People's voice., 1899-08-03
Il Question
Of Courage
BY FRANCIS LYNDE
Copyright, 1895, by ]. B. Lippincott Co.

nave 10 SIdnQ lTOln unucT' Anu lucg IL
find that they haven't a whole-souled.
irascible, generous southerner to deal
with, either"
1t was during the summer of Ring
brands visit to Tregarthen that the
question of resuming work in the aban-
doned tunnel came up again. JEFF
Bynum heard the news In the store in
the village, and he told his brother Jed
when they were driving back to the
cove in the evening.
Does you-all aim to low hit?' asked
the younger Bynum.
"Not much!-they-all done beat US
out O the coal mine, but it amt gwine
do them no good"
"What dye low for to do, Jeff?"
"Nev' you mind; you-all jest wait an
see. Ye can be plum shore O one thing,
though; they-all amt new gwine take
no coal out O. that vein."
Don't We reckon Of Latimer's put
'em up to do hit?"
81 dunno an l don't keer; but I Jest
tell ye that thar crowd up on the noun.
tings gwine to let on like they heard
somethin' drap; VEAL We KEEP quiet
for pretty tolable spell, now, an ]
reckon Latimer lows we done forgot"
- reckon julie wouldn't let nobody
forgit, she does hate the Latimers
right; but then she'd ought to-she
was big enough to ric'lect when daddy
was killed" Jed Byuum was the
youngest of the three brothers, and be
had never quite shared the hitter AMI
mostly Of the others, - ~. =
II can ric'lect on my own account,
reckon" rejoined jeff, sullenly, a dull
flush reddening his sallow cheeks: y
amt likely to forgit the day when Lat
inner put the cowhide on to me, an l
low he remembers bout the broken
arm, too. new could tell what made
my han shake that thar time. Ididn't
aim to break his arm"
81 s'pect hits sort O lucky We didn't
aim no better" replied Jed. Thar was
a heap O talk about gettin' ye for what
ye did do"
The talk was interrupted by their
arrival at the farmhouse in the cove,
but it was resumed again at the supper
table when julie and Bud were told OF
the threatened resumption of work in
the McNabb tunnel.
That's some more O. Latimer's do
ms, We can jest chalk that up on the
dol" exclaimed the woman, vindictive-
ly. "Thar'll new be no peace for we.
all S long as thar's airy one of 'em left" "
"Thar's like to be one more of 'em
fore they's any less, l reckon" said
JEFF. making harpoon of his fork and
spearing another corn pone from the
dish on the other side of the table.
"How dye make that out?" inquired
Bud.
IL done saw a young feller a-ridin
round with the colonel this evenin'
an when asked Jim Dobles bout him
he said he was mighty thick with the
Latimers-'lowed maybe he's a-shinin
up to the gal"
81 didn't see him." said Jed. "Wha
for kind O lookin' feller was he?"
"Sort O. biggity-lookin', like h,
mought We jest got out of a ban'-box
has a middlin' heavy musstache, an
wears his beard whitfield down to
pint. That's about all l notice, 'ceptin
that he looks at ye mighty hard, sort O
like catfish. Seem like done met VI
with him somewhars afore, but cayn'
ric'lect when r whar."
"City feller, l reckon" said Jed, will
contempt in his tone.
"0h, sure; don't believe he ever did
lick O. work in his life; don't look as i
he ever did, nohow."
Il don't see what q gal like Heste
Latimer lows to fnd in feller O. tina
Sort" said Jed, passing his cup for NOR
coffee.
What do you-all know bout Heste
Latimer's likes an dislikes?" demand
ed his sister, pausing with the cup an
coffee-pot suspended.
"A good deal less n nothin', I s'pose
but I've got eyes, an I reckon l can US
'em same's anybody"
"Well, don't We so an forgit that the
amt no sleeps eyes" retorted julie, ar
grily. "You ain'tg got no call to be th'ov
in 'em round at anybody that's kin
the Latimer tribe
A rayenous silence followed this II
mark, and when Bud left the table
said to JEFF: want to see We bime-by
come outside when ye get th'oo."
JEFF lighted his pipe a moment late
and followed his younger brother to tn
barn. "What was ye wantin', Buddy
he asked.
Bout that thar city feller-don
ye reckon we-all could give him sol
of scare that d run him back whar /
come from?"
: Il dunno. Why?"
"0h, l Jest reckcred bit d be bette
II VEAL ever do what We was talki
bout spell back, hit1l be some easi,
/ if they amt so many of EN-"
You're plum right about that; b,
then thar amt nothin' shore bout VIII
Jim Dobles was a-sayin; he only lowe
maybe that's what was a-goin' on"
That don't make no difference, n
how" argued Bud. "If he's got ar
fight in him, he'll stand up for b
frien's, an if we can run him out for
ham we're lest that much ahead