The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1910-08-12
CHAPTER v.


In Hargis' store, would rein in his horse
at the Gordon gate and ask for drink
OF water from the Gordon well At
such times Thomas Jefferson remarked
that his mother always FASTENED to
serve the Major with her own hands;
this notwithstanding her own and I'm
Gle Silas' oft-repeated asseveration
touching the Majors unenviable pre-
eminence as Man of Sin. Also, he re-
marked that the Majors manner at
such moments was thing to dazzle
: the eye, like the reflection of the sum-
ner sun on the surface of FURNISHED
metal But beneath the polished ex-
terror, the cropping perceptions OF the
boy would touch thing repellant;
thing to stir slow current of resent
Inent in his blood.
1t was Thomas Jefferson's first col
iision with the law of caste; law
Draconian in the Old South. Before
the war, when Deer Trace Manor had
been a seigniory with it's six score
black thralls, there had been no visit
ing between the great house on the
inner knoll and the overgrown log
homestead at the iron furnace. Quar-
rel there was none, nor any shadow of
enmity; but the Dabneys were lords of
the soil, and the Gordons were crafts
men.
Even in war the distinction was
maintained. The Dabneys, father and
son, were officers, having their COM
missions at the enrolment; while Ca
Ieb Gordon whose name headed the list
of the Paradise volunteers, began and
ended a private in the ranks.
In the years of observation-disclosures
which followed, a breach was opened,
narrow at first, and never very deep,
but wide enough to serve. Caleb Cor
don had accepted defeat openly and
honestly, and for this the unrecon-
structed Major had never fully forgiv-
en- him. 1t was an added proof that
there was no redeeming drop in the
Gordon veins-and Major Caspar was
as scrupulously polite to Caleb Cor
don't wife as he would have been, and
avas, to the helpmate of Tike Bryerson,
mountaineer and distiller of illicit
whisky.
Thomas Jefferson was vaguely indig-
j -nant when Pettigrass came to ask his
father to go forthwith to the manor
house In the mouth of the foreman
he invitation took on something Of the
flavor Of command. None the less. he
came back, and though he got it only
from overhearing the answer to his
mothers question. it was satisfyingly
thrilling.
4Irs mighty near as we talked. Mar
tina. The Major Jumps the railroad IN
with all the other improvements, calls
'em Yankees, and h'ists his battie-hag.
The engineer. that smart young feliow
s~vxo oy11 tt1a oVo
glasses. went to see him this evenin'
about the right of way down the val
ley. and got himself slung off the porch
OF the great house into posy bed.
sThere is going to be trouble, Caleb;
NOW Won mark my words. You mustn't
mix up in it."
81 don't allow to, If I can hep it.
The railroads. goin' to be mighty
good thing for us If I can get Mr..
Downing to put in side-track for the
furnace"
Following this there were other con-
ferences, the Major unbending sufh-
ciently to come and sit on the Gordon
porch in the cool of the evening. The
iron master. as one still in touch with
the moving world gave good advice
Failing to buy, the railroad company
might possibly seek to bully a right of
way through the valley. But in that
case, there would certainly be redress
in the courts for the property owners.
In the meantime nothing would be
gained by making the contest per-
sonal fight on individuals.
So counseled Caleb Gordon, sure, al
ways, of his own standing ground In
any conflict But from the last of the
conferences the Major had ridden home
through the fields; and Thomas Jeffer-
son, with an alert eye for windstraws
OF conduct. had seen him dismount
now and then to pull up and fling away
the locating stakes driven by tho rail-
road engineers.
Giving the Major second and q
third chance to refuse to grant an
easement, the railroad company push
ed its grading and track laying around
the mountain and up to the stone wall
marking the Dabney boundary, quietly
accumulated the necessary material,
and on a summer Sunday morning
Sunday by preference because no re-
straining writ could be served for at
least twenty-four hours-a construc-
ton train, black with laborers, whisked
around the nose Of the mountain and
dropped gently down the grade to the
temporary end of track.
It was Thomas Jefferson who gave
the alarm. Little zoar. unable to sup
port q settled pastor. was closed for
the summer. but Martha Gordon kept
the fire spiritual alight by teaching her
son at home. One Of the boys Sunday
privileges. earned by faultless reci-
tation Of prescribed number OF Bible
verses. was forest freedom for the re-
mainder of the forenoon. He heard
the low rumble of the coming train,
and 1t was only by resolutely ignoring
the sense Of hearing that he was ena-
bled to get through. letter perfect.
Blessed are We, when men shall re-
vile you and persecute you" he chant
ed monotonously. with rowing eyes bent
on finding his cap with the loss Of the
fewest possible seconds and shal]
say all manner OF eyfI against YOU
falsely. for my sake and that's alls
Ana he was on IKE shot.