The Climax-Madisonian. (Richmond, Madison County, Ky.) 1914-1917, 1914-12-09

"
veyed the sylvan group. the glancing
freight and the tethered animals in
the foreground. Suddenly an idea min
gled with the alcoholic fumes that dis
turbed his brain. 1t was apparently of
a ocular. nature. for he felt impelled to
slap his leg again and cram his fist
into his mouth.
As the shadows crept slowly up the
mountain slight breeze rocked the.
tops of the pine trees and moaned
through their long and gloomy aisles.
The ruined cabin. patched and covered
with pine boughs. was set apart for
the ladies. As the lovers parted they
unaffectedly exchanged a kiss. so hon
est and sincere that 1t might have been
heard above the swaying pines. The
frail Duchess and the maleyolent
Mother Shipton were probably too
stunned to remark upon this last evil
dence of simplicity, and so turned
without a word to the hut. The fire
was replenished, the men lay down be-
fore the door and in few minutes
were asleep.
Mr.. Oakhurst was a light sleeper.
Toward morning he awoke benumbed
and cold. AS he stirred the dying fire
the wind. which was now blowing
strongly, brought to his cheek that
which caused the blood to leave it
snow!
He started to his feet with the inten-
ton of awakening the sleepers. for
there was no time to lose. But. turn
Ing to where Uncle Billy had been ~
ing. he found him gone. A suspicion
leaped to his brain and a curse to his
lips. He ran to the spot where the
mules had been tethered They were
no longer there. The tracks were al
ready rapidly disappearing in the snow.
The momentary excitement brought
Mr. Oakhurst back to the fire with his
usual calm. He did not waken the
sleepers. The Innocent sumbered
peacefully, with a smile on his good
humored, freckled face; the virgin Pr
ney slept beside her Trailer sisters as
sweetly as though attended by celestial
guardians. and Mr.. Oakhurst, drawing
his blanket over his shoulders, stroked
his mustache and waited for the
dawn. 1t came slowly in whirling
mist of snowf1akes that daZZled and
confused the eye. What could be seen
Of the landscape appeared magically
changed. He looked over the valley
and summed up the present and future
in two wOrds-"Snowed inr
A careful inventory Of the provi-
sions. which fortunately for the party.
had been stored within the hut and so
escaped the felonious fingers of Uncle
Billy. disclosed the fact that with care
and prudence they might last ten days
longer. That is" said Mr.. Oakhurst
soto voce to the Innocent. IF you're
willing to board us. If you ain't-and
perhaps you'd better not-you can wait
till Uncle Billy gets back with provi
sions'' For some occult reason Mr.
Oakhurst could not bring himself to
disclose Uncle Billy's rascality and so
offered the hypothesis that he had
wandered from the camp and had acct
dentally stampeded the animals. He
Dropped a warning TO the Duchess and
Mother Shipton. who. of course, knew
the facts Of their associates detection
They'll find out the truth about US all
when they find out anything" he add
ed significantly. land there's no good
frightening them now"
Tom Simson not only put all his
worldly store at the disposal of Mr.
Oakhurst. but seemed to enjoy the
prospect of their enforced seclusion
We'll have good camp for a week
and then the snow'll melt and We'll all
90 back together" The cheerful gay
ETY. of the young man and Mr.. Oak
bursts calm infected the others. The
Innocent. with the aid of pine boughs,
extemporized q thatch for the rooflesS
cabin. and the Duchess directed Piney
in the Encouragement Of the interior
with taste and tact that opened the
blue eyes of that provincial maiden to
their fullest extent. Il reckon now
you're used to fine things at Poker
Flat" said Piney. The Duchess turned
away sharply to conceal something
that Redeemed her cheeks through its
professional tint. and Mother Shipton
requested Piney not to chatter" But
when Mr.. Oakhurst returned from a
weary search for the trail he heard the
sound of happy laughter echoed from
the rocks He stopped in some alarm
and his thoughts first naturally re
verted to the whisky. which he had
prudently cached. And yet it don't
somehow sound like whisky said the
gambler. II was not until he caught
sight Of the blazing fire through the
still binding storm and the group
around 1t that he settled TO the convic
ton that it was square fun"
PART ii.
mi HETHER Mr.. Oakhurst had
IM cached his cards with the
H whisky as something debar-
red the free access of the COM
munity 1 cannot say. 1t was GER
tain that. in Mother SYMPTOMS words.
he didn't say cards once" during that
evening. HAPPY the time was beguiled
by an accordion produced somewhat
ostentatiousIy by Tom Simson from
his pack. Notwithstanding some diff
culties attending the manipulation of
this instrument. Piney Woods man
aged to pluck several reluctant melo-
dies from its keys. to the accompani-
ment of the Innocent on pair of bone
castanets. But the browning fStivity
Of the evening was reached in a rude
camp meeting hymn. which the lovers.
joining hands. sang with great earnest
ness and vociferation. / fear that a
certain defiant tone and Covenanter's
swing to its chorus, rather than any
devotional quality. caused 1t speedily
to infect the others, who at last Joined
in the refrain:
I'm proud to live in the service of the
Lord
And I'm bound to die in his army.
The pines rocked. the storm eddied
and whirled above the miserable group
and the flames of their altar leaped
heavenward. as If in token of the VOW.
At midnight the storm abated, the
rolling clouds parted and the stars
glittered keenly above the sleeping
camp. Mr. Oakhurst. whose profess