Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1901-07-11
,Mhnt be. il. YOU mean BY .that7r he

two men, TWO DrOtnerS, you HllSht S"S'
xii, each other counter what they
choose to call revenge. No matter what
former friendship there may have eX-
listed, or what ties may be broken"
She paused suddenly. The excite
ment of the moment had paled her
cheeks-pSler in contrast to her raven
hair. Her eyes shone like twin jewels,
and Joe Burton, looking at his sister in
the light of the rising sun, thought he
never had seen girl more beautiful.
ooh, joe" she continued, passionate
ly, edo you not see; can you not under
stand?"
Then she turned suddenly and went
into the house, leaving him alone with
Bruno.
Her brother watched her retreating
figure until it disappeared through the
doorway. Then he sat down in the
grass and gave himself up to thought.
For a long time he sat there; then he
shook his head.
81 give it up" he said. 81 don't UNI
derstand."
The summer passed, and Sam Ran
som, in whose veins the life-giving,
life-preserving tonic of the mountain
air throbbed warmly, was again in
the saddle, his trusty rife in his
hand, the brightness of dauntless
spirit in his eyes, the tan of outdoor
life upon his face, and in his heart
the ever-warring emotions of venge-
ance and of love.
Ever as the thought of revenge
upon the Burton gang" steeled his
nerves and caused his fingers to an
grily fondle the trigger of his rifle,
the thought of Blanche stole into his
heart and brought a CLEAN of tender
ness to his. eyes. She haunted his
dreams; she was the central figure in
all his hopes and plans and ambi-
tions. He loved her, but he had no
thought that she regarded him other
than an enemy, until
Down the winding road from his
cabin on Pine mountain Sam Ransom
rode one afternoon, the autumn sun
shine in his face, the mountain
breezes toying with his hair, aud
never thought of death within him.
Turning sharp bend in the road
he came suddenly face to face with
| Blanche. She was on her pony; her
bonnet had slipped from her head
and hung down her back, suspended
bv its strings; her hair, tossed by the
boisterous breeze, fell across her
shoulders like the dark shadows of
the pine trees across the mountain
road; her face was pale; her eyes
glistened like the stars on winters
night. She raised her hand and he
drew rein, his heart bounding within
him.
"Sam," she said, timidly, 81 have
come to meet you, an want to ride
beside YOU down the mounting. May
I, or do you reckon me too great an
enemy O. yourn?"
Little gal" he replied, taking his
hat from his head and awkwardiy
fumbling it in his hands, "little gal.
me an you can't never be no enc
mics"
She smiled, the warm blood surglng
to her cheeks and q great gladness
in her eyes. Then she held out her
hand to him, and he took it in both
his big brown ones, patting 1t as ne
would pat his horses neck.
When they had come to a narrow
massage between two dense thickets
of underbrush Blanche grasped the
bride of Sans horse suddenly and
stopped both animals. Then, turning
and peering into the thicket on her
left, she commanded:
"Put up that gun O yourn, Joe, an
come outen that bresh. BE man;
don't be a coward"
The bushes parted, and out of the
dense foliage, his rife in his hand
stepped her brother. Ransom quick
" raised his weapon from the pom
mel of his saddle, but Blanche placed
ner hand softly upon his.
'No, SAM" she said, and he dropped
his rifle in his lap.
Joe" she said, turning to he1
brother, "come here"
Without a word he advanced to he1
side.
Joe" she resumed, looking dowr
into his face, def hadn't been will
:, Sam jest now, you'd a-dlled him, an
: God, Joe, that woulder broke my
heart!"
She turned her head and glanced
, down the valley, with the crimson
burning on her checks. A teal
dropped on Joe's hand, and the TIVE
men looked into each others eyei
and understood. Then they claspeC
hands in a pressure that conquered
> when the rife had failed.
And one day Blanche again walked
up the road to the little cabin OF
; Pine mountain. There was smil
on her face and a CLEAN of happines
in her eyes, for Sam was at her sid
and she called him husband"