The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-01-30
!. I reckon SO. Tom. Ding the


ing g-urns!'
Tom grinned There's jest one |
more. Joe, an the feud III be ended.
Have We thought about that since ye |
woke?"
Joe gulped Jim's big form and
handsome face rose in his mind. Jim
was the baby.and had always been 1
nearest to old Joe's heart All the rest
had gone the way of the feudists. A
vision Of Jim toppling from some high
cliff with bullet in his heart passed
through his thoughts, and Joe's chin
sank on his breast.
tom, ye're countin' purity fast" he
said presently, lifting his head again.
Maybe the bullet will come the other
way
Maybe so. Some have come that
way in time"
It was Joe's turn to grin.
Don't reckon we've got any talk ye
want to make afore slit that vein In
yer neck, Joe?" Tom had drawn
knife from his pocket and was whet-
ting a small blade of it on the leather
| vamp Of his shoe.
mo. guess not, Tom. an if ye're de-
termined to do it that way there's no
/ use wastin' any more time, though 1t
air't the clean thing, Tom, an ye know
it. Amt nary Dunston before that
died any other way than by long
range bullet. That's all, Tom-all |
got to say"
Old Tom chuckled and continued to
whet the blade of his knife. At length
he tried the point of it with his thumb
and was apparently satisfied with its
keenness Then he arose and went
over to Joe. where he knelt by the lat
ter's side.
Look around, joe" he said, "for
where We see all the sunlight now will
be midnight to We in a few minutes.
Ye're brave man, an it's q pity for
We to die this way, but there amt no
regulations in the feud, We know"
Tom began to feel about Joe's neck
for the vein and presently pressed II
outward with his thumb. Joe had
thrown his head backward, and Tom
under his victims chin. Presently the
sting of the knife thrust started old
, Joe into madness His head darted for
, ward with the suddenneSs of ser
! pent's. and his long. amber hued teeth
snapped down upon the throat of his
captor. There was gurgle in Tom:
throat; then his windpipe closed. ant
as Joe's lifeblood, gushing from thu
t wound in his neck. dyed the young ivy
, shoots and the green grass in the bot
tom of the gorge the death set of hi
jaws sealed the doom of his slayer. II
? little while every quiver of the fesl
had ceased. and one more tragedy o
a the feud had left its story more plainl.
readable than words could make it.
i The midday sun looked down int
J. the chasm A pheasant preened hersel
/ in narrow trail among the laurel
4 while wOodcock ran up the tall, limb
d less trunk of dead spruce pine an'
r. after shrill call that pierced the dee
i silence of the gorge sent out the long
:. low roll Of his drumming.
n Ruth Wylie stood in the cabin door
d way watching the trail that led dow
e the ravine. winding from one side t
9 the other as it sought the easier ascen
or descent of the projecting bowlders
: Darkness was stealing slowly up from
+ the depths of the hollow. and still II
# sign Of old Tom gliding along up tn
path in his habtually steaIthy manner
e "Dads uncommon late tonight.
& pears to me-" The girl took a ste
down and sat upon the doorsil. He
cheeks glowed like red ripe cherries 4
the sunshine. for she had been bendin
over the evening fire baking the cor
pone and frying the bacon for th
nights meal From the table came th
odor of the meat. 1t ffoated out throug
the doorway on the evening atmo'
| phere and was appetizing to the sens'
IF dad could smell the meat reckO
Il he'd be comm in home without wal
II in any longer wonder what he ca
Il be dom anyhow"
I A feeling of uneasiness darte
through her as she thought OF til
! feud; but. suddenly rising. as If to e
Il cape some burden. she hurled til
Il | thought from her ..'Tain't that. n
'tain't that" she declared as she s.
down again.
| But the twilight deepened into dar
ness, the stars came out. the mel
| grew cold on the table. and its odor I
longer told of it's SAVIOR Still old To
| had not come Ruth peered into Il
| darkness ut every cracking OF Il
| twigs. but nothing materialized to b
j longing. 1t had been years since 0
/ Tom had spent night away fro
| home, not since the night when your
| Tom was shot down on the side of L
l tie Craggy The girl fell to countfl
| the stars and saying to herself:
= Before | can count hundred
will be here"
But the hundred grew to 200. then
or 300 Then she began and count
to them all over again. Hour after h0
n dragged away. and the moon b,
be climbed to position in the heave
e whence its light shone down the cal
if chimney The occasional boot Of
On. owl or the cry OF catamount plerc
wv the silence and fell upon Ruth's G
ne with startling effect. though these we
IRA, but common noises of the night. Ag;
nd and again came the thought Of
feud, but just as often as 1t car
to shuddering. she cast 1T from her
The ut can't be, it can't be- she invar
,ht bly, murmured Dads too quick
av that"