Amador ledger., 1907-04-12
had been killed In its tracks.

charged her lover with the crime and
had him arrested and confined in Jail
for examination she spoke no word ex-
cept to him. From that hour she was
thinking and planning. Her face was
still gentle, but her scholars noticed
that it had taken on q new look Of de-
termination, almost of heroism.
OF certain Wednesday down in the
town at the foot Of the mountain
James Doane was to be brought before
a justice of the peace for preliminary
examination. Each and every one Of
the Doanes was there. Each and ev-
cry one Of the Hacketts was there.
Each partisan for five miles around
was there. When the justice saw the
size Of the crowd that had gathered
he adjourned the case from his office
to the big room In what the townspeo-
pie called their city hall. 1t held 200
people. Two hundred were there to
fill It. The sheriff at the door had
asked each and every man who passed
to leave his weapons behind. Noz a
man had obeyed. Who could say what
would happen before the examination
was concluded?
To humillate a Doane the Hacketts
had insisted that the prisoner be
brought in handcuffed. Women had
asked to be admitted, but they were
kept out-ali but one, There was no
school that day up in Chestnut Cove.
The schoolmistress had been subpoe-
naed as a witness, but no one knew
what her testimony would be. She had
come Down In the blackboard Of con-
stable. She had talked with the Of
hcial long and earnestly On the way,
Before going to court he had perform
ed an errand for her. This purchase he
had carried into court, with the girl at
his heels, and had placed 1t on table.
When the girl took her place every one
felt that something remarkably un-
canny was at hand. The Hacketts had
demanded a warrant and had wit
ness. He perjured himself when he
said that he saw James Doane do the
shooting and run away. The justice
was a Hackett sympathlzer, and he
smiled.
Then the girl was called to the stand
to tell her story. She told 1t In such q
straightforward way that even the
Hacketts believed. but the Justice
shook his head. There was an uneasy
stir at this, and men muttered to each
other. It was then that Tilda Dale
rose up and returned to her place be
side the table to tear the brown paper
off the purchase made by the con.
stable. Men looked again and still
again and drew In their breath. 1t was
a keg of powder, with one head out
The girl then took from her pocket
a candle and lighted 1t and placed 1t on
the desk two feet away. Not a man In
that room moved so much as foot
No one rose, no one spoke, no one look
ed elsewhere, but straight at the girl.
"Men, want to talk to you for few
minutes" she began In gentle tones,
though every word was audible back
to the door.
Then she gave a history Of the
Doane- Hackett feud as she had gath
cred the particulars. She named the
killed and wounded and the living
She pictured the misery and the heart
aches. She spoke In whitening scorn
Of ambushes, of cowardice, Of the
burning Of buildings and the manning
of animals. There had been warrants
and summonses many times before
Partially had been shown by justice
and there had been perjury without
stint She scored the Doanes as well
as the Hacketts. She scored the gray
haired women on either side, and nc
one interrupted her. The sheriff was
there, but he did not advance upon
her. Justice, lawyers, sheriff, the
Doanes and the Hacketts were looking
at that lighted candle and keg Of pow.
der.
1.-THE man is Innocent" said the girl
pointing to her lover. "At the hour
named he was miles away. Besides,
was there and saw. Is he to have JUS
ticeT
No one answered. The fame of the
candle was blowing in the draft OF
the window toward the keg. She
reached out and picked 1t up and held
it quite over the keg and said:
"Only sixteen people have been kill
ed In this feud lasting fifty years
That is too slow work. Here are zoe
Of US. We are Doanes or we are Hack
etts. Why not all die together and
end the trouble and bring peace to q
neighborhood that has been in turmoil
for half centuryT
Men cringed and chilled and chat.
tered as the candle swept back and
forth over the headless keg. So it last.
ed for two minutes, and then the girl
blew out the light and stood with fold
ed arms.
"The prisoner Is discharged" said
the justice at last.
The Hacketts tiptoed out, then the
Doanes, and the Joan Of the mountains
was left all alone in the big room. She
sat down and laid her head on the
table and wept. And by and by an
arm stole softly around her, and her
tears ceased
Lavish.
"Let us have some dinner on the
veranda," said nervous young gen
flonr0n during no fret Of bio