The state herald., 1915-07-02
CHAPTER vII-Contlnued.

En- NI-SOntInuCo.
Lescott stayed on week after that
simply In Difference to Samson's insist
ence. To leave at once might SAVIOR Of
flight under fire, but when the week
was out the painter turned his horses
head toward town. and his train swept
him back to the Bluegrass and the
/ East
A quiet Of unbroken and deadly
routine settled down on Misery. The
conduct Of the Souths In keeping hands
on. and acknowledging the justice of
Tamarack Spicer's Jail sentence. had
been their answer to the declaration
of the Hollmans in letting Samson ride
into and out Of Hixon. The truce was
+ established. When. short time later,
Tamarack left the country to become
railroad brakeman. Jesse Purvy
passed the word that his men must,
until further orders. desist from vio-
lence. The word had crept about that
Samson, too, was going away, and, IL
this were true. Jesse felt that his fu-
ture would be more secure than his
PdoA- odIusDH >
despite the exoneration of the hounds.
Lescott had sent box of books, and
Samson had taken team over to
Hixon. and brought them back.
He devoured them all from title
page to finis line. and many OF them
he went back to. and digested again.
He wrestled long and gently with
hie ttnnla OF cfrngulinu IN In ha al
mans consent to his departure. But
Spicer South's brain was no longer
plastic. What had been good enough
for the past was good enough for the
future. Nevertheless. he arranged af
fairs so that his nephew should be
able to meet financial needs. and TO go
where he chose In a fashion BETTING
South.
November came in bleakly. with n
raw and devastating breath OF fatality
The smne died from horizon to hori-
zon. and for days cold rains beat and
lashed the forests. And. toward the
end of the month. came the day which
Samson had set for his departure.
At the threshold. with the saddle
uuEN bNtf ulh itli lbItitIiu anu tut Tlnc
in his hand, he paused. His uncle stood
at his elbow and the boy put out his
hand.
"Good.by. unc' Spicer," was all he
said. The old man. who had been his
second father. shook hands. His face.
too. was expressionless. but he felt
that he was saying farewell to sol
dier OF genius who was abandoning the
field. And he loved the boy with all
the centered power OF an isolated
heart.
A halfmile along the road, Samson
halted and dlsmountcd. There, In u
small cove. surrounded by n tangle u
triers and blackberry bushes. stood n
small and dilapidated meeting house"
and churchyard. which he must visit.
lie made his way through the rough
underground to the unkempt hnlfacre,
and halted before the leaning head
stones which marked two graves. With
n sudden emotion. he swept the back
of his hand across his eyes. He did
no, remove his hat. but he stood In tho
drizzio OF cold rain for n moment OF
silence. and then he said:
Pap. | hain't forgot. don't want
ye ter think thet I've forgot"
Before he arrived at the Widow Nil.
Ier's. the rain had stopped and the
clouds had broken.
sally opened the door. and smiled.
She had spent the day nerying hcrnelf
for this farewell. and nt least until
the moment OF leayc.taking she would
be .nfo from tears. The Widow NIL.
Ter ~ d her son soon left them alone.
and the boy and girl sat before the
blazing logs
For n time. nm awkward silence fell
between them. Az last. the boy rose.
and went over to the corner where he
had placed his gun. Hc took II up and
laid II ON tho hearth between thcm.
Sally" hc said. Il wants ter toll ys
somo things thct ! hain't never said
ter nobody else, In the fust place.
wants go ter keep this hyar gun fer
mo"
The girls eyes widcued with sur.
prise,
"iIalnt yo agoln ter take hit with
90. SamBon1"
"IIe shook hls head.
81 halnt agoln' ter need hit down
lhsiow. Nobody don't use 'om down