Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-04-23

81 seed Jim Asberry loafin' round
Jest beyond Their ridge. as l rid over
hyar," volunteered the man who had
brought the message.
Go slow now. Samson. Don't be no
blame fool" dissuaded Vile McCager.
"Hixon's plumb full of them Hollmans,
an they're likely ter be full Of Ticker
hits Saturday. Hits apt ter be shore
death fer ye ter try ter ride through
Main street-ef ye gifts tibet far. Ye
dassent do hit"
81 dast do anything!" asserted the
boy. with a flash of sudden anger.
Some liar lowed awhile ago tibet |
was a coward. All right, mebby / be-
Unc' Vile, keep the boys hyar tell ye
hears from mean keep 'em sober
He turned and made his way to the
fence where his mule stood hitched
When Samson crossed the ridge and
entered the HOLMAN country, Jim AS
berry, watching from hilltop point OF
vantage, rose and mounted the horse
that stood hitched behind nearby
screen of rhododendron bushes and
young cedars. Sometimes, he rode just
one bend of the road in Samson's rear.
Sometimes, he took short cuts, and
watched his enemy pass. But always
he held him under Eigilant eye
Finally, he reached a wayside store
where local telephone gave communl-
cation with Hollman's Mammoth De-
partment store.
"Jedge," he informed, Samson
South's done left the party ct Their
mill. an he's a-ridin towards town
Shall l git him."
is he comm by hisself?" inquired
the storekeeper.
Yes"
well, jest let him come on. We
can tend ter him hyar, eff necessary.
So Jim withheld his hand, and merely
Swallowed, sending bulletins, from time
| to time.
1t was about three o'clock when Sam
son started. 1t was near six when ne
reached the ribbon of road that, loops
down into town over the mountain.
His mule was in lather of sweat. He
! knew that he was being spied upon,
and that word of his coming was traV-
cling ahead of him. What he did not
know was whether or not 1t suited
Jesse Purvy's purpose that he should
slide from his mule, dead, before ne
turned homeward. If Tamarack had
been seized as a declaration of war
the chief South would certainly not
be allowed to return If the arrest had
not been for feud reasons, he might
escape. That was the question which
would be answered with his life OF
death.
The "iailhouse'' was a small build
ing of homemade brick, squatting al
the rear of the courthouse yard. As
Samson drew near, he saw that some
ten or twelve men, armed with rifles
separated from groups and disposed
themselves behind the tree trunks anC
the stone coping of the well. None Of
them spoke, and Samson pretended
that he had not seen them. He rode
his mule at a walk, knowing that he
was rife-covered from half-dozel
windows. At the hitching rack direct
" beneath the county building, HI
flung his reins over post, and, swing
ing his rifle at his side, passed eau
tiously along the brick walk to thu
Jail. The men behind the trees edget
around their covers as he went, keep
ing themselves protected, as squirrels
creep around trunk when hunter Il
lurking below. Samson halted at TIT
Jail wall, and called the prisoner
name. A tousled head and surly fac
appeared at the barred window, ant
the boy went over and held converse
from the outside.
How in hell did we git into town?
demanded the prisoner.
81 rid in," was the short reply
How'd we git in the jailhouse?
The captive was shamefaced
81 got leetle too much Ticker, an
was shootin' out the lights last night,
he confessed.
What business did ye have hyar II
} Hixon?"
81 jest slipped in ter see GAL
Samson leaned closer, and Lowered
his voice.
Does they know tibet ye shot then
shoots at Jesse Purvy?"
Tamarack turned pale.
NO" he stammered. they believ'
you done hit"
Samson laughed. He was thinking
of the rifles trained on him from
dozen invisible rests.
How long air they a-goin' ter keel
We hyar?" he demanded.
81 kin git out tomorrer eft pays tn
fine. Hits ten dollars"
And eff 20 don't pay the liner
Hits dollar day."
81 reckon ye don't low ter pay hit
do ye?"
81 lowed mebby We mout pay hit fe
me, Samson"
''Ye done lowed plumb wrong.