Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-01-02

out bloodshcd," he announced. "w. must talk tts
matter oyer VIII you trust INC and come into the
your pleasure"
The sheriff hesitated.
why KANT talk hyar?" he derurred
You have come to my house, sir and I prefer
receiving you if my house You have isaac Berfy'a
word Until you are back with your men you a arc 3
After brief space Of reflection Cuom nodded.
~ reckon ! kin trust yer, but ! want some wit
neSses" He turned and looking over his posse,
called three deputies by name They climbed m,
fence and sauntered toward the house
;. When the five men entered the room they found
the piano pale but steady. and the physician, who
remained at her side. His clothes and manner
stamped him the "furriner" The sherfs party
waited in awkward semi-circle about the hearth
. men simultaneously, two doors opened, and in
them r stood half-dozen silent with ready rifles
Their appearance came with absolute noiselessness
showed that the believed himself betrayed but the
n ne moment the scowl vanished in reinsurance as
room ~
Damn you. put up them guns"
minute tI bo became empty spaces and in another
ana renamed slouching about the room, eyeing the
PeTrv WIN S4 nile and sm9uderi1g wrath Isaac
pocket cutting them off from their arms Then he
stepped forward. ''
Mr.. Sheriff" he said slowly, Caleb Berry il NV
kinSman The man he kied-the man who had
killed his father-was your kinsman. have fought
through years for the enforcement of the law You
have taken an oath to fight for the same thing"
Sheriff Cullom stood stolidly silent
III this shooting happened in Virginia." went on
custody of the prisoner If it happened in Kentucky,
you are trespasser with no color of law for vorr
action-and it seems TO have happened in Kentucky"
When | present the prisoner at cote the ledge
II decide whether he has Their right ter try Their
case" 80 VIM
But" went the old man. still patiently you
n
unless you trst establish your right. Have you
been right smart of law-an'order man. an hain't
got no grievance ergins yer. But I'm an officer of
ther law an I'm answerable to my cote an State
fer my conduct Yer'd better think twc't befo yer
go dom anything plumb foolish Nv posse is out
thai and gueSs W; kin take this prisoner"
Berry with deberaon w b. @niTefed
sponsible for the prisoner until he arrives If the
e9 sd deGde that the jurisdiction is the ine
Virginia. but as a Culom making war on a Berry.
you nave no standing 0fficcr"
I've done come ter take back that thar man" he
declared dc TRUSTING, begerent finger toward Caleb
Berry and raising his voice to loud pitch AN by
God! I'm er gwine ter take him back"
mere was tense Minute. Berrys and Cullons
alike dre" themselves up into more truculcnt ali.
sciousy touched key of the piano and as its liquid
note tel on the quiet every one started. Slowly old
quietly at first, but with quickly ascending pitch and
passion.
for law now: But its not law that sheriff who is
also feudist should prostitute his Office to his
ennity' He slipped all at once into the crude,
tutored form Il speech he hurled out his ultima
by God! Mr. Sheriff yerve crossed Their State
line ter wage war in Kantucky Damn yer wage
il Ell yer take him yerye got ter git him away
yerll leave few men ne behind yer!"
=
sovereign State shouted old Isaac Berry. yer
haint Their State Of Nrgnny. but il yer be, then
say ter hell with With th he, State Of Virgnny%
haint no use wastin any more time. Mr. Berry,
when 60 9nt thar yrs house is er gwine ter be
damn sight too late, l give yer chance ter
At the threshold Isaac Berry called him back,
speaking without appeal, but with the manner of a
soldier demanding the rights of war.
"Mr. Sheriff" he said, Il reckon you'll let two or
before the fghtn begins"
Cuom bowed
"SaH he said, slowly. alphabetically. 81 want
YOU an ther boy saddle up two bosses an go ter
town. I've dedicated yer the best knowed.
I've done what could fer yer both. Yer don't be-
long in these here parts" His voice broke bitterly.
The girls strong young closed about his
neck Her voice was soft and her words came with
the music that feminine tongue can lend the noun
tain yernacuar, the vernacular which she had not
used in years.
Il reckon my place is with my daddy. l don't
low to leave him"
Isaac Berry sat up and held her proudly away ae
arm's-length. His old eyes glowing but he
shook his head
Child you air gon" he said decsively "I want
that you should 60 You an the boy. Neither ono
of you belongs here. You must go"
But suddenly John Berry laughed with a strange
note in his voice He and took the girls
slender figure in his arms. H lifted her from her
knees and held her close to his breast Then. though
he had not yet received her answer. he kissed her
lips and hair
"My place is with my kith and kim he declared
His voice became vibrant joyousy self-reliant as
though he were looking back with sure eyes into
former ives. Don't YOU remember. Sally, once in
another century"-he held her close TO him and bent
his head"once thousands of years ago
81 faxed flint to cutting edge
And shaped it with british craft:
broke a shank from the woodland danS
And fitted it head and haft7
Why its only of late sweetheart that I've been
seeing things through the miscroscop