The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1915-04-22
pnrrr,s sfore and chat aFtIessIy;


very impertinence might be forgiven
on the score of a strangers folly. But,
most of all, he wanted to drop the cas-
ual information, which he should as
sumo to have heard ON the train, that
Samson South was returning, and to
mark, on the assassin leader, the effect
of the news. In his new code 1t was
necessary to give at least the rattler's
warning before he struck, and he
meant to strike. If he we're recog-
nized, well-he shrugged his shoulders.
But as he stood on the outside, wip-
ing the perspiration from his forehead,
for the ride had been warm, he heard
voices within. They we're loud and
angry voices. 1t occurred to him that
by remaining where he was he might
gain more information than by hur-
rying in.
give done been your executioner for
twenty years." complained a voice,
which Samson at once recognized as
that of Aaron Hollis, the most trusted
of Purvy's personal guards. 81 haint
never laid down on ye yet. Me an Jim
Asberry killed old Henry South. We
laid fer his boy, an would "a got him
eff you'd only said Their word. l went
inter Hixon an killed Tam'rack Spicer,
with soldiers all round me. There
hain't no other damn fool in these
mountings would a. took such long
chance es tibet. I'm tired of it.
They're a-goin' ter git me, an / wants
ter leave, an you won't come clean
with the price of railroad ticket to
Oklahoma. Now, damn yore stingy
soul, gifts that ticket or l gifts you!"
Aaron, you can't scare me into doin'
nothin' | amt amin to do" The old
baron of the vendetta spoke in a cold,
stoical voice. 81 tell We l amt quite
through with we yet In due an proper
time I'll see that we get yer ticket"
Then he added, with conciliating soft
ness: We've been friends a long
while. Let's talk this thing over be-
fore we fall out"
Thar hain't nothin' to talk over"
stormed Aaron. "Ye're jest tryin' ter
kill time till the boys gifts hyar and
then reckon We lows ter have me kilt
like yer've had me kill them others.
Hit amt no use. I've done sent 'em
away. When they gifts back hyar,
either you'll be in hell, or I'll be on my
way outen the mountings."
Samson stood rigid. Here was the
confession of one murderer, with no
denial from the other. The truce was
off. Why should he wait? Cataracts
seemed to thunder in his brain, ana
yet he stood there, his hand in his coat
pocket, clutching the grip of maya
zine pistol Samson South the old, ana
Samson South the new were writnlng
in the life-and-death grapple OF two
codes Then, before decision came
he heard a sharp report inside, and
the heavy fall of body to the hoora
A wildly excited figure came plung-
ing through the door, and Samsons
left hand swept out and seized us
shoulder in a sudden wise grip.
DO you know me?" he inquired, as
the mountaineer pulled away ana
crouched back with startled surprise
and vicious frenzy.
mo, damn ye! Git outen my road!
Aaron thrust his cooked rifle close
against the strangers face. From
its muzzle came the acrid stencil OF
freshly burned powder. Cit outen my
road afore | kills vel"
my name is Samson South"
Before the astounded finger on the
trigger could be crooked, Samson
pistol spoke from the pocket, and as
though in echo the rife blazed, little
too late and a shade too high, over mis-
head, as the dead mans arms went up
Except for those two reports there
was no sound Samson stood STILL an
ticipating an uproar of alarm. NOW
he should doubtless have to pay WIZ
his life for both the deaths, which
would inevitably and logically be at
tributed to his agency. But, strangely
enough. no clamor arose. The shot In
side had been muffied, and those out
side, broken by the intervening store
did not arouse the house. PurVys
bodyguard had been sent away by Hoi
lis on false alarm. Only the women
folks" and children remained indoors
and they were drowning with piano
any sounds that might have come from
without. That piano was the ch1el
emblem of Purvy's wealth. 1t repre-
sented the acme of having things
hung up" that ancient and expressive
phrase, which had come down from
days when the pioneers worldly con
dition was gagged by the hams hang
ing in the smokehouse and the pep
pers. tobacco and herbs strung higt
against the rafters.
Now Samson South stood looking
down, uninterrupted, on what had beef
Aaron Hollis as it lay motionless a
his feet There was powder-burne'
hole in the butternut shirt, and onl.
a slender thread of blood trickled int
the dirt-grimed cracks between thu
blanks. The body was twisted side
wise, in one of those grotesque att
tudes with which sudden summons
so frequently robs the greatest Pie
nomenon of all it's rightful dignity
The sun was gliding the roadside
clods and Furnishing the green's OF tn
treetops. The breeze was harpini
| ,1oopily among the branches and sew