The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-09
CHAPTER VII.

several SODeror men cIOSeQ- arOunQ
the boy, and after disarming him, led
him away grumbling and muttering,
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. 1 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 &C
count, he suggested riding back to
Misery, but the boys face clouded at
the suggestion.
EFF 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 ap-
preached, like a scrap of landscape
torn from some medieval picture, and
the men about its door seemed medic
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 I'D his
duty as spokesman, we're all your
kinfolks here, an we aimed ter ask We
about this here report tibet yer Towin'
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 ye a-goin' ter
stick? Thet's what we wants ter
| know"
81 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. Eff hain't hyar
in the meantime, hit hain't nobody's
business. I 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:
EFF ye're plumb sot on gettin' Iarnin'
why don't We git hit right hyar in these
mountings?"
Samson laughed derisiveIy.
/ who'll 1 git hit from?" he causti-
cally inquired. EFF the mountain won't
come ter Mohamet, Mohamet's got ter
go ter the mountain, reckon
Caleb Wiley rose unsteadily to his
feet, his shaggy beard trembling with
wrath and his voice Quavering with
senile Indignation
tHev ye done got too damned good
fer yore kinfolks. Samson South ?'' he
shrilly demanded. "Hev ye done been
folIerin' 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 Oh him. Furthermore, I'm in
favor of cleanin out the Hollmans. /
was jest a-sayin' ter Bill"
Never mind what We war jest
! a-sayin'," interrupted the boy, flushing
redly to his cheekbones, but con-
trolling his voice. 'Ye'Ve done said
enough already. Ye're right old man,
Caleb, an reckon thet gives ye soma
license ter shoot of yore face. but eff
any Of them no-count, shif'1ess boys of
yores wants ter back up what ye says,
| I'm ready ter go out thar an make EN-
eat hit. I hain't a-goin' ter answer no
more questions"
There was a connection OF argu-
ment, until BLACK Dave Jasper, a 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, ye've got 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 ye lows ter
quit US. 1 reckon we kin quit you
and, If we quits ye, ye hain't nothin'
more ter US then no other boy thet's
gettin' too big fer his breaches. This
furTiner is a 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. We're 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
Leseott could speak, sis a-visitin' ne
an Unc' Spicer. When ye wants him
ye kin come up thar an git him. Every
damned man OF ye kin come. hain't
. a-sayin' how many of yell go back
HeWas 1owin' that he'd leave hyar ter
mOrrer mornin', but after this I'm
a-teilin' ye he hain't a-goin' ter do hit
He's a-goin' ter stay es long es be
likes. an nobody bain't a-goin' ter run
him on" Samson took his stand be
! fore the painter. and swept the grouE