The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-07-24
I\oor4shine2 SHrete9y

Looks bad" said the mail carrier Both looked across to the hotel am | the porch was empty.
 'Bettah come round tonight" sal, l the hotel man. and he walked across t, l his place and went Inside. | The two strangers were standing be 1 fore the bar. The proprietor cam, back of the board as the taller of tn, two men asked for a drink.
 The hotel man picked up a bottle l on the shelf beneath the mirror and | set 1t on the bar with two glasses While he filled the two other glasses with water one of the strangers held the bottle to the light and then re- placed 1t.
 We don't want that whiskey," he said to the hotel man; give us tha, liquor out of the jug over there" The man behind the bar hesitated and started to speak
 That one over there-that's what | we want" repeated the stranger. The jug was lifted to the bar. The l men poured out their liquor, the land- lord watching them intehtly. They lifted their glasses and the whiskey was white. almost colorless. They drank 1t down. took the water and the taller man remarked:
 Guess we'll have supper now and when we're through we'll want the horses"
 They walked out on the porch for a moment. but did not speak. The even- ing shadows were falling on the noun tain side. giving them a deeper shade Of blue. The moon was shining in the clear sky. They looked down the road and the younger of the two spoke:
 The night couldn't be better"
 Then they went in to supper. Down at the end of the town the mail car rier stole softly out of his house and across the yard to the stable. He opened the door easily. entered and then closed and barred it. Then he lifted the seat of the wagon and took out four stone jugs and carried them to the hay loft. With great care he buried each one separately in the loose hay and then returned to the house.
 Supper over the strangers followed the landlord to the yard back of the kitchen and across the lane to the stable. where the colored boys were saddling the horses. The hotel man watched them closely. The younger Of the men paid for the hire and re- marked that they would return the fol- lowing day. Then they swung them SSa'C AAAto tiC cduultS, TOQe out Into the lane and then down the street. As they passed the houses just below the hotel garden they saw the mail carrier coming up the walk
 With only an occasional word the men rode on, leaving the village, and on down the dirt :oad to the ford at the foot of the mountain It was a full two hours ride. but they had plen- ty of time. and they let the horses have three to make it. The moon was cut, the night starry, and the ride an easy one. Soon the road began to get sandy, and looking ahead they saw the river flowing lazily between its banks of timber on one side and corn fields on the other. Reaching the ford they turned their horses to the right and rode along the river bank until they reached the wooden bridge at the pike. Here they stopped and dis mounted. The horses were securely tied, and the men walked up to the | bridge and then half way across 1t. The older man unbuttoned his coat and pulled to more convenient places the two holsters that hung at ellher side of his belt His companion did likewise, and then both took out their pistols and examined them carefully There's nothing like having these
 
 slipped the revolver back into the | holster.
 You're right there-you can never | tell when they'll have to work" The older man did not reply, for he was making close survey of the sur roundings. The bridge was high and the water murmured gently as fl struck the stone buttresses The soft | moonlight made each timber on the mountain side stand out like some grim sentinel, while $fle rays fallinp on the slow flowing river gave it tho appearance of band of silver stretch | ed out between the dull mountain or one side and the bending willows or the other. It was almost deathly still l The man who was the older and seem. 1 ed to have the more experience of the two took notebook from his pocke and read aloud:
 Follow dirt road from town to riv. CT ford. cross there. The ford is mile and a haf above the wooder bridge at the pike. On mountain sid, follow road to Chimney Rock; keep tc road; do not take to thicket."
 We are right" he said. when ht had finished. But why did you leave the ford and come here?"
 The moon went behind a cloud anc I
 | Because" was the reply, "theS might have been watching. We stay here until daybreak and then return | to the ford and cross"
 The moon came from behind rh, clouds and flooded the mountain sid, with a white light. There, above al the forest, rising like a great monu ment, was Chimney Rock. The mer looked at it but did not speak. 4 curling faint trace of bluish smok' drifted from beneath the rock ant was famed away by the soft breezel of the night. There was no mistak, now. The work was there and tn, revenue dogs" were ready to bark. I was "moonshine." The men went dowi to the river bank and sat by th | horses.
 How was it located?" asked tn younger, pointing to Chimney Rock.
 Tn two ways" replied the other l T was coming across fhe valley on tn accommodation last month when I say that mail carrier. who brought u over, putting jug under the seat O his wagon. I told 'em about 1t in towr and the District Attorney at Roanok jumped out of his chair when I men tioned the station name. You sec about two years ago they caught Al old man. Benson's his name. I think making dew in this locality. H wouldn't tell anything and he took al eighteen year sentence as if it wer only for day. But as he passed ou of the court room he says to the dep uty, Chimney Rock still will always b smokin',' and the deputy tells 1t to tn District Attorney. As soon as he tol,
 mo I rannFfed and hara