The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1915-11-25
LES NEVILLE BUCK
ATOMS FROM PHOTOGRAPHS
THE PLAY S2PfEIGnrlLr i9Isss fQuk

has accused MIN. Inc law uoes NOT
contemplate hasty or unadvised action.
All men are innocent until proven
guilty. If the grand jury wants South,
I'll instruct You to go and get him.
Until then, you may leave my part of
the work to me-
His honor rose from his chair.
You can at least give this grand
jury such instructions on murder as
will point out their duty. You can as
sure them that the militia will protect
them. Through your prosecutor you
can bring evidence to their attention,
you"
IF you will excuse me-" interrupted
his honor, dryly, I'll judge of how am
to charge my grand jury have been
in communication with the family of
Mr.. Purvy, and it is not their wish at
the present time to bring this case b.
fore the panel"
| Callomb laughed ironically.
mo, could have told you that b.
fore you conferred with them. l could
have told you that they prefer to be
their own courts and executioners, ex-
cept where they need you. They also
preferred to have me get man they
couldn't take themselves. and then to
assassinate him in my hands. Who in
the hell do you work fer, Judge-for-the-
moment Smithers? Are you holding a
job under the state of Kentucky, or un-
der the Holman faction of this feud?
l am instructed to take my orders
from you. VIII you kindly tell me my
masters real name?"
| Smithers turned pale with anger,
his fighting face grew as truculent as
a bulldogs, while Callomb stood glar-
ing back at him like second bulldog,
| but, the judge knew that he was being
honestly and fearlessly accused. He
merely pointed to the door. The cap
| tain turned on his heel and stalked
| out of the place, and the judge came
down the steps and crossed the street
| to the courthouse. Five minutes later
he turned to the shirt-sleeved man who
was leaning on the bench and said in
his most judicial voice:
"Mr. Sheriff, open court"
The next day the mail carrier
brought in a note for the temporary
Judge. His honor read it at recess and
fastened across to Hollman's Mann
moth Department Store. There, in
council with his masters, he asked in
structions. This was the note:
1.-THE Hon. Asa Smithers.
"Sir: / arrived in this county yes
terday, and am prepared, If called as
a witness, to give to the grand jury
full and true particulars of the murder
of Jesse Purvy and the killing of Aaron
Hollis. am willing to come under the
escort of my own kinsmen, or the mill
tiamen, as the court may advise
1.-THE requirement of any bodyguard |
l deplore, but in meeting my legal OBJ
legations, do not regard it as neces-
sary or proper to walk into trap.
Respectfully,
SAMSON SOUTH"
Smithers' looked perplexedly at
Judge Holman.
Shall have him Gomez" he in
qulreo.
Holman threw the letter down on
his desk with burst of blasphemy:
Have him Gomez" he echoed. Hell
and damnation, no! What do we want
him to come here and spill the milk
for? When we get ready, we'll indict
him Then, let your damned soldiers
go after him-as criminal, not
witness. After that, we'll continue this
case until these outsiders go away,
and we can operate to suit ourselves.
We don't fall for Samson South's
tricks. No, sir; you never got that
letter! 1t miscarried. Do you hear?
You never got it,
Smithers nodded grudging acqui-
escence. Most men would rather be
independent officials than collar-wear-
ers.
Out on Misery Samson South had
gladdened the soul of his uncle with
his return. The old man was mending,
and, for a long time, the two had
talked. The failing head of the clan
looked vainly for signs of degeneration
in his nephew, and, failing to find
them, was happy.
'Hev We decided, Samson" he in
CURED, tibet ye was right in yer no
ton, bout goin' away?"
Samson sat reflectively for a while,
then replied:
I'VE were both right, Uncle Spicer-
and both wrong. This is my place,
but If I'm to take up the leadership it
must be in a different fashion. Changes
are coming. We can't any longer stand
still"
Spicer South lighted his pipe. He,
too, in these last years, had seen in
the distance the crest of the oncoming
wave
Il reckon there's right smart truth
to that" he acknowledged. I've been
studyin' bout hit consid' able myself Of
late. Thar's been sev'ral fellers
through the country talkin' coal an
timber an railroads-an' SIGH like"
Sally went to mill that Saturday, |
and with her rode Samson. There, be-
sides Vile McCager, he met Caleb
Wiley and several others. At first,
they received him skeptically, but they
knew of the visit to Purvy's store, and
they were willing to admit that in part |
at least he had erased the blot from
his escutcheon. Then, too, except for
cropped hair and white skin, he had
come back as he had gone, in home
spun and hickory. There was nothing
highfalutin in his manners. In short.
the impression was good.