The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1915-09-16
CHAPTER WI.


while Vile McCager made apologies to
the guest
"Jimmy's jest a peevish child" he
explained. "A drop or, two of Ticker
makes him skittish. ! hopes yen look
over hit"
Jimmy's outbreak was interesting to
Lescott chiefly as an indication of
what might follow. Unwilling to in
troduce discord by his presence, and
involve Samson in quarrels on his ae-
count. he suggested riding back &c
Misery, but the boys face clouded at
the suggestion.
"Ef they KANT be civil ter my
friends" he said, shortly, they've got
ter account ter me. You stay right
hyar, and I'll stay clost to you ] done
come hyar today ter tell 'em that they
mustn't NEEDLE In my business"
A short while later, Vile McCager
invited Samson to come out to the
mill, and the boy nodded to Lescott
an invitation to accompany him.
The mill, dating back to pioneer
days. sat by its race with its shaft now
idle. 1t looked to Lescott, as he APP
preached. like a scrap of landscape
torn from some medieval picture, and
the men about Its door seemed medie-
val, too; bearded and gaunt, hard
thewed and sullen.
All of them who stood waiting were
men of middle age. or beyond. A num-
Der were gray-haired, but they were all
OF cadet branches. Many of them, like
Vile McCager himself. did not bear
the name of South, and Samson was
the eldest son of the eldest son.
Samson" began old Vile McCager,
clearing his throat and taking up his
duty as spokesman, we're all your
kinfolks here, an we aimed ter ask ye
about this here report tibet yer lowin'
ter leave the mountings?"
what of hit?" countered the boy.
Hit looks mighty like the wars
a-goin' ter be on ag'in pretty soon. Air
ye a-goin' ter quit, or air We a-goin' ter
stick? Thets what we wants ter
know"
Il didn't make this here truce. an
hain't a-goin' ter bust hit" said the
boy, quietly. when the war COM
mences, I'll be hyar. Ell hain't hyar
In the meantime, hit hain't nobody's
business. ! hain't accountable ter no
man but pap. an ] reckon, whar he is,
he knows whether I'm a-goin' ter keep
my word"
There was a moments silence, then
VILE McCager put another question:
"Ef ye'-e pump SD on gettin' larnin'
why DON'T We git hit right hyar in these
Samson laughed derisively.
Who'll / git hit from" he causti-
cally inquired. 'Ef the mountain won't
come ter Mohamet, Mohamet's got ter
60 ter the mountain, recken.'
Caleb Wiley rose unsteady to his
feet, his shaggy beard trembling with
wrath and his voice Quavering with
senile indignation.
"Hev we done got too damned good
fer yore kinfolks, Samson South?" he
shrilly demanded. "Hev We done been
follerin' after this here puny witch
doctor twell ye can't keep a civil
tongue in yer head fer yore elders?
I'm In favor of runnin' this here fur
riner outen the country with tar an
feathers on him. Furthermore, I'm In
favor OF cleanin' out the Hollmans.
was jest a-sayin' ter Bill"
a-sayin'." interrupted the boy, flushing
redly to his cheekbones, but con-
trolling his voice. we've done said
enough already. Ye're a right old man,
Caleb, an reckon tibet gives ye some
license ter shoot off yore face, but eff
any of them no-'count, shifless boys of
yores wants ter back up what We says,
I'm ready ter go out thar an make 'em
eat hit. hain't a-goin' ter answer no
more questions"
There was q commotion of argu-
ment. until Black Dave" Jasper, sat
urnine giant, whose hair was no black
er than his expression, rose. and a
semblance Of quiet greeted him as he
spoke.
"Mebby. Samson, we've got a right
ter take the studs this away, an ter
refuse ter answer our questions, but
we've got right ter say who kin stay
In this hyar country. Eff We lows ter
quit us. / reckon we kin quit you
and, IL we quits We, We hain't nothin'
more ter US then no other boy thets
gettin' too big fer his brooches. THIS
furriner is visitor here today, an
we don't low ter hurt him-but he's
got ter go. We don't want him round
hyar no longer" He turned to Les
colt. Were a-givin' We fair warnin'.
stranger. Ye hain't our breed. After
this, ye stays on Misery at yore own
risk-an' hits a-goin' ter be plumb
risky. That thar's final"
This man." blazed the boy, before
Lescott could speak, SIS a-visitin' me
an Unc' Spicer. When We wants him
We kin come up thar an git him. Every
damned man of We kin come. hain't
a-sayin' how many of yen go back
He was 'lowin' that he'd leave hyar ter
morrer mornin'. but after this I'm
a-tellin' We he hain't a-goin' ter do hit
He's a-goin' ter stay es long es he
likes. an nobody hain't a-goin ter run
him off," Samson took his stand be-
fore the painter, and swept the group
with his eyes. AN what's more" he
added. @I'll tell We another thing. l
hadn't plumb made up my mind ter
leave the mountings, but we've done
settled hit fer me. I'm a-goin'."