The evening Republican., 1902-07-17
ARlZ0NY'S
NERVE.

'Can get to stay here to-night'"
asked the peddler seating himself
On the edge of the porch and un-
singing his pack.
Il dunno. My old man is set
against keep'n' strangers. What
might you be doin in these parts?"
As Aunt Rhoda asked these ques-
tions she paused in her spinning
and rubbed her nose retiectiyely as
she looked at the man. He was
shabbily dressed aud a beard CON
cealed his features almost to tho
eyes, which seemed mild and inof
fensive in expression. A tall, strap
ping girl of 1S entered the porch
with a pail of milk from the cow
pen. ,.
''Arizony," said her mother, ''this
man wants to stop here tonight.
He's peddlin' notions. What d'you
reckon your father will sayl"
Il wouldn't care what father says
said Arizony, staring at the strang-
er unfinchingly. If he wants to
stay, let him stay"
And she went into the house with
her pail of milk. She'was thinking
more of the possible contents OF the
pack than of her fathers antipathy
to strangers.
what makes the old man SO
down on folks he don't know9'
queried the peddler, lightning his
pipe. "Moonshinin'?"
IT amt sayin' that" corrected
Aunt Rhoda. But our only son
Jeff was sent round the mountin'
more than year ago for resistin'
an officer as was arrestin' his father
There was q peddler foolin' about
here afore then, and Elbert-that's
my old man always believed the
Teller reported him and jeff to the
revenue men,"
consequently he amt likin' ped
dlers any too well, l reckon3' COM
mented the man, twisting his beard
into the semblance of a smile.
"Well, I'll risk all that. Besides, l
knowed your son Jetf-seen him
not long ago. He'll be out of Jail
next April won't he?'
''Sho! You knowed our Jeff"
Aunt Rhoda thrust her head in the
door. "Oh Arizony. This man says
he's seen our jeff
After this there was no questioning
Us to the peddIers remaining. In.
deed, he would have found it difficult
to get away from the two excited
women, and he was presently seated
inside the house in comfortable
chair, answering certain eager quer'
les propounded by mother and daugh
ter as they began to prepare the
evening meal
Outside the sun WAS sinking be-
hind the distant Cumberlands, and
mantling.the nearest mountain slopes
ip a warm. purplish G low. Here aud
there Il clearing dotted the prevail
ing mantle Of forest that everywhere
clothed the slope of the foothills; but
the general characteristic of the
widespread landscape was solitude
aud w:idncss.
While the three were eating sup
per heavily tread was heard at the
door. Then tall, lank, grizzIed
muuntaineer entered and without
word dcspnsited his rifle in its rack,
divesled himself Of powder horn and
pouch. aud took a seat at the table.
"FA,her,' said Arizony, "this
mau is soin to stay all night. He's
seen cur jeff, and he says jeff is well
and hearty.'
Old Ebert scrutinized the peddler
closely, but only granted an unin-
te.- .-iyible response. Tne two women
and the stranger kept up u casual
conversation, yet an air of restraint
prevailed the room, and was added
to, it anything, by the continued
silence and unamiable manner of
the father. The dishes were cleared
away aud Aunt Rhoia resumed her
spinning, while ArizOny began card
ins wood. The peddler lighted his
pipe and chattel with the girl i'll al
undertune. The old man took down
his rife and began cleaning and
loading the weapon, at the same
time eyeing the stranger furitively
with by no means a friendly express
lon.
An hour passed away by in this
manner. The peldler was saying
to Arizony:
And you really think a mans
being in Jail ought to make no diff
ference to his family when he comes
uutH'
"Of course not. Not in Jeff's case
at least He never doue nothing
wrong. If hid killed that officer
Il wisH to God he had a killed
him. interrupted old Ebert, with
startling velemence. IF knoWed
fer certain who it is comes up here
spyin' around every now and then
to get honest people into trouble, I'd
see that one of them didn't go back
again n-sure."
The old man rose, gripped his
gun, looked at the peddler menac-
ingly and left the cabin. The
stranger half started from his seat,
md appeared as if about to call the