The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1915-01-14
CHAPTER iv--contlnued.


He sauntered down the road. but,
when he had passed out OF vision. he
turned sharply into the woods, and
began climbing. His steps carried him
10 the rift In the ridge where the white
oak stood sentinel over the watch
tower OF rock. As he came over the
edge from one side his bare feet max
Ing no sound, he saw Sally sitting
there, with Der hands resting on the
moss and her eyes deeply troubled
lips were trembling. At once Sam.
sons face grew black. Some one had
been making Sally unhappy. Then he
saw beyond her standing figure.
which the tree trunk had hitherto con.
cealed. II was the loose-knitted figure
OF young Tamarack Spicer.
"ln course" Spicer was saying. I'VE
don't low Samson shot Jesse Purvy,
but them Hollmans II 'spicion him. an
heered Just now thet them dawgs
was trackin' straight up hyar from the
mouth of Misery. They'll git hyar
against sundown"
Samson leaped violently forward
With one hand he roughly seized his
cousins shoulder and wheeled him
about.
"Shet upl" he commanded. What
d-n fool stun hev ye been tellin'
Sally?"
For an instant the two clansmen
stood fronting each other. Samson's
face was set and wrathful Tamarack's
was surly and snarling. "Haln't got
license ter tell Sally the news?" he
demanded.
Nobody haint got no license" re.
torted the younger man In the quiet
OF cold anger. ter tell Sally nothin'
thetll fret her"
"She air bound ter know hit all
pretty soon. Them dawgs--"
Didn't tell ye ter shet up?" Sam.
son clenched his fists. and took a step
forward. "Ef ye opens yore mouth
again. I'm a-goin' ter smash hit. Now.
git!"
Tamarack Spicer's face blackened.
and his teeth showed. His right hand
swept to his left arm.pit. Outwardly
he seemed weaponless. but Samson
knew that concealed beneath the
hickory shirt was a holster, worn
mountain fashion.
What air ye a.reacbin after,
Tam'rack?" he inquired, his lips twist.
ing in amusement.
"Thets my business"
We'll. git hit out-or git out yeself,
afore throws We offen the cliff"
Sally showed no symptoms OF alarm.
Her confidence In her hero was abso.
Lutte. The boy lifted his hand, and
pointed of down the path Slowly
and with incoherent mutterlng, Spicer
took himself away. Then only did
Sally rise. She came over, and laid a
hand on Samson's shoulder. IN her
blue eyes, the tears were yelling.
Samson" she whispered, "ef they're
after ye. come ter my house. kin
hide ye out. Why didn't ye tel. me
Jesse Jurvey'd done been shot?"
Hit taint nothin ter fret about,
Sally" he assured her. He spoke
awkwardly. for he had been trained 10
regard emotion as unmanly. Thar
hain't no danger"
She gazed searchingly into his eyes,
and then. with a short sob threw her
arms around him. and buried her face
on his shoulder.
"Ef anything happens ter ye, Sam.
son." she said. brokenly, "hltll lest
kill me. couldn't live withouten ye,
Samson. jest couldn't do hit!"
The boy took her In his arms. and
pressed her close. His eyes were gaz
ing of over her bent head. and his lips
twitched. He drew his features into
a scowl. because that was the only ex
psesslon with which he could safe
guard his feelings. His voice was
husky.
Il reckon. Sally" he said. Il couldn't
live withouten you, neither"
The party OF men who had started
at morning from Jesse Purdy's store
had spent hard day. The roads fol
lowed creek-beds, crossing and re.
crossing waterways In a fashion that
gave the bloodhounds u hundred baf
fling difficulties. OFTEN, their noses
lost the trail. which had at first been
so surely taken. Often. they circlet
and whined. and halted In perplexity
but each time they came to a poin'
where. at the end. one OF them agair
raised his muzzle skyward. and gave
voice.
Toward evening. they were workinl
up Misery along course less broken
The party halted for a moments rest
and, 90 the bottle was passed. the mar
from Lexington. who had brought thu
dogs and stayed TO conduct the chase
put a question:
what do you call this creeki"
"I{lf,a Mlaerv"