The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-01-02

took his place before the easel
| Neither he nor Lescott noticed a man
who crept down through the timber,
and for a time watched them. The
mans face wore a suTly, contemptuous
! grin, and shortly it withdrew.
But, an hour later, while the boy
was still working industriously and
the artist was lying on his back, with
pipe between his teeth, and his half
closed eyes gazing up contentedly
| through the green Of overhead
branches, their peace was broken by
guffaw of derisive laughter. They
| looked up, to find at their backs a semi
circle of scofhng humanity. Lescott's
impulse was to laugh, for only the
comedy of the situation at the mo-
ment struck him. A stage director,
setting comedy scene with that most
| ancient Of jests, the gawking Of boobs
at some new sight, could hardly have
! improved on this tableau. At the front
stood Tamarack Spicer, the returned
wanderer. His lean wrist was stretched
out OF a ragged sleeve all too short, and
| his tattered Jimmy" was showed back
over face all a-grin. His eyes were
blood-shot with recent drinking, but
his manner was in exaggerated and
cumbersome imitation of rural mas
| ter of ceremonies. At his back were
the raw-boned men and women and
children of the hills, to the number OF
dozen.
Ladies and gentlemen" announced
Tamarack Spicer, in hiccoughing
voice, Swing yo' partners an sashay
| forward. See the only son of the late
Henry South engaged in his mar-Ve-
lous an heretofore undiscovered occu-
patton of doin' fancy work. Ladies and
gentlemen, after this here show is
concluded, keep your seats for the con-
! cert in the main tent. This here ia
nous performer will favor ye with q
| little exhibition of plain an fancy
sock-darnin'
After the first surprise, Samson had
turned his back on the group. He was
mixing paint at the time and he pro-
ceeded to experiment with fleeing
| cloud effect, which would not outlast
the moment He finished that, and,
reaching for the palette-knife, scraped
his fingers and wiped them on his
trousers legs. Then, he deliberately
rose.
Without a word he turned. Tama-
rack had begun his harangue afresh.
The boy tossed back the long lock
from his forehead, and then, with
an Unexpectedly swift movement,
crouched and leaped. His right fist
| shot forward to Tamarack Spicer's
chattering lips, and they abruptly
ceased to chatter as the teeth were
driven into their flesh. Spicer's head
snapped back, and he staggered against
the onlookers, where he stood rocking
on his unsteady legs. His hand swept
instinctively to the shirt-concealed
holster, but, before it had connected
both of Samson's fists were playing a
terrific tattoo on his face. The in
glorious master of the show dropped,
and lay groggily trying to rise.
The laughter died as suddenly as
Tamarack's speech. Samson stepped
back again, and searched the faces OF
the group for any lingering sign OF
mirth or criticism. There was none
Every countenance was sober and ex.
pressionless, but the boy felt a weight
of unuttered disapprovai, and he glared
defiance. One of the older onlookers
spoke up reproachfully.
Samson, ye hadn't hardly ought ter
a-done that. He was jest a funnin'
with ye."
cit him up on his feet I've got
somethin' ter say ter him." The boys
voice was dangerously quiet. 1t was
his first word. They lifted the fallen
cousin, whose entertainment had gone
astray, and led him forward grumbling,
threatening and suffering, but evinc-
ing no immediate desire to renew hos
tilities.
| "whar hev ye been?" demanded
Samson.
"Thet's my business" came the IA
miliar mountain phrase.
"Why wasn't yer hyar when them
dawgs come by? Why was ye the
only South thet ruined away, when
i they was smellin' round fer Jesse
Purvy's assassin"
81 didn't run away" Tamarack's
blood-shot eyes f1ared wickedly. 81
| knowed thet eff 1 stayed round hyar
with them damned HolImans stickin'
their noses inter our business, I'd hurt
| somebody. So, went over inter the
next county fer a spell. You feIlers
mout be able to take things often the
Hollmans, but hain't."
'Thet's a damned Iie,'' said Samson
quietly. "Ye ruined away, an We
ruined in the water so them dawgs
couldn't trail ye-ye done hit because
We shot them shoots at Jesse Purvy
from the laurel-because ye're truce
Dustin, murderin' bully tibet shoots OF
his face, an is skeered to fight" Sam
son paused for breath, and went on
with regained calmness. Eve knowed
all along ye was the man, an I've KEPT
quiet because ye're my kin. If ye're
got anything else ter say, say hit. But
eff 1 ever ketches yer taIkin' about me
or talkin' ter Sally, I'm a-goin' ter take
ye by the scroll of the neck, an dras
ye plumb into Hixon, an stick ye In
tbs iailhcpse. An I'm a-goin' ter tel
the high sheriff that the Seuths spits
We outen their mouths. Take him
away" The crowd turned and left
the place. When they were gone, Sam.
son seated himself at his easel again
and picked up his palette.