The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-01-30

OF their breed"
Before she could answer me other
than by slight nesting closer In tho
darkness, Bungay whispered; This
yere hole, Cap. leads down ter tho
right. an comes out In sort o. gully
bout q hundred feet back Thar's
Light 'nough ter see tor walk by alter
ye turn the corner, bout twenty
feet er so. You uns kin go on down
thar II ye'd rather, follerin' Their dorgs,
but l reckon as how I'll stay right
yere an sorter see how Their OF woman
comes out
where, where was Roderick then7
One blast upon his bugle horn
Were worth a thousands men,
II you uns like ter see a burned good
fight maybe We better stay tew-ther
OF woman is pisen II she once gifts her
dander up"
His voice was expressive of great
expectations. and had reason to be-
lieve his faith In Maria would be
Justified. Before any of us, however,
had time to change our positions wo
heard the fellows come stamping
roughly into the cabin. The thin slabs
which divided us scarcely muffled
their loud voices.
We'll. old woman" exclaimed one in
voice so gruff as to seem almost as
sumed, pretending to be alone, are
you, with all those dishes sitting out
on the table; just been eaten off, too.
Have MT seen no strange party along
the road this morning. have yeT
Mary a one" said Maria, and
knew from her voice she was standing
close beside the fireplace.
Are you Mrs. BungayT
Il reckon 1 am, II it's any o. yer
business"
Don't git nifty. old woman, or we're
liable to give you a lesson in polite
ness before we leave" The leader
dropped the butt Of his gun with a
crash on the floor. Where is the lit
tie sneak, anyhow"
What do you want Of himY"
Want him to go long with us;
we're hunting some parties, and need
a guide. They top us up the road
bit he knew evesy inch O. these yere
mountings"
There was pause, as If Maria was
endeavoring to decide as to the hon.
esty OF the speaker. Her final answer
proved the mental survey had not
proven satisfactory.
wal. ] reckon" she said calmly,
'as you uns II be more likely ter
find him down bout Connersville."
Then whut's all these yere dirty
dishes doing on the table7"
He'd sum Yankee officers yere; they
Just rode on down Their trail as you
uns cum up"
Like hell" calculated the fellow
with complete loss OF temper. See
here, old woman, we're too old birds
to be caught with any such chaff.
Wen take look around the old she
bang anyhow. and while we're at it
you put something on the table for me
and my mates to eat"
The voice and manner were rough,
but was impressed with a certain ac-
cent creeping iEto the mans speech
bespeaking education. More. in spite
Of an apparent effort to make It so, his
dialect was not that OF those noun
tains.
Even as he uttered these last words.
throwing into them q threat more in
the tone than the language, I became
aware Of thin ray of light pene-
trating the seemingly solid wall just
in front OF me. and bending silently
forward could dimly distinguish the
elliptical head Of Bungay as he applied
one eye to a small opening he had
industriously made between the logs.
Grasping Mrs Brennan firmly by the
hand so that we should not become
separated, crept across the interven-
ing blackness, and reached his side.
Holy smoke. Cap" the little man
muttered in suppressed excitement, as
he realized my presence. ITS q goin'
tor be bilin' hot in thar mighty soon.
Mariars steam is a risin'."
He silently made room for me. and
bending down so as to bring my eye
upon a level with his, managed to
gain some slight glimpse OF the scene
within the cabin.
Mrs. Bungay stood with her back
TO the fireplace. an iron skillet firmly
gripped In one hand. Her face was
aoh WIN AhnlbuaAlOhs anu there was
a look In her eyes, together with
defiant set to her chin, which prom.
ised trouble. In front Of her, care
lessly resting on the table, his feet
dangling In the air, was sturdy.
looking fellow Of forty or so. with
red struggling beard covering all the
lower half Of his face. and weather
worn black hat pulled so low as a.
most TO conceal his eyes. His attire
was nondesoript, as though he had
patronized the junkshop of both
armies. In his belt were thrust re-
volvoT and knife, while within easy
reach of his hand a mugket leaned
against a chair. Two others OF the
party, younger men, but even more
roughly dressed than their leader,
were Longing between him and the
door
Bungay chuckied eXpectantly.
20 Lord II they only git the Oh
gal just q little more riled," he whis-
psred hoarsely jumping up and down
on one foot in his excitement. they'll
hev ther fight Of their life"
do you know the fellows7" I asked.
us that Red Lowrie7"
lie shook his head
Never laid eyes on any Of en-
afore, but 70 bet they're no good
Reckon they're part o. his crowd"