Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-08-06
VII.

Several soberer men closed around
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. I hopes yell 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
tier account ter me. You stay right
Ehyar, 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 q scrap Of landscape
torn from some medieval picture and
the meRuaheutj Its Gnor seemed medic
wal, too; bearded and gaunt, hard
lthewed and sullen.
All of them who stood waiting were
men of middle age, or beyond. A num-
her were gray-haired, but they were all
pf 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.
~sclearing his throat and taking up his
duty as spokesman, we're all your
tkinfolks here. an we aimed ter ask ye
about this here report tibet yer 1owin'
ter leave the mountingsf"
what of hit?' countered the boy.
"Hit looks mighty like the wars
a-goin' ter be on ag'in pretty oon Air
We a-goin' ter quit, or air We a-goin' ter
stick? Thet's what we wants ter
know"
II didn't make this here truce, an
hain't a-goin' ter bust hit" said the
boy, quietly. when the war CON-
mences, I'll be hyar. Ef ! hain't hyar
in the meantime. hit hain't nobody's
business. I hain't accountable ter nc
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' larnin'
why don't We git hit right hyar In these
lmountings?"
Samson laughed derisively.
who'll l git hit from" he causti
pally inquired. "Ef the mountain won't
come ter Mohamet, Mohamet's got tel
go ter the mountain, l reckon"
Caleb Wiley rose unsteadily 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 ye 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"
Never mind what We war jest
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 of yore face, but Ell
any of them ~no-'count, shif'less boys OF
yores wants ter back up what We says
I'm ready ter go out thar an make 'em
eat hit. I hain't a-goin' ter answer no
more questions"
There was a commotion of argu-
ment, until "Blaok Dave" Jasper, a sat
nrnine 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 q right
ter take the studs this away, an ter
refuse ter answer our questions. but