The Delta independent., 1915-08-27


ancing the gun once more in his
hands, old instincts began to stir, OLD
battle hunger to rise, and old realize.
tions of primitive things to assault
him. Then, when they had waited
with bated breath until they were both
reassured, he rose and swung the
stock to his shoulder several times
With something like a sigh of con
tentment, he said, half to himself:
"Hit feels mighty natural ter throw
this old rifie-gun up. l reckon maybe
l kin still shoot hit"
Il learned some things down there
at school, Samson said the girl, slow,
ly, "and wish-I wish you didn't have
to use this"
Jim Asberry is dead" said the man
gravely.
YES" she echoed, Jim Asberry's
dead" She stopped there. Yet, her
sign completed the sentence as though
she had added, but he was only one OF
several Your vow went farther"
After moments pause, Samson
added:
Jesse Purvy's dead
The girl drew back. with fright.
ened gasp. She knew what this meant,
or thought she did.
Jesse Purvy." she repeated. "Oh,
Samson, did ye-?" She broke off, and
covered her face with her hands.
NO, Sally" he told her. 81 didn't
have to-" He recited the days occur
rences, and they sat together on the
ha hoI 81,
ridge top.
Capt. Sidney Callomb, who had been
dispatched in command of a militia
company to quell the trouble in the
mountains, should have been a soldier
by profession. All his enthusiasms
were martial His precision was mill
tary. His cool eye had note of COM
mand which made itself obeyed He
had rare gift of handling men, which
made them ready to execute the i'm
possible. But the elder Callomb had
trained his son to succeed him at the
head of railroad system, and the
young man had philosophically under
taken to satisfy his military ambitions
with State Guard shoulder straps.
The deepest sorrow and mortifica-
ton he had ever known was that which
came to him when Tamarack Spicer,
his prisoner of war and man who had
been surrendered on the strength of
his personal guaranty, had been as
sassinated before his eyes. In some
fashion, he must make amends He
realized, too, and it ranked deeply,
that his men were not being genuinely
used to serve the state but as instru-
ments of the Hollmans, and he had
seen enough to- distrust the Hollmans.
Here, in Hixon, he was seeing things
from only one angle. He meant to
earn something more impartial
Besides being on duty as an officer
Of militia, Callomb was a Kentuckian.
interested in the problems of his com.
monwealth, and, when he went back.
ae knew that his cousin, who occupied
the executive mansion at Frankfort.
would be interested in his suggestions.
ais Impressions. and he meant to. af-
Ter analyzing them.
So, smarting under his impotency,
Captain Callomb came out of his tent
one morning, and strolled across the
curved bridge to the town proper. He
Knew that the grand jury was conven-
ng, and he meant to sit as spectator
the courthouse and study proceed
ngs when they were instructed.
But DeIore ne reached the court
house, where for a half-hour yet the
cupola bell would not ciang out its
summons to veniremen and witnesses.
he found fresh fuel for his wrath.
He was not a popular man with
these clansmen, though involuntarily
he had been useful in leading their vic
tins to the slaughter. There was a
scowl in his eyes that they did not
like. and an arrogant hint of iron laws
in the livery he wore, which their ia
stincts distrusted.
Callomb saw without being told that
over the town lay sense of por-
tentous tidings. Faces we're more
sullen than usual. Men fell into scowl-
store where he stopped for tobacco
inquired as he made change:
"Heerd the news, stranger"
What news?"
This here Wildcat Samson South
come back yistiddy, an last evenin'
towards sundown, Jesse Purvy an
Aaron Hollis was shot dead"
For an instant, the soldier stood
looking at the young clerk, his eyes
kindling into a wrathful blaze. Then,
he cursed under his breath At the
hQ In htc
Where can Judge Smithers be
found at this time of day." he de-
manded.
CHAPTER XIV.