The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-05-07
XVII.

wrote to MILFORD Horton that II ne
still meant to come to the hills for his
inspection OF coal nd timber the time
was ripe. Soon men would appear
bearing transit and chain, drawing a
line which a railroad was 70 follow TO
Misery and across Il to the heart OF
untouched forests and coal-aelds. With
that wave OF innovation would come
the spectators. Besides, Samson's
fingers we're itching to be out in the
hills with a palette and shear OF
brushes in the society Of George Les
colt.
For a while after the battle at Hixon
the county had LAT; IN a torpid paraly-
sis of dread Many illiterate feudists
on each side remembered the directing
and exposed figure Of Samson South
seen through eddies Of gun gmoke, and
believed him immune from death.
With Purvy dead and HOLMAN the vic
tim Of his own hand. the backbone OF
the murder syndicate was broken. Its
heart had ceased to beat. Those HolL
man survivors who bore the potential.
ties for leadership had not only signed
pledges Of peace, but we're afraid to
break them; and the triumphant
Souths. instead Of %vauntlng their vic.
tory. had subscribed to the doctrine OF
order and declared the war over.
Souths who broke the Law were as
speedily arrested MS Hollmans. Their
boys we're drilling as militiamen and
wonder Of Notwithstanding the
Bons Of the enemy TO Join them. OF
course. these things changed gradual.
ly. but the beginnings Of them were
most noticeable In the first few
months, Just as a newly painted and
renovated house Is more conspicuous
than M that has long been respectR
BILE.
Hoilman's Mammoth Department
Store passed into new hands, and traf.
licked only in merchandise, and the
town was open to the men and
OF Misery as vell AZ those Of Cripple
shin.
These things Samson had explained
in his letters to the Lescotts and Hor.
ton. Men from down below could still
find trouble in the wink Of an eye. by
seeking II, for under all Transformation
the nature e the individual remained
much the same: but, without seeking
to give %oiense, they could ride as Sc
curely through the hills as through the
streets Of a policed city-and meet a
reader hospitality.
And. when these things we're dis
cussed and the two men prepared to
cross the Mason-And-Dixon line and
visit the CumbeTlands. AdrienLs
promptly and definitely announced
that she would accompany her brother.
No argument was effective 70 dissuade
her, and after all. Lescott, who had
been there, saw no good reason why
she should not 80 With him.
At Hixon, they found that receptive
air OF serenity which made the history
OF less than three months ago seem
paradoxical and Realistically unreal.
Only about the courthouse square
where numerous small holes in frame
walls told of ~tusillades. and in the II
terror of tbs building itself where the
woodwork vas SCARED and torn. and
the plaster freshly patched, did they
find grlmly reminiscent evidence.
Samson had not met them at the
town, because he wished their first i'm
pressions Of his people to reach them
uniniuenced by his escort. II vas a
form OF the mountain pride-an hon.
est resolve to soften nothing. and make
no apologies. But they found arrange
ments made for horses and saddlebags.
and the girl discovered that for her
had been provided a mount as evenly
gated as any in her own stables.
When she and her two companions
came IA to the hotel porch 70 start,
they found a guide waiting, who said
he was instructed to take them as far
as the ridge, where the sheriff himself
would be waiting. and the cavalcade
struck into the hills. Men Il whose
houses they paused 10 ask a dipper OF
water. or to make an inquiry, gravely
advised that they had better light and
stay all night" In the coloring for
ests. squirrels scampered and scurrled
out OF sight, and here and there on the
tall slopes they saw ~shylooking chill
dren regarding them with inquisitive
eyes.
The guide led them silently, gazing
in frank amazement, though with defer
entail politeness, at this girl In cord
uroys, who rode oross-saddle. and rode
so well. Yet, Il a evident that he
would have preferred talking had not
diiidence restrained him. lie was a
young man and rather handsome In a
shaggy. unkempt way. Across one
cheek ran a long scar still red, and
the girl, looking into his clear. intelli.
gent eyes. wondered what that scar
stood for. Adrienne had the power
OF melting masculine dlmdence. and
her smile as she rode at his aide. and
asked. what 10 your namef" brought
an answering smile 20 his grim lips
Joe HOLMAN, ma'am, he answered;
and the girl gave an involuntary start
The two men who caught the name
closed up the sap between the horses.