The true northerner., 1897-01-20


himself, and in few minutes Smith was
shown 10 his room. as the night was get
ting late.
The noxt morning Jonathan went out
early and returned soon after with some of
his ncighbor friends. Smith WAS up on
.Jonathan's return. and the men all held a
short conference together, which seemed 10
prove satisfactory all around. The result
was that the stranger. Arthur Smith, had
Joined the band OF Illicit distillers carrying
on their calling In the mountains For
the present Smith put up at the house OF
Jonathan, and I'm the evening, before dark
ness approached, went TO the latter's still,
located at an old mill on the bank of a
rushing torrent some distance up the
mountain, which In days gone by had been
used To grind their corn, which they pur-
chased from the farmers on the lowlands
below.
Reports had reached the mountaineers
that strangers had been seen in the village
at the foot of the mountains, and the secret
stills were rarely In operation of late.
Smith. the stranger, owing TO the late turn
in affairs, had plenty Of spare time on his
hands and would wander OFF alone up the
mountain road and turn off into the dense
underground 10 he gone hours at time.
! He was a particularly reticent man, never
ventured Il question. and answered those
put TO him in the most laconic way imag-
| Unable Once in awhile. when the others
were not looking, his gaze would be riveted
/ on Alice and Mrs. Jackson would shrewd-
! ly smile to herself and declare inalidibly
that the girl had made a conquest.
One evening rs darkness was coming
on Alice returned from the house of Mrs
Pearl, where she had paid short visit.
and coming suddenly around bend in the
road she observed two men In earnest con-
versation. One was Arthur Smith, the
other a stranger Only for n moment did
the two men seem tn converse, and soon
the newcomer had disappeared. When
Smith reached Jonathans house, il was
but shortly after Alice arrived
Lately the mountain stills had been
operated more frequently than for some
time The reports of the revenue officers
infesting the mountains had become less
frequent, and the stills were being Operat-
ed with greater degree of security.
We had better be getting up the noun
tain, lad, {" Jonathan said one evening in
December, Supper had been prepared
earlier than usual for Jonathans = still
was to be worked in the growing dusk
"I'll follow you in half an hour. Feel
rather badly today but believe III he all
right in a short while, Smith answered
indifferently.
VERY well, Smith. I'll expect you.
And Jonathan departed
Probably some 20 minutes had elapsed
when Smith left the house and leisurcly
made his way toward the secret still Alice
watched the stranger closely, and when
Smith had disappeared she threw a shawl
over her head-there was an unpleasant
chilliness In the mountain air-and follow
ing in his wake.
The old mill which concealed the still
was some three quarters of u mile from
Jonathan 'house, and rs Alice proceeded
on her way she occasionally caught
glimpse of the forms of strange men i'm the
dense underground going evidently in the
same direction with herself Once
strange man glanced at her suspiciously,
but did not modest her. He was armed
with n shotgun, and took her probably for
some one who was returning from visit
To a neighboring mountaineer's home.
soon the girl reached the old mill. IL
the evening twilight the dying sun was
fast disappearing behind the mountains,
leaving n faint glare in its wake, which lit
up the scene with n soft, golden light.
Smith, the stranger, was standing motion.
less in front Of the mill, peering anxiously
now and then into the dense undergrowtE
on both sides of the stream, which i'm past
days had furnished the motive power for
the now useless wheel Alice Jackson
watched Smith intently for moment and
then approached him and laid her hand
gently on his shoulder.
"Ike, why do you hound my father like
this?" spoke the girl softly
Smith gazed at his questioner in star
tied way for moment, and then with an
effort recovered his usual air OF stOlid in
difference.
You know me, Alice. had hoped
time had wrought such n change in my
nature and looks that none would recognize
me. You probably know why l am here.
You are revenue officer, and your
presence here at this moment is to signal
your men, who are here on all sides, tc
trap my father and the few men who are
in the still -
81 see you know ALL When left your
fathers house as / did, like bcggar and
an outcast, | swore To ruin him If sig
nal now Co my men in the woods, in n few
minutes ] will have the evidence necessary
TO send him to the penitentiary And yet
If you had only taken my part all might
voice grew soft and sad
How could / take your part, Ike, ex.
cept by going with you-and you never
asked me TO do that" spoke the girl feel
ingly.
And would you, had I done SOY"
Ike did not need an answer to his aues-
ton. In moment he realized that he,
the hunter of Jonathan Jackson, was still
beloved by his daughter. In the growing
darkness of the evening the two strolled
back To Jonathan's house, and the men i'm
the woods, who awaited their leaders sig.
nal, wondered what change had taken
place in Ike Hollands plans Jonathan
also was disappointed in not seeing Smith
at the still, and after that night he never
saw him there again.
Il hear that Alice has eloped with that
young man who was stopping here, " said
the irresistible Mrs. Pearl few days after
the events last narrated "Some says as
he was nobody other than Ike Holland,
though never did put much confidence In
!dle gossip"
Mrs. Pearl had heard of the late turn in
affairs and had paid Mrs Jackson "a neigh
borly call TO verify sundry rumors which