The daily morning Alaskan., 1903-03-29
TIE MOONSRINERS
tOririnaL1

a soldier boy In the Union army, that rc-'on being about Jasper. Deckerd and She.byy,llc. Tenn. There was an espe- rlal reason for my going. 1 had been an escaped prisoner Of war and had been hunted with bloOdhounds up on to tlc Cumberland plateau. On the west fnc,. oi thc plateau not far from where thp university now stands l was taken Into a mouutainecr's hut by a girl about fourteen years old and concealed til my pursucrs got tired Of the search. The child had retained a place in my memory. and desired to see her again. | went Co Shclbyville and proceeded | from there on horseback to the base Of the plateau and then up to where stood the hut in which l had been concealed A young woman was standing at the door and. Co my surprise. recognized me at once. She had changed SO much . from childhood Co womanho0d that GiI not know her. Our meeting was SO delightful that l remained at the place for week. Mary's parents were dead, and she lived with an uncle. l tried Co dud out from her how be made ly.re but failed Co do So
 When | left. | started Co walk to urdccports intending there to take train for home. The uncle offered to show me Che way. ! accepted his com rauy-I dld not need his guIdance-and after passing the morning with my sweetheart. sitting beside her on a rock In view Of tho broad panorama Of woods and waters villages and pianta- tons spread out beneath us. her uncle and | set out together
 I was very much mystincd as Co the mans treatment of me. Every now and again while We walked side by side. suddenly glanclng up, | saw h.m looking sidcwise at me with cunning rlcam In his eye. Besides. I noticed that whenever we came Co dangerous fc1,ug hc invariably left me Co go first. and once when we were near a clfI he suddenly stole up on me.
 In passing down steep declivlty.
 was in front. Suddenly the man gave rc a push. with Che words, "rhpre's wlr-, we put revenue officers. fcn bounding from the branches of a tIca, auI landed on the ground. ] was Knocked inscnSi6lc, but soon recovered consciousness. picked myself Up and t1.t.reJ ou us best ! could t.u l came co 30 hamlet. where ! found a resting place. It was several days before ] was in condition Co take my departure
 Tlc next summer I determined Co go back Co thc plateau. first, Co bring away tl. girl whom | had found ! could not -o. ou without, second to get even with her uncle. ! disguised myself So that the man at least wouldn't know me and armed myself Go the teeth. ] went to Tracy. wishing Co separate the
 girl from her uncle and induced a
 woman gt whose house l pgt mp to send for my sweetheart the girl not Knowing who had lnStigated the sum.
 mons. While she was coming l went .l tle cabin. where l found her uncle. Wll fH-ued simplicity I gave hlm tc understand that ! was go revenue officer seeking my way to Bridgeport. He ot fcred to accompany me, and l accept cd When he came Co the place where be had given me the push. he made Che attempt again; but, turning upon h.m. I covered him with a revolver and walked him back Co the cabin
 Meanwhile my sweetheart had gone Co Tracy and. finding that the woman
 who had sent for her had nothing Of
 importance to communicate. had re turned and through a window had seen me marching her uncle up to the cabin. She being in shadow. I did not see her.
 When came within about fifty :eet or her. my revolver hanging from uy
 hand. che muzzle pointing Co the ground l heard a voice:
 Hand, upr'
 ] know some one whom l could nO' see had mc covered. and my hands went up without delay. Then my girl ! came out Her uncle as soon as she ! had covered me drew a revolver. and l was at the mercy Of two weapons. Mary" ! said In my natural voice.
 She dropped her weapon as if she bad been shot and stood trembling. then ran to me and. sobbing. threw her arms around my neck.
 Her uncle had confessed Co her that upon my first visit be had believed me
 Co be a revenue officer and had sent me to my long home. My coming was Co
 her like a return from the dead
 Well. the uncle was considerably cu, up when be found | was the man he
 had supposed be had killed. and for | time was a good deal puzzled what Co | do with me. We finally compromised l by my agreeing to let the matter drop. | Being moonshiner. he had considered putting a revenue mau out of the way as legitimate. Ills niece had long
 dreaded his being engaged in the illicit | business and begged him to give it up. 1 joined my pleadings with hers anu promised if be would come Co Ohio | would make him superintendent Of a creamery | owned. He consented, and | the three of us went ont Go the still. concealed in a shaded cleft, and, set-
 tlng it on fire. watched it burn, Mary l piliug on the dry twiss and laughing