Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-07-13

IN tains of TenneSSee-night with
the darkness intensified by the noun
tain mists. A lonely cabin nestled
amid the rocks on Pine mountain and
watched with It's one window an
other cabin on Snake mountain,
across the ravine, and from this win
dow light shone, like star on the
mountain. Below, in the valley,
squatted the little village of Craig's
Hollow. A horseman rede up and
drew rein before the CABIN
-Halloal" he shouted.
The door was opened and the light
within revealed the form of a young
man in the doorway. A pistol shot
from the horseman was echoed by o
vclley of rifles from behind the sur
rounding rocks.
The man in the doorway fell upon
bis face with o groan, aud the light
within was immediately extinguished.
Leaning on the weather-beatenf fence
that surrounded the cabin on Snake
mountain Blanche Burton stood. Bru-
no. her dog, lay sleeping at her
feet she had good view of Pine
fnountsA and she conld see the COCA
siona h OF q rife long before she
cou the report
r awhile the shooting ceased
4ah became quiet and dark, but still
she stood by the fence, the dog at her
feet and the night breeze tossing her
raven hair.
Out OF the darkness finally came the
elatter Of horses boots, and her three
brothers rode into the yard. The
oldest, noticing her white face, leaped
from his horse and threw his arms
around her.
/ 1--WE air all safe an sound, sis," ne
eaid, "though can't say as much for
them Ransoms. Sam, like q fool,
opened the door, and IT,
The girl reooiled.
"Did you Kill him7'' she demanded,
almost feroely. "Joe. did you kill
him?"
why, SIS" replied her brother,
what afr the matter?-
~Oh, nothing" she replied, calmly;
Il thought. maybe, you were hurt"
Near 20 the midnight hour, while her
brothers slept with their rifles within
easy reach, Blanche Burton opened the
door of the cabin and stepped out into
the darkness. No lights were visible
on either mountain, and none in Craig's
Hollow. Above, solitary star shone
through q rift In the clouds Save for
the lonely cry of an owl, no sound
broke the solemn stiffness of the night.
She was alone on the mountain.
Slowly and with painful carefulness
the girl picked her way through the
dooryard, fearful lest some swapping
twig should awaken the slumberers
within and bring upon her indistinct
form In the darkness, the contents of a
deadly rifle
She breathed more freely when she
had passed the gate and was safely in
The road, and drawing her shawl tight
Iy about her she walked rapidly down
the mountain side and across the ra-
vine. Here she slackened her pace and
finally stopped. How loud her heart
beat and how warm her cheeks Vverel
She sat down on small bowlder 10
rest, but only for moment, and then
she was on her way again up Pine
mountain toward the Ransom cabin.
Noiselessly, carefully, that not a
whisper should give notice of her an
proach, she crept onward, trembling.
ohAlOuS. frequently she
paused to listen for any sound emanat-
ing from the cabin, but nothing
reached her ears, save the loud beating
of her own heart.
When az last she reached the little
yard that surrounded the cabin, she
sank upon the ground and crept on her
hands and knees TO the window. She
thought she heard noise within. She
heard It again-the low moan of man.
Thank Godi" she whispered to her
self. Thank God, he is not dead"
And she fiattened her nose against the
pane in a vain endeavor to pierce the
darkness.
Suddenly a light flashed; some one
had struck match. In the faint, flick
ering light she made out the form of a
man stretched upon the floor, with
some one bending over him. His face
was turned directly toward her. It was
Sam Ransom, but how pale he looked.
and what agony was painted upon hsa
featuresi
"Oh, Joe, brother Joel" she said to
herself, what have you done?"
The eyes ~ the man h-oldi,- A..