Courier Democrat., 1904-08-18

peopie!-
The bockooafd turned the bend in the
road- and they entered a sQualid settle
ment built raggedly about a black
smith shop and saloon. I'D hate to
have a breakdown here Briscoe re-
marked quietly.
Halt dozen shanues clustered near
the forge. few roofs scattered through
the shiftlessly cultivated fields, four or
five barns propped by fence rails. some
sheds with gaping apertures through
which the light glanced from side TO
side. squad Of thin razorhack hogs
now and then worried by gaunt hounds.
and some abused looking hens sropins
about discnnSolately in the uire. 4
broken topped buggy with a twisted
wheel settling into the mud OF the
middle Of the road there was always
abundant mud here in the driest SUM-
De-l: dim face sneering from bro
Ken window-Six Crossroads was for
bidding and forlon enough by day.
The thought Of what nigh, issue from
it By night was unpleasant. and the
legends of the Crossroads. together
with an unshapen threat easily fancied
IN the atmosphere Of the place. made
Miss Sherwood shtver as though a cold
draft had crossed her
1T Is 30 sinister she exclaimed
And 50 unspeakably mean: This is
where they live, the people that late
him. is it: The White Caps:"
They call themselves that" replied
Briscce. Usually White Caps are a
vigilance committee in a region where
the law isn't enforced. These fellows
| aren't that kind. They got together to
wipe out grudges. and sometimes didn',
need any srudgejus, i.ade their raids
| for pure devilment. There's feud be
tween Us and them that goes back into
pioneer days. and only few OF Us old
folks know much abou, it,
And be was the first to try to stop
| then:'
Well. you see our folks are pretty
long suffering said Briscoe apologet-
ically. We'd sort of got used 10 the
| DeannesS of the Crossroads. 1t took
! stranger to stir things up. and he
! did He sent eight OF them to the peui-
teat:ary. some for twenty years"
As they passed the saloon a man
stepped into the doorway and looked
at them. BE was coatless and clad in
garments Worn TO the color of dust
His bare head was curiously na!form-
ed, higher on one side than on the 9TH
er. and though the blackboard passed
rapidly and a, a distance this singular
lopsidedaess was plainly visible 10 the
occupants. lending an ugly significance
10 his meager. yellow face. He was
tall, lean. hard. powerfully built He
eyed the strangers with affected Ian
suor and then. when they had gone by.
broke into sudden loud laughter.
THAT was Bob Skillet. the worst OF
the lot" said the judge. 'Harkless
sent his son and one brother to prison
and it nearly broke his heart that lie
couldn't swear to Bob"
When they We're beyond the village
| and in the open road again Miss Sher-
wood took a deep breath II think
breathe more freely. That was a hid
ecus laugh he sent after US
The judge glanced at his guests face
and chuckled. Il guess We won't
frighten you much" he said. Young
lady. l don't believe you'd be afraid of
many things. would you: You don't
look Ike it Besides. the Crossroads
isn't Plattville, and the White Caps
have been too scared to Go anything
much except try TO get even with the
Herald for the last TWO yea-s-ever
since it went for them. They're lay
ing for HAIRLESS partly for revenge and
partly because they daren'r do any
thing until he's out of the way
The CIR! gave low cry with a sharp
intake OF breath. ''-Ah. one grows tired
Of this everlasting American patience,
Why don't the Platrville people 90
something before they
It's just as l say" Br:scca answer
ed Our folks are sort of used 20
them. l expect we do about ali ".
can. The boys look after him nigh.
out the main trouble is that w g.
make him understand be ous!., 70
more afraid OF them. II he'd liv~,l
all his life he would be. II :.
MIN tbere'n be trouble OF a., j..
ture-" He broke of suddenly
ded 20 little old man il
board turning of from the ro:.s.
farm lane which led up to a III:
tage with honeysuckle vine / l..
door. That's Mrs. Wimby's husi
SAID the Judge in an undertone.
Miss Sherwood observed thar A..
Wtmby's husband was remarkable ia,
the exceeding plaintiveness of bis ex.
preston. He was a weazened. blank.
pale eyed little man, with thin white
mist OF neck whisker, and he was
dressed in clothes much too large for |
MN. No more inofensire figure than |
this feeble little old man could be i'm.
aSned- yet his was the distinction of |
having received hostile visit from his
ne1ghbofs OF the Crossroads. 4 vaea-
bonding tinker, he had married the one |
respectable person of the section. a
widow. who had refused several gen.
tlemen at the Crossroads, and SO com
pete was the bridegroom's insignif1-
canoe that to all the world his own