Kilgrow, when he
heard voices below, followed by stun
hing footsteps on the stairs, and Elm
can entered with the old mounta:11c
This is auld Johnnie keei:.-c
Master Thorndyke," he said, rrcsc.t.
his companion with n perpenGicu.
gesture which seemed to call atte1t;c
to Kilgrow's great height. Il jus
made free to fess him till yer ain roor
whaur We could haze it DOT WI him in pr;
wste."
THAT was right-I'm glad to meet
you, Mr.. Kilgrow. Sit down, both OF
you. and let me ask a few questions"
The mountaineer folded his thir
length upon the edge of chair, but
Duncan stood irresolute. I'm no sac
over rash, myself, Master ThornGyl;c.
as We ken, but auld Johnnie her, is
mair captious than the cannicst Scot O,
them a. d. ye think, now, he Wilma
set foot in the house till he makes nc
promise to pit myself on guard on the
doorstane!"
Duncan's dissatisfaction with any ar
rangement that excluded him from a
share in the conference was very evil
dent, but Thorndyke judged wisely that
his client would be less embarrassed !:
the inquisitive Scot were out of the
way, and he commended the precau-
ton.
Its we'll enough to be careful, Mr..
Duncan; we're not likely to spoil our
chances of success by being over-pru-
dent"
That's guide seasonable Scotch
sense, d We ken that, Johnnie, man? g.
said Duncan, forgetting for the moment
that he had been arguing ON the other
side, of the question. ''Ye maun lust
open yer min freely to Master Thorn
dyke; he's an auld held, if he does gang
ABBOTT ON young shouthers.'
kilgrow nodded, and Thorndyke's
heart warmed toward the old man when
he was at leisure to read the story Of
prlvation and distress written so plain
~ on the thin face and in the restless
eyes. 1t was some sense of the need
Tor encouragement that prompted him
TO speak first in terms of assurance.
duncan has told me all about your
case, Mr.. Kilgrow, and 1 want YOU to
believe me when I say that you're in
no danger whatever of prosecution Oh
the old charge of brandy making. Ii
you were arrested to-day 1 could clear
you tomorrow. You shouldn't have
run away in the beginning"
The old man resented the imputation
upon his courage. Il reckon yo'-uns
Il run, too, 18th thee r four of 'em a.
poppin at We 18th Their rifles"
Perhaps 1 should, after it got that
far along; but should have gone quiet
~ with the officers at first and fought it
out in court
Kilgrow shook his head obviously.
The law hain't fer a pore man like me- -
That's just where you're mistaken;
the law is for everyone, and we couldn't
do anything in the present case without
it, But that's neither here nor there.
What l want to impress on your mind
IS this: You are in no danger whatever
from the United States authorities. but
you are in danger from these fellows
who have taken your land, and they
~ill leave no stone unturned to make
alabama too hot to hold you.''
Dye reckon not?"
know 1t: and before take hold of
your case l want to know if YOU are
Wiling to trust me fully in everything.
solng exactly what tell you, whether
you understand the reason for it or
not"
reckon cayn't do no dif'rent. 18th
them feliers a-huntin me all the time"
Yes, you could; they'll give YOU
plenty OF chances to upset the whole
thing before I'm through with them.
and l want to be sure that you'll d.