The Columbus courier. [volume] (Columbus, Luna County, N.M.) 1911-1920, 1915-02-12

mt. ouutut began tHo uQB-oWnefi
with some embarrassment. Il have
been employed 70 furnish a pair Of
bloodhounds 10 the family OF Jesse
Purvy. who has been shot"
7 heerd tell thet Purvy was shot. =
said the head OF the souths IN an AZ.
fable tone. which betrayed no deeper
note Of interest than noighborhood
gosaip might have elected.
II have no personal interest in the
matter" went on the stranger, hastily,
az n bent on making his attitude
clear. except to supply the dogs and
manage them. do not In any way al.
rect their course; l merely follow"
"Ye can't hardly fo'ce a dawg." old
spicer sasely nodded his head NJ he
made the remark. "A dawg Jest match.
erly follers his own nose"
"Exactly-and they have followed
their noses here" The Lexington man
found the embarrassment OF his posi-.
ton growing az the colloquy proceed
ed. Il want 20 ask you whether, II
these dogs want 10 cross your fence, l
have your permission to let themT"
The master OF the house crossed the
stile. the low sur shining on his shock
OF gray hair, and stood before the man
hunter, He epoke 80 that his voice
carried to the waiting group in the
road.
"Ye're plumb welcome ter turn them
dawgs loose. an let 'em rRmble,
stranger. Nobody haln't a-goin' ter
hurt EN-. ! sees some fellers u thar
with We thet mustn't cross my fence.
~ they does"-the voice rang men
acingly-"hit1l mean that they're
a-bustin' the truce-an' they won't
never go out ag1n. But you air safe
in hyar. gives yer my hand on tibet.
Ye're welcome, an yore dawgs Is well
come. | haint got nothin' 'gainst
dawgs thet ONE on four legs, but !
shore bars the t~wo-legged kind"
There was a murmur OF astonish-
ment from the road. Disregarding It,
spicer South turned his face toward
the house.
you boys kin come out" he shout
er, AN leave yore guns inside"
The leashes we're slipped from the
dogs. They leaped forward, and made
directly for Samson, who sat as I'M
moving as a llfeless image on the top
step Of the stile. There was a half-mo-
ment Of terrific suspense. then the
beasts clambered by the seated figure.
passing on each side and circled aim
lessly about the ~yard-thesr quest un.
eTded. They shifted indiferently about
tNe trouser legs OF the men who saun-
tered indolentiy out Of the door. They
trotted into the house and out again.
and mingled with the mongrel home
pack that anarled and growled hos
tility for this invasion. Then, they
came once more TO the stile. A they
climbed out. Samson South reached
up and stroked a tawny head, and the
bloodhound paused a moment to wag
It's tail In friendship, before II jumped
down to the road, and trotted gingerly
onward.
I'm obliged to you, sir" said the
man from the bluegrass. with a voice
Of immense relief.
The moment OF suspense seemed
past. and, In the relief OF the averted
clash. the master OF hounds forgot
that his dogs stood branded as false
trailers. But when be reioined the
group in the road he found himself
looking into surly visages, and the
features Of Jim HOLMAN in particular
we're black In their scowl OF smoIder.
ing wrath.
why didn't ye az him. growled
the hnsmsn OF the man who had been
shot, "whar the other feIler's att"
What other fellowg" echoed the
Lexington man.
jim Hollman's voice rose trucp,
Ieltiy, and his words drIfted. as he
meant them to, across to the cara Of
the clansmen who stood IN the yard
OF spicer South.
Them dawgs OF your'n come uT
Misery a.hellin'. They hain't never
turned aside, an onless they're piumh
ornery, ~no-'count ours tibet don't know
their business, they come for some
reason. They seemed mighty inter
eated in gittin' hyar. AK them fellerS
in thar who's been hyar tibet haln't
hyar now? Who IL Their Teller tibet
got u afore we come hyarf"
Al this veiled charge Of deceit the
faces OF the souths again blRckened
and the men ear the door OF the
house drifted in to drift presently out
again. swinging discarded Winchea
tiers at their sides. II seemed that
after all. the incident was o closed
The mar from Lexington. finding him
self face 10 face with a new dlnlculty
turned and argued In a low voice with
the HOLMAN leader, But Jim Holl
man, whose Eyes were nxsd on Sam
son, refused 10 talk IN q modulatet
tone, and he shouted his reply;
Il hain't got nothin' ter whisper
about" he proclaimed. go Ak EN-
who hit wal tibet got away from hyar.
Old spicer South stood leaning OF
his fence and bis rugged o%ouutenanc'
stiIened. He started to speak, buI
Samson rose IRON the .stile and said
m a composed voice;