The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1912-01-23

Naht Osto
"Drat yer potry. Jed Bungay. ye
dew make me tired fer suah." She
turned back to us. and from her first
words II was plainly evident she had
been impressed with bv. one sentence
OF my labored explanation
did you uns say as how ye'd pay
fef whut ye OF anc fer thet truck We
busted?" she asked doubtfully.
Certainly. madam. and took
some money from my pocket as evL
dence Of good faith. what would you
consider due your
The grim, set face relaxed slightly,
while she permitted her husband TO
edge his way n little more into the
foreground.
wal. stranger. sortsr reckon ~
how bout four bits. I'll souar' things
dorss ia mighty durn cheap hereabout
enyhow. Give me thor four bits.
mister. an / reckon AZ how Il II
be all right"
glanced at Mrs. Brennan, and tho
amused twinkle In her eyes led me
to say heartily, I'VE had not entirely
completed our meal. but imagined we
saw ghosts"
"Ghosts!" He glanced around ap-
prehensively.- ION Heaven and on
thy lady call. and enter the enchanted
halll' Wus ther ghosts ye saw over
thar" And he pointed toward the
wall opposite.
nodded.
Then l sorter reckon as how
Marian and me wus them ghosts" he
continued. griDning. I'VE sorter reck-
oned as how we wanted ter see whe
wus yere afore We come in. I'll
listen till my fancy hears the clang of
swords, the crash OF spears These
we're is tough times, stranger. in these
parts, an a man whut has ter perfect
lovely female hes got ter keep his
eye skinned"
Maria shifted contemptuously.
"Ye're no great shakes at a perfect
in o me, Jed Bungay. Now you sit
down thar an begin ter I'LL up.
reckon as how Their Cap an his gal
will kinder line with us fer manners"
She seated Jed with such extreme
vigor that ! looked for the chair to
collapse beneath him 90 he came
down. but the little man. not In the
least daunted. picked up his knife and
fork with sigh Of relief.
40 woman! in our hours of ease
uncertain, coy, and hard to please"
he murmured. Come, sit down,
stranger; sit down an share a
soldiers couch, q soldiers fare Not
as I'm sojer," he fastened to ex-
plain. but thet's how II Is in Their
book Say, old woman. kint ye kinder
skier UP some coffee fer we uns-
leastwise whut US Confeds call cof-
fee7"
Without much difficulty ] induced
Mrs. Brennan TO draw her chair once
more to the table. and I sat down
beside her. -
"You are Confederate. then?" I
asked, curious to know upon which
side his sympathies were enlisted In
the struggle.
He glanced warily at my gray
Jacket. then his shrewd, shifty eyes
wandered to the blue and yellow cav
airy cloak lying on the floor.
wal. jtst don't know, Cap" he
said cautiously. continuing to eat as
he talked. "as I'm much o. enything
in this yere row. First Their burned
gray-backs they come snoopin' up
we're. an run off all my horgs; then
Their blame blue-bellies come long
an cut down every lick o. my corn
fodder, 80 tibet I'll be cussed II I amt
bout ready ter fight either side Any
how amt did no fightin' UT worth
tall1in' bout. fer Marian Is pow'fui
feared I'd get hurt"
Maria regarded him scornfuily.
Hiding out. I SUPPOSED"
Wal. I amt very healthful fer
us ter be stayin' OF hum much o.
Their time, long with that thar Red
Lowrie, an Jim Hale, an the rest o.
tibet cattle round yere."
"Guerillas pretty thick now in the
mountains3"
Wal. dunno; I hSsrd As they wus
dom somethin' down by Their brick
church, but thar's no great shakes OF
EN- list round yere. reckon as how
they knows 'nough ter keep way from
Jed Bungay-Td pitch EN- FAR az
ever peasant pitched q bar"
you have no fear Of them. then p
''Whut. meT The little man sat
bolt upright, and glared herceiy across
the table as though he would resent
an insult. II jist tell ye. Cap.
reckon thar amt no guerilla a goin
ter poke his nose round yOEe Tess
he's lookin' fer sudden death; thaR'E
mighty few o. 'em amt hserd o. JED
Bungay- Whut in thunder's ther
matter with yer galf"
He stopped suddenly, and stared al
her; but before could turn about
In my chair one Of tho great dogs
began TO growl savAgely, and Maria
sprang forward and euffed the suriy
brute into rebellious silence.
TITS hosses," she said harshIy
Likely as not it's Reds gang Now
Jed Bungay, yere's two lovely females
fer ye ter perfect"
AS ] hastily sprang to my feet !
caught n fleeing glimpse out OF tho
partially opened door. Down the steep
OF the hill road there was slowly NOV.
Ing toward us on foot a small party
OF perhaps dozen men. 80 Yarioualy
clothed as TO make II evident they
were irregulars. Just ahead OF them,
but on horseback. two others were
even then turning into the narrow
path that led TO the house. attracted
probably by the smoke which
/ nNa q