The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-03-11
looked up with astonishment at his sud-

/ NCil C-NSlthl4lslOIOI.
''Whar was hit, Jeff?" asked Bud.
'Hit was down at Waco; that's whar
hit was"-he got up and paced the floor
that's jest whar hit was. I
done told you all bout that thar ruction
| i'll the express office, when that plum
fool messenger lowed to STAN we-all
off with gun; thar wasn't no time for
to talk, an jest as fired done saw
man comm in at the back do" he
paused and then added, impressively:
Boys, hit was that thar city chap, an
he's down yere to get me-"
An awed silence fell upon the group
in the kitchen after jeff made this an
nouncement. Bud put his gun together
and loaded it carefully, sitting quietly
afterward with the weapon across his
knees; and Jed came out of his dark
corner to feel mechanically on the high
mantel shelf for his pipe. The night
had closed in with storm signals flying
I in the western sky, and the rising wind
began to sigh dismally through the
trees, sending occasional puffs eddying
down the chimney to scatter little
CIOluo vi StolCo II UllC
embers on the hearth. The measured
sob of the great engine at the furnace
rose and fell on the breeze, mingling it's
tones with the hoarser mutterings Of
the approaching storm. At the head
of the cove there is a deep cleft in the
perpendicular wall of rock, known to
the dwellers in Harmony Valley as
1.-The Chimney" With the breath of
the tempest, the fissure. becomes the di-
apason of natures great organ, and al
ready its deep reedy voice could be
heard, filling the cove with sound like
the rushing of the waves on sandy
beach, or like the distance-softened
, roar of a mighty cataract. From his
watch tower in the blasted oak behind
the barn. a great owl added his mourn
ful call to the weird noises of the night,
while all the shriller and cheerfuller
voices of nature were hushed and silent
in the presence of the storm-king. jeff
Bvnum continuedhis monotonous walk
up and down the narrow limits of the
kitchen, stopping at each turn to peer
out of the windows into the thickening
gloom.
Bud was the first to speak. "What-all
| inquired.
The elder brother dropped into a
chair and thrust his hands deep into his
pockets. 81 low L don't jest rightly
know, B,4.ldy-I don't, for fact; thar
cayn't be no mistake; | amt nowise
likely to forget that thar face; hits
been q harnt to me more'n one night
sence seed hit; hit has, for Shore"
Jed got up and threw another stick
of wood on the fire. "Ye reckon ye're
plum shore, Jeff?' he asked. "Pears
like this yere feller's been mindin' his
own business tolable clost sence he
come to the settlement"
mo, Jed, lie hain't; that's what's
a-rattlin' me. He was a-pryin' round
this yere very cove only day before yis-
tiddy; seed him: an julie she took him
up the mounting and p'inted him the
way back from the McNabb."
"Jule!"
"Yes, julie. l low she didn't know
who r what he was. She done left him
standin' afore the mouth of the tunnel.
An that amt the mos curiousest part
O. hit; he scrambled into the hole over
the broken rocks, an jest about min
ute afterwards he come a-pilin' out O.
thar like he seed harnt, an the last
seed O. him he was a-makin' the longest
kind O. tracks to'rdst the valley"
What d we reckon he seed in thar?"
''I'll new tell ye; but that hain't the
question; hit looks mighty like he's a.
sneakin' round yere to fin out some
thin bout we-all, an reckon thar's
got to be somethin' DONE"
Bud glanced around into the gather
ing shadows in the room, and asked:
''Whar's Jule9"
81 Dunno" replied JEFF; gone to
bald, reckon"
Bud stood his rife in the chimney
corner and went out, coming back in
a moment to say: 81 reckon she has;
leastways, thar's no light"
Another interval of oppressive si-
lence followed Buds assurance. The
three men sat around the hearth, each
knowing the others thought, and each
hoping that one of the others would
put the pitiless suggestion into words.
While they waited the first great drops
of rain pattered on the roof, and the
soughing of the wind through the tree
tops and the louder growing of the
thunder, drowned the roar of "The
Chimney" The dusl<y interior of the
kitchen grew more shadowy as the
handful of fire on the hearth died down,
and the darkness was intensified by an
occasional flash of lightning contrast
ing its glare with the twilight of the
rnom. The red glow from the Goals fell
upon the faces of the three brothers
grouped about the fireplace and sitting
in silent judgment upon a man whose
only offense was his resemblance to
some other man. Each of the three felt
that there was terrible margin of
doubt, and yet each knew that it was
only doubt and not certainty. If their
prisoner and the single witness of Jeff's
crime were identical, there could be no
safety for at least one of them while
the man lived; if Motif jeff were mis-
taken, after all - the alternative was
sufficiently dreadful to make them hes
itate TO give it shape in speech.
The suggestion came finally from the
one who was most deeply concerned.
jeff rose slowly and took down his rifle
from it's pegs over the mantel. 81 reck-
on hits got to be done, boys" he said,