The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-01-28

during those DeQ-T1Qqeu Jays an
nights, plans OF reprisaL Accordin
TO current report, Puryy had al
nounced that his would-be assassi
dwelt on Misery. and was "marke'
down" So, there were obvious exi
gencies which the Souths must pre-
pare to meet. In particular. the clal
must thrash out TO definite under
standing the demoralizing report tina
Samson South, their logical leader
meant to abandon them, at eriei!
when war-clouds we're thickening.
The painter had finally resolved t.
cut the Gordian knot, aud leave the
mountains. He had trained on Sam
son to the last piece all his artillery Of
argument. The case was now submit
ted with the suggestion that the boy
take three months to consider, and
that, II he decided affirmatively, he
should notify Lescott In advance OF his
coming. He proposed sending Samson
small library OF carefully picked
books, which the mountaineer eagerly
agreed to devour in the interval.
Lescott consented, however, to re-
main over Saturday, and go to the
dance, since he was curious to observe
what pressure was brought to bear on
the boy, and to have himself final
word Of argument after kinsmen had
spoken.
Saturday morning came after night
OF torrential rain, which had left the
mountains steaming under reek Of
fog and pitching clouds.
But, as the morning wore on, the
sun fought its way to view in scrap
of overhead blue. From log cabins
and plank houses up and down Misery
an6dts tributaries. men and women be-
gan their hegira toward the mill. Les
colt rode IN the wake OF Samson, who
had Sally on pillow at his back. They
came before noon to the mouth of Dry
hole creek, and the house OF Vile Nc
eager. Already, the picket fence was
lined with tethered horses and mules.
From the interior of the house came
the sounds of fiddling, though these
strains of Turkey in the Straw" were
only by way OF prelude. Lescott felt,
though he could not say just what con-
crete thing told him, that under the
shallow note Of merry-making brooded
the raajor theme of a troublesome
problem. The seriousness was below
the surface. but mistakenly depressing.
He saw, too, that he himself was mixed
up With It In fashion, which might
become dangerous, when a few jugs
OF white liquor had been empted.
While the young persons danced
and spanked" within, and the more
truculent lads escaped to the road to
pass the jug, and forecast with youth
full war.fever "eleaain' out the Holt
mans, the elders We're deep in ways
and means. If the truce could be pre-
served for it's unexpired period of
three years. It was, OF course, best In
that event, crops could be cultivated.
and lives saved But, II Jesse Puryy
chose to regard his shooting as a
breach OF terms, and struck, he would
strike hard, and. in that event. best
defense lay in striking first. Samson
would soon be twenty-one. That he
would take his place as head OF tho
Ian had until now never been ques-
he was talking OF deser-
ion For that, pink-skinned for
,igner, who wore woman's bow of
'ibbon at his collar, was to blame.
rhe question of loyalty must be square
y put up 20 Samson, aud 1t must be
lone today His answer must be def
lite and unequiyocal. AS a guest OF
;picer South, Lescott was entitled to
hat consideration which is accorded
None the less. the vital affair of the
Ian could not be baked by considera-
ion for a stranger who, In the opin-
on Of the majority. should be driven /
rom the country as an insldious mis-
Ostensibly, the truce still /
eld, but at no time since it's signing
ad matters been so freighted with the
menace of gathering storm. The
ttitude OF each faction was that OF
everal men standing quiet with guns
idlHCN On oAlS ditoNAA1i . oAtetSNHs AA"Sh
esitated to fire, knowing that to pull
he trigger meant to die himself yet
caring that another trigger might at
ny moment be drawn. Purvy dared
OF have Samson shot out Of hand, be-
ause he feared that the Souths would
lain his life In return, yet he feared
, let Samson live On the other hand,
Purvy fell. no South could balance
is death. except Spicer or Samson.
ny situation that might put condi-
cns to a moment OF issue would
ther prove that the truce was being
or open the war-and yet
ach faction was guarding against such
a event as too fraught with danger.
ne thing was certain. By persuasion
: force, Lescott must leave, and Sam
IN must show himself TO be the youth
e had been thought. or the confessed
I'D repudiated renegade. Those ques-
ons, today must answer. 1t was
fficult situation, aud promised an
'entful entertainment. Whatever
inclusion was reached as to the art
It's future. he was, until the verdict
ime in, visitor, and. unless liquor
famed some reckless trouhle-hunter,
lat fact would not be forgotten. Pos
bly,, It was as we'll that Tamarack /