Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-04-09
CHAPTER IV-Continued.


when he had passed out of vision, he
turned sharply into the woods, and
began climbing His steps carried him
to the rift in the ridge where the white
oak stood sentinel over the watch
tower of rock. AS he came over the
edge from one side his bare feet max
ing no sound, he saw Sally sitting
there, with her hands resting on the
y moss and her eyes deeply troubled
She was gazing fixedly ahead and her
lips were trembling. At once Sam
sons face grew black. Some one had
been making Sally unhappy. Then he
saw beyond her a standing figure,
which the tree trunk had hitherto con-
cealed. 1t was the loose-knitted figure
of young Tamarack Spicer.
In course" Spicer was saying, I'VE
don't low Samson shot Jesse Purvy,
but them Hollmans II 'spicion him, an
I heered just now tibet them dawgs
was trackin' straight up hyar from the
mouth of Misery They'll git hyar
against shutdown"
Samson leaped violently forward.
With one hand he roughly seized his
cousins shoulder and wheeled him
about
''Shet up!" he commanded What
d--n fool stuff hev ye been tellin'
Sally?"
For an instant the two clansmen
stood fronting each other. Samson s
Eace was set and wrathful Tamarack' s
was surly and snarling. "Haint got
a license ter tell Sally the news?" he
demanded.
Nobody hain't got no license" re-
torted the younger man in the quiet
OF cold anger, ter tell Sally nothin
&het'll fret her"
"She air bound ter know hit all
pretty soon. Them dawgs-"
Didn't | tell We ter shet up?" Sam.
aon clenched his fists, and took step
Eorward. EFF ye opens yore mouth
again, I'm a-goin' ter smash hit. Now
git"
Tamarack Spicer's face backened
and his teeth showed. His right hand
gWept to his left arm-pit. Outwardly
he seemed weaponless, but Samson
knew that concealed beneath the
hickory shirt was a holster, worn
mountain fashion.
What air We a-reachin after
Tam 'rack?" he inquired, his lips twist
ing in amusement
'Thee's my business"
We'll, git hit out-or git out yeself
afore throws We often the cliff"
Sally showed no symptoms of alarm
Her confidence in her hero was abso
lutte. The boy lifted his hand, and
pointed off down the path Slowly
and with incoherent muttering, Spicel
look himself away. Then only die
Sally rise. She came over, and laid 6
hand on Samson's shoulder. In heI
blue eyes, the tears were yelling.
Samson" she whispered, "ef they're
after We, come ter my house. | kir
aide ye out. Why didn't We tell me
Jesse Jurvey'd done been shot?"
Hit faint nothin ter fret about
Bally," he assured her He spoke
Awkwardly, for he had been trained t.
regard emotion as unmanly THAI
laint no danger"
She gazed searchingly into his eyes
and them with a short sob, threw he,
arms around him, and buried her fact
IN his shoulder.
EFF anything happens ter We Sam
son," she said, brokenly, "hit'll les
Sill me. couldn't live withouten We
Samson. | jest couldn't do hit!"
The boy took her in his arms. ant
pressed her close. His eyes were ga2
ing off over her bent head, and his lin
switched. He drew his features int,
scowl, because that was the only ex
preston with which he could safe
guard his feelings. His voice wa
husky.
Il reckon, Sally" he said, Il couldn'
live withouten you, neither"
The party Of men who had starte
at morning from Jesse Purdy's stor
aad spent a hard day. The roads TO
Mwed creek-beds, crossing and re
eSossing waterways in fashion tina
gave the bloodhounds a hundred bal
Sing difficulties. Often, their nose
HBt the trail, which had at first bee
~ surely taken. Often, they circle
%ad whined, and halted in perplexity
AIT each time they came to a poin
where, at the end, one Of them agai
Saised his muzzle skyward, and CAV
voice.
Toward evening, they were workin
az Misery along course less broker
The party halted for moments res
end, as the bottle was passed, the ma
ffom Lexington, who had brought tn
dogs and stayed to conduct the chase
gut question::
What do you call this creek?"