Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-04-06

Il "
What idiocy are you contemplating
now?" inquired the second in COM
mand.
I'm going to ride over on Misery,
and hear what the other side has to
say. I've usually noticed that one side
Of any story is pretty good until the
others told"
You mean you are going to go over
there where the South's are in
trenched, where every road is guard
ed?" The lieutenant spoke wrathfully
and with violence. Don't be an ass
Callomb. You went over there once
before and took man away-and he's
! dead. You owe them a life, and they
collect their dues You will be sup
ported by no warrant Of arrest, and
can't take a sufficient detail to pro-
tect you."
NO" said Callomb, quietly; Il go
on my own responsibility and l go by
myself"
And" stormed Merriwether, you'll
never come back
II think" smiled Callomb, I'll get
back. owe an old man over there
an apology, and want to see this des-
perado at first hand"
Its sheer madness. ought to take
you down to this internal crook Of a
Judge and have you committed to a
strait Jacket"
If" said Callomb, you are content
to play the catspaw to a bunch Of as
sassins, I'm not. The mail-rider went
out this morning and he carried a let
ter to old Spicer South. I told him that
l was coming unescorted and unarmed
and that my object was to talk with
him. I asked him to give me a safe
conduct, at least, until reached his
house, and stated my case. I treated
him like an officer and a gentleman,
and, unless I'm a poor judge Of men,
he's going to treat me that way"
The lieutenant sought vainly to dis
suade Callomb, but the next day the
captain rode forth, unaccompanted.
Curious stares followed him and Judge
Smithers turned narrowing and un-
pleasant eyes after him, but at the
point where the ridge separated the
territory of the Hollmans from that Of
the Souths he saw waiting in the road
q mounted figure, sitting his horse
straight, and clad in the rough habili-
ments Of the mountaineer.
AS Callomb rode up he saluted and
the mounted figure with perfect gravi-
ty and correctness returned that
salute as one officer to another. The
captain was surprised. Where had
this mountaineer with the steady eyes
and the clean-cut jaw learned the
niceties Of military etiquette?
II am Captain Callomb Of F. COM
pany," said the officer. I'm riding
over to Spicer South's ouse. Did you
come to meet me?"
ITO meet and guide you," replied a
pleasant voice. MY name is Samson
South"
The militiaman stared. This man
whose countenance was calmly
thoughtful scarcely compared with the
descriptions he had heard Of the
wildcat Of the Mountains" the man
who had come home straight as q
storm petrol at the first note Of the
tempest and marked his coming with
double murder. Callomb had been too
busy to read newspapers Of late. He
had heard only that Samson had been
away"
While he wondered, Samson went
on:
I'm glad you came. If it had been
possible 1 would have come to you."
AS he told Of the letter he had written
the Judge. volunteering to present
himself as a witness. the officers
wonder grew.
"They said that you had been away"
suggested Callomb. IF it's not an i'm
pertinent question. what part Of the
mountains have you been visiting?'
Samson laughed.
mot any part of the mountains" he
said. I've been living chiefly in New
York-and for a time in Paris"
Callomb drew his horse to a dead
halt
I'm the name Of God," he incredu-
lously asked. what manner Of man
are you?"
II hope" came the instant reply, 1T
may be summed up by saying that I'm
exactly the opposite Of the man you've
had described for you back there at
Hixon."
"I knew It," exclaimed the soldier.
II knew that was being fed on lies!
That's why I came. I wanted to get
the straight of it, and felt that the
solution lay over here"
They rode the rest Of the way in
deep conversation. Samson outlined
his ambitions for his people. He told,
too, of the scene that had been enacted
at Purvy's store. Callomb listened with
absorption. feeling that the narrative
bore automatic truth on it's face.
At last he inquired:
Did you succeed up there-as a
painter?"
That's a. long road" Samson told
him, but think had a fair start. I
was getting commissions when left"
"Then 1 am to understandable off,
Ger met the steady gray eyes and put
the question like a cross-examiner
bullying a witness-"I am to under
stand that you deliberately put behind
you a career to come down here and
herd these fence jumping sheep?"
Hardly that" deprecated the head
of the Souths. 'They sent for me
that's all. or course. I had to come"
"Why?"
Because they had sent. They are
my people"
The officer leaned in his saddle.
South" he said, would you mind
shaking hands with me? Some day 1