St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1908-04-04
THE MOONSHINERS
Copyright, 1905, by Joseph B. Bowles.)
By LOLLIE BELL BIJRTZ

Copyright 1905, by
Il tell yer, it's Jack Coleman what
done it, Sim. / low thar amt er
doubt about it in my mind. I've seen
him more times than one a-talkin' ter
the chief over ter the settlement. The
boys didn't know it ware the chief
then, else his first time o. talkin'
might a been his las, but now
they've found out, the few what's left
amt amin fur him ter do more dam
age"
! AS he spoke, Joe Blackwell looked
furtively into the face of his half
brother, Sim Gage, and tapped impa-
tiently On the ledge of rock that jutted
out from the mountainside.
7 amt a-doubtin' that Jack. ware
talkin' ter the chief, Joe; only lowed
that he might "a been talkin' of some,
thin else sides the still. happen ter
know that the chief has brother in
the shops at Knoxville whar Dell says
Jack were amin ter go, and he might
a been speakin' o. that"
He might a been, but I low he
warn't. Have yer forgot what he said
when he fust run upon the still, and
we'uns tried ter swear him not ter
tell?--I amt never tended ter no.
body's business 'cept my own says
| he, an it amt my business ter tell
but 'longside O. that l amt promisin'
nHthirf md SnI Ito
man. Them ware his very words
Sim
Il low warn't thinkin' o. Coleman
mainly, Joe. when I said les be sartin
| afore we'uns went ahead. I amt
nothin' ergin him if he's KEEP err still
tongue, but it ware o. Dell that I wuz
| thinkin'-o' Leila's little gal I set a
| sight by Leila. She ware my own sis
ter-not just half, as she ware yourn !;
I and when she died and sent her boy
and gal back ter the mountains ter
we'uns, I lowed I'd stan by 'em as If
they ware mine. Dams stubborn and
hard-headed sometimes and won't see
| things as he orter, but Dell is a good
| gal. The cabins been a different
place since she come-you'uns mind
| that. Coleman's picked up bit of
learnin' and is more like her sort than
the rest of us here, and she can't be
blamed fur likin' him; but if he is
guilty I amt nothin' more ter say,
fur I amt no more use than you'uns
fur them as is huntin' us down, and
one who would give his own people
erway to them is worse nor they"
Then you'uns II stand by what
we'uns swore together IL months ago
with Taylor and Bently and Davis?"
eyer knows I'll do it 'thout askin',
Joe. I'd STAN by if it ware my own
son whose neck had ter be stretched
by the halter"
It was an unusual hour for a man of
the mountains to be awake-almost
II; but Jack Coleman sat smoking on
the steps of his cabin. He had met
his sweetheart Dell, on his return
from Knoxville and she had told him
that her brother Dan had confessed to
informing the revenue officers Of the
still. Jack told her to tell Dan to
come over and stay with him that
night. He had just sent Dan up into
the loft to bed. They had talked of
his journey to Knoxville, of the won
derful shops and the work they both
liked: then the tools were brought
and looked over.
Among the shadows of the laurels
he saw the outlines Of moving figures
coming toward the cabin, and with a
dread at his heart he thought Of the
boy that Dell loved lying asleep in the
loft.
81 low you'uns must a been ex-
pectin' US" said the foremost man.
I've hearn it said guilty conscience
makes folks Uneasy and watehful."
The upper part Of the mans face
was covered, but Coleman recognized
him as soon as he spoke.
mo, I warn't lookin' for any visitors
tonight, an If there's anything on my
conscience that oughter trouble me I
amt KNOWN of it. More'n likely you're
iudgin' my conscience by your own,
Seth Taylor. I saw the smoke of yer
still to-day as come over the gap"
"Then you'uns must "a been 1ookin'
fur more stills ter give way as We did
the one under the falls. low Joe
Blackwell amt 'fraid to look We In the
face an say it. An more'n that, /
low that after ter-night you'uns II
do such work no mo-
The truth dawned upon Coleman
then. 1t was himself, not Dan, they
were seeking. In some manner the
boys guilt had been fastened upon
him.
In the excitement and anger they
were oblivious to all about, and not
until she was among them did they
know that Dell had followed from Sim
Cages cabin where they had laid their
plans. Her long hair had slipped from
sts fastenings as she ran and hung
loose in the wind. Her face was Sc.
and white.
Stop" she gasped. "stop-for the
love of God! It wasn't him that told
lit wasn't Jacki'
Sim Gage caught eagerly at her
words, and moved quickly forward.
Speak up, lass, an tell what We
know Fore God, ware troubled
Rfore fur this nights work.
Twice Dell tried to obey, but her
throat seemed marched and dry. Cole.