Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1912-08-15
CHAPTER III.

t'ous step and watchful eyes, for they
expected at any moment to encounter
their hated enemy, the old Copperh, ad.
What shall we do with him. Jim.
when once he's in our power?" asked
Reuben.
Il Jist yet don't know, Rube. > re-
piled Jim. Il may leap on to him like
6 panther, and again l may shoot him
same SIS would deg But xho knows,
he may get the best Of US both, it's rot
unreasonable to think that way. But
let's be quiet, RUDE, for these woods
may be full of the hellish devils and
them not thousard miles away"
The two men went on in silence until
they had, as they judged by the distance
Travelled, arrived at the place where
Simon Randolph had been robbed. Here
they stopped and made an examination
of the ground to see if any traces Of
the robbery could be found. Eut 10th
ing indicating holdup vas revealed by
their search. Then Reuben spoke up.
saying.
Looks ike as bad a robbery as that
Teller described it to be, some little sign
of it would be visible"
mot at all, answered jim. quickly.
THAT timid-hearted feller'd a'give up
anything without word; and why then
should the ground be torn up like a lot
of bulls had been fighting"
That's So" replied Reuben. ''He
was a chicken-hearted critter, sure. I'll
bet he'd swear rabbit was tiger or a
rat panther any time"
Their conversation ended here and
they started slowly forward again.
keeping a sharp look out to both their
right anu left. with an occasional glance
behind them, for they Knew thet the
Copperhead couldn't be far away. They
hsdn't proceeded far when they came
to sharp angle IN tie gath. and again
/ stopped to reconnoiter. Here tbev
found where come one had climbed the
bank, to the right OF the path, only
few minutes before. They agreed that
the tracks were those of their old enc
my, tha Copperhead, who had left the
path at this point, evidently returning
to the village by a short cut around the
mountain.
They now feared they had been dis
covered by the outlaw, who, possibly.
had left the path 10 avoid them. and
realized that they were in great danger
II such were the case; for the desperate
Character Of the man they were trailing
was well known to both 81 the ~. They
nevertheless continued cautiously on
the outlaws track, which was now pain
iy visible in the leaves. anG loose soiI of
the hillside. They followed the trail
straight up thc mountain for short
ways when it uurHe.3 70 the right sud
headed straight toward the nttie xill.ee
of Matewan.
Can hit be the OLD sneak has gone
right back TO where We found him this
morning." said Jim, pausing.
"I'll bet boss, said Reuben, that
the whole bunch is right here in this
holler."
Gould we be in such danger?" said
jim, drawing a long breath. Eyes.
they must be here" he continued. land
plotting our destruction and another
massacre. Who knows but that the
people of yon little village may roast in
their homes before another sun IS IN. |
That old Copperhead is the curse of this
earth. My God, why do you let him |
live? l reckon it must be that NAV
glut my vengeance on him; but be that
as 1t may, sooner OF later he must reap
what he has sown."
Again the two men pushed forward.
but stopped suddenly and began TO lis
ten. Voices were heard, and for the
moment they thought themselves sur
rounded by the Copperhead and his
companions, but to their sur
prise and wonder found they were on
hill overlooking the village of Mate
wan, which they had left that morning.
and the voices which they heard came
from there.
why, we've traced him right back
whar we fust found him." said Jim.
dropping his rifle into the hollow of his
left arm.
The men sat down on a moss-coVered
log to listen to the voices in the valley
below. Just then whistle in the dis.
lance announced the hour of noon, caus- 1
ng Jim to remark:
"Haint the mornin' passed quick. Hit
ion't seem an hour since we left the ;
store"
"Hit shore has," responded Reuben. 6
Jim then took his ammunition pouch {
rom under his arm and drew therefrom $
lis lunch. His companion did likewise. q
The contrast between the lunches of the q
wo men plainly indicated that they had q
lot lodged at the same house the night f
,efore q
"You seem to have a pretty rough i
Inner, Jim" said Reuben, as the two r
ell to eating q