The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1915-03-26

"11;. &c.,. 81. 5o'e the clans versE
of. Eff this boy goes ter ts s'es
won't never git into 40 cote p p'a
murdered" As
The officer held out his hand
"As man to man." he said, T,,,I
you my word that no one shan ,'
him except by process of law. r,
working for the Hollmans Or fl.
vys. | know their breed"
For a space old South lootoa
the soldiers eyes and the sass
looked back. wy
"Pll take yore handshake on h
bargain" said the mountaineer III
ly. "Tam'rack," he added, in a II
Of finality, we've got ter CO."
The officer had meant what bo Il
He marched his prisoner into nj
at the center Of hollow souara
muskets at the ready. And yet, Il
boy passed into the courthouse 4
with a soldier rubbing elbows on [
side, a clearly aimed shot SOM
from somewhere. The smokeless,l
der told no tale, and with blue N
and army hats circIing him, Tana
fell and died. +
That afternoon one of Holm
henchmen was found lying in the
with his lifeless face in the ystps
the creek. The next day, as old 81.
South stood at the door of his n
a rifle parked from the hillside ask
fell, shot through the left shouldsk
a bullet intended for his heart f
this while the troops were helpsk
camped at Hixon. They had IA
and inclination to 60 out and get
but there was no man to get.
The Hollmans had used the sOsA.
as far as they wished; they had n
them pull the chestnuts out d &
fire and Tamarack Spleen out d
stronghold. They now refused s
swear out additional warrants E
A detail had rushed into Holl
store an instant after the. shot NJ
killed Tamarack was fired. Excea
a woman buying e card Of buttons
a fair-haired clerk waiting on heit
found the building empty.
Back beyond, the hills were imN
trable. and answered nc question 5
Old Spicer South would ten u
ago have put a bandage on his vu
and gone about his business, but
he tossed under his patchwork @
and Brother Spencer expressed r
doubts for his recovery. With
counsel unavailable Vile McCaga
common consent, assumed sonnet
like the powers of regent and
upon himself the duties to which a
son should have succeeded.
That a Holman should have
able to elude the pickets and penet
the heart of South territory to s.
Soutb's cabin was both astounding
alarming. The war was on Wit
question now, and there must be
ell. Vile McCager had sent out
mons for the family heads to 1
that afternoon at his mill. 1t was
urday-"mill day"-and in accor
with ancient custom the lanes
be more travelled than usual.
Those men who came by the
road afforded no unusual spec
for behind each saddle sagged a
Of grain. Their faces bore no 81
Of unwonted excitement, but
man balanced a rife across bis
mel. None the less. their purposa
grim, and their talk when thel
gathered was to the point.
Old McCager, himself sofeH &
picked, voiced the sentiment tha
others had been too courteous q
press. With Spicer South be9na
and Samson renegade, they hs
adequate leader. McCager was q
man Of intrepid courage and hoas
but grinding grist was his vecai
not strategy and tactics. The ei
had such masters of intrigue az Il
and Judge Holman.
Then q lean sorrel mare cane
cling into view, switching her fyh
tail, and on the mares back, uis
him with a long, leafy switch. y
woman. Behind her sagged the
loaded ends Of a corn sack. Sha
1.-THE and slim, and her violet
were profoundly serious, and her !
were as resolutely set as Joan OF y
might have been, for Sally Miller
come only ostensibly to have her
ground to meal She had really g
to speak for the absent chief, ana
knew that. she would be met with q
sion. The years had sobered the
but her beauty had increased, tna
1t was now chastened type, W.
gave her a strange and rather enA
refinement Of expression.
Vile McCager came to the mill
as she rode up and lifted the z
from her horse.
"Howdy, sally?" he greeted.
"Tol'able. thank ye," said Sally
goin' ter get off,"
AS she entered the great halfliSl
room, where the mill stones cles
nm khnta n.,Sn z-,o+nn eboffc the III