The Washington herald., 1911-08-14
THE PURCHASE PRICE
By EMERSON HOUGH.

days. located back in the mountainous
regions. But it amt no Roman road
you've got, out thar"
'I was going to remark" interrupted
Judge Clayton, that Col. Dunwody has
anticipated all the modern requirements
of hospitality as well as embodied all
those of the ancient sort. Thank you,
I shall taste your bourbon, colonel with
gladness 1t is a long ride in from the
river: but, following out our friend s
thought, why do you live away back in
here, when all your best plantations are
down below? We don't see you twice a
year, any more"
We'll" said the owner Of Tallwoods,
my father might be better able to an
swer that question IL he were alive. He
built this for a summer place, and I
use 1t all the year. I found the place
here, and 1t always seemed too big to
move away. We set three meals-a day.
even back here in the hills, and there's
quite a bunch Of leaves we can put on
the table. The only drawback is. We
don't see much company. I'm mighty
glad to see you. and I'm going to keep
you here now, until"
Until something pops OPEN" remarked
the Honorable William, over the rim
Of his glass. - Dunwody's neighbors
nodded also.
Their host looked at them for a mo-
ment. Are you here on any special
errand-but of course there must be
something of the sort, to bring you
two gentlemen so close on my trail"
1--WE met up with these gentlemen
down at the river" began Yates, "and
from what they done told US. We
thought we'd better all ride in along
together, and have a little talk with
you. Looks like there might be trou-
BILE in these parts before long"
What sort Of trouble?'
TITS way" broke in the Hon
orable william Jones. "The jedge an
I laid off at Cairo when you-aiI went
on through. Next day, along comes a
steamer from up-river, an she's full of
Northern men, headed West; damned
sight more like a ffghtin' army than
Sc many settlers. They're goin' out
into the prairie country beyant, an I
think it's just on the early-bird princ1-
pie, to hold it ag'inst settlers from this
State. They're a lot of those damned
black abolitionists, that's what they
arei What's more, that Lily gal of the
jedge's here, she's got away agin-
she turned up missin' at Cairo. too-an'
she taken up with this bunch of Yam
KEGS, an is mighty apt to git clar of"
Judge Clayton nodded gravely. THE
whole North is stirred up and bound
have taken the girl in without hesita-
tion. They don't intend to stand by
any compromise. at least. The ques-
tion is, what are we going to do about
it? We can't stand here and see our
property taken away by armed invad-
ers, in this way. And yet"
TT looks" he added slowly. mo-
ment later, Just as Thomas Jefferson
said long ago. as though this country
had the wolf by the ear. and could
neither hold 1t nor let it go. For my
self-and- setting aside this personal
matter, which is at worst only the loss
of worthless grill admit fear that
this slavery wolf is going to mean
trouble-big trouble-both for the
South and the North. before long"
Douglas. over there In Illinois.
hasn't brought up anything in Con-
gress yet that's stuck" broke In the
ever-ready Jones. "Old Caroliny and
Mississip'-them's the ones! Their con-
ventions show where were goin' to
stand at Wen let the wolf go. and
take holt in brand new place, that's
exactly what well do!'
CONTINUED To-MoRRow.p
tCopyrieht, 1911, The Bohts-Merrili Company.)