Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1915-10-07
CHAPTER discontinued.

Things has changed sum since
then. Nobody lives ter hum eny more
Its sure hell In Green Briar these
days-somebody is gettln' kilt every
day er two. The cusses travel In
gangs. murderin' an burnlu' from one
end o the county to the other" He
spoke In an even. drawing voice. with
not the slightest show OF emotion. as
though telling an ordinary bit OF
news: "D--d II l know which outfit
Ii the wus-the Yanks or the Rebs."
Which are you With"
Who. me!" He paused In his bolt.
Tag OF food. and gave vent to an I'm.
pleasant laugh. IL rather reckon It
would puzzle the Lord Almighty ter
ind that out don't give O whoop
Ter neither OF 'em. I'm fer OIL Jem
Taylor. an 1t keeps me tolor BILE busy
tending ter his affairs. without both
erin bout no government"
Then your name Is Taylor"
Il reckon It has been for. bout sixty
years. Thar,s a slew O. Tayiors over
along Buffalo crick. an som OF 'em
are Yanks. an parcel Of 'em are
Rebs. but they don't git OIL Jem ter
take nary side. At that. I'm gittin' ell
the fghtin' I banker arter. Naturally,
I'm peaceful critter. if tn cusses let
me alone"
"Quieted down some over there late.
ay. hasn't it7'
Huh! Thar's q regiment o. blue
coats at Lewisburg. an few cavalry.
men ridin' Their pixies. Don't amount
Ter hill o beans as fer as Their boys
are concerned. All they got ter do Is
go further back 10 the hills. an be .
bit more keerfui. l reckon. young
man. yen find plenty o deviltry going
on In Green Briar. II ye ever git out
tthat away. Wal. thets all thar Is fer
US ter eat. an I'm goin' ter take a
suooze."
He closed the door. fastening it Sc
curely with wooden bar. and
stretched himself out ON the floor.
The room was dark. as the only win
dow was tightly boarded up. and using
nay bundle for a pillow. lay down
also. In a short time his heavy
breathing was evidence enough that
Taylor slept Slowly my heavy eyes
closed. and lost consciousness.
The sun was below the mountain
ridge, when the heavy hand OF the old
,nountaineer shook me into sudden
wakefulness. With nothing left to
eat we were not long in preparing for
departure, | endeavoring vainiy to get
my silent companion to converse, be-
ing rewarded merely by grumbled and
evasive answers. Finally I desisted
in the attempt content to follow his
gun resting grimiy across his knees,
rode straight through the brush. away
from the pike, down the valley OF .
small stream. In crossing. the horses
drank their fill
How about the valley roade" |
asked as we climbed the opposite
bank.
The leader glanced back at me.
This we're way is higher. an q darn
sight NOR quiet" he answered gruffy.
Soldiers been marching over the pike
al! day. Mout be all right fer yer. II
tyer've got pass-but amt got none
Well hev' good 'uoush ridin' in bout
a mile NOR"
You are aiming for the cutoff"
} 81 be-yer do kno' sumthin' Of this
we're kintry, ! reckon. but yer've got
more eddication than eny Cowan
ever hooked UP with afore. Yer don't
talk none like mounun' folks"
! drew a quick breath. sensing the
return Of suspicion.
That's true" admitted readily.
You see ! went to school at Coving.
ton: they were going to make a
tpreacher out of me-"
Taylor stared into my face. his
vague suspicion seemingly gone.
We'll. I'll be d--d-a preacher"
He rode on into the dusk, chuckling.
and ] followed. smiling to myself. glad
that the mans good humor had been
SO easily restored.
We were fed at q hut back in the
foothills. where an old couple. the man
lame. were glad enough to exchange |
their poor food for the late news from |
the army. In which they had a son
Then we rode steadily to the south.
When dawn came we we're to the west
OF Waynesboro. in broken country, and
all through those long night hours
scarcely . word had been EXCHANGED
between Us. We camped finally in the
bend Of . small stream. where high
banks concealed US from observation.
There was little to eat In our haver.
sacks. but We munched what we had,
and Taylor. his eyes on the horses.
broke the silence.
I reckon the critters don't need
nsore'n q couple hours rest" he said
They Amt been rid novsys hard. an
I'm fer gittin' through the gap durin'
.dsyiisht-the road Amt overly good
Just now
"Aervss the mountains! L. Their.
Q gap hsref"
THsY 800 a. H. |