The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1906-11-27
lie Boy Behind Is Rock


OF sixty. her hair thin and gray. her
hands large and bony and her neck
hardly more than. skin and muscle. lay
ON a bed of straw In shackley old
cabin among the hills of Tennessee
She had been slowly dying Tor year
past, and she realized it
ESy and by a boy Of fourteen entered
He had a ride under his arm and n
string OF squirrels over his shoulder.
He was long haired and unkempr and
underslzed for his age, but there was a
CLINT IN his eye and a look around his
mouth that told of courage and deter
mlnntOn.
Danny. 1 was waltin' for you I'm"
said the motherias the boy unburdened
himself and stood looking at her with
out sign OF emotion In his face.
"Huh?v
You are fourteen years old today.
It is the day we have been waitIn' for
Danny. do you know what your pop
did on his fourteenth blrthday?"
KILLED man"
YES, Danny. dear; he killed man.
who was it,"
lone of the Huylers."
$50 1t was, Danny; so It was. What
did he un Kill one of the Huylers for?"
..Kase the Huylers was KILN we
uns."
..Tbat's right. We uns has been kill
In they uns for fifty years, andNthey
uns has always had little the best of
1t. There was always more OF EN-
Danny, do you know Pm goin' to dep
.Ewhat for?7 stolidly asked the boy.
.'Kase 1 can't fight no longer. When
the sun goes down tonight you won't
have no NOM"
The boy moved his feet unsteadily
and looked around, but made no reply.
I'D have died months ago, Danny,
but 1 was waitin' for today. Today
you are fourteen years old Do you un
know what that means2"
eve got to do as pop did"
THAT'S it, Danny-that's It for shore.
The day your pop was fourteen he
killed Tom Huyler. Thar's two Huy-
Iers Ieft-BiII and Sam. Bin went by
with Grist to the mill about two
hours ago. He'll be comm back about
O'Clock. You un will do rs your pop
did. Danny-you un will kill him.
When YOU un come home and tell me
tits done III die happy. You un aren't
afeared?"
of cose not"
.You un will go down the road to
the big rock and hide in the laurel on
top and shoot from there He'll be
fair mark as he comes back with the
co'nmeal. You un hain't goin' to shake
and SILVER when you draw a bead on
him, are you. Danny? You un never
killed a man yet. but you hain't goin'
to shake and SILVER and make a clean
miss of 1t or only wound him!"
'I've shot bars answered Danny
In indignant protest. I'm shore to
get he un."
..of co'se you wilI-of co'se. Bound
to do it. The Huylers have killed your
grandfather. your pop and your broth
err John, and you I'm hain't one to
stand that. It's time to be goin'. and
mebbe you I'm would like to kiss nom
befo' yo go-''
After long minute he slowly advanc-
ed and printed a cold kiss on her pale
forehead She smiled family and said:
'I can't remember when before.
Mebbe IT'S sorter foolish, but I'm feel
in mighty weak and womanish to-
day. Now run along. I'll be lookln'
for you when the sun gifts down to the
top of the big chestnut Lived Right
yere and looked at that big chestnut
every day for the last fifty years"
The rife was leaning against the
wall. The boy reached out for 1t. and,
leaving the squirrels where he had
dumped them down and without an
other look at the woman on the bed,
he turned and walked away. He went
out to the rough highway and then
walked down to the rock she had
spoken Of The people had no name
for It, but 1t should have been called
the Rock of Blood. Four men had
been killed from ambush right there.
In three minutes Danny was hidden In
the thicket on its top and was peering |
down the highway. An hour later
when Bill Huyler strapped his corn |
meal on the back of his mule at the
mill, three miles away, and made
ready to return home the miller Jo'
cOsely said to him:
Better be on the watch, Bill"
''Who forY'
"They say that young cub of Jlmp-
son is CROWN up"
For two hours Danny waited. BE
was cool and calm, and he smiled at
the idea Of his shaking and shlvering
He was no more excited than as II
beating up the woods for squirrels. BE |
heard every noise about him in the |
forest He saw chipmunks crossing |
the road rods away, but there was one |
thing he missed. A thunderstorm
came creeping up unnotIced by him.
He neither felt nor saw It until Bill
Huyler came In sight down the trail,
Then he put his rifle to his face and
took aim. He was waiting for the
rider to reach a certain mark when the
darkening sky was lighted by an awful
dash, followed by a clap of thunder !
that made the hills throb, and man and |
mule went down. Ten minutes later
the falling rain revived them.