The Huttig news., 1915-04-10

in the governors private office. still deep in discussion. During the long session, Callomb opened the bulky vol ume of the Kentucky statutes, and laid his finger on section 2673.
 There's the rub" he protested, read ing aloud: "'The military shall be at all times, and in all cases, in strict subordination to the civil power.
 The governor glanced down to the next paragraph and read in part: The governor may direct the con- mending officer of the military force to report to any one of the following named officers of the district in which the said force is employed: Mayor of a city, sheriff, jailer or marshall
 Which list" stormed Callomb, "is the honor roll of the assassins."
 At all events''-the governor had derived from Callomb much informa- tion as to Samson South which the mountaineer himself had modestly withheld-"South gets his pardon. That is only step. l wish I could make him satrap over his province, and provide him with troops to rule it. Unfortunately, our form of govern ment has it's drawbacks"
 Tt might be possible, ventured the attorney general, ito impeach the sheriff, and appoint this or some other suitable man to fill the vacancy until the next election"
 "The legislature doesn't meet until next winter" objected Callomb. There Is one chance. The sheriff down there is sick man. Let us hope he may die."
 One day, the Hixon conclave met in the room ovor Hollman's Mammoth Department store, and with much pro- fanity read a communication from Frankfort, announcing the pardon of Samson South. In that episode, they foresaw the beginning of the end for their dynasty. The outside world was looking on, and their regime could not survive the spotlight of law-loving scrutiny.
 "The fust thing" declared Judge Hollman curtly, "is to get rid of these damned soldiers. We'll attend to our own business later and we don't want them watchin' us. Just now, we want to lie mighty quiet for a spell-tee. totally quiet until pass the word
 Samson had won back the confi- dence of his tribe, and enlisted the faith of the state administration. He had been authorized to organize local militia company, and to drill them provided he could stand answer able for their conduct. The younger Souths took gleefully to that idea The mountain boy makes a good soldier, once he has grasped the idea of dis- eipline. For ten weeks, they drilled daily in squads and weekly in platoons. Then. the fortuitous came to pass. Sheriff Forbin died, leaving behind him an unexpired term of two years, and Samson was summoned hastily to Frankfort He returned, bearing his commission as high sheriff, though when the news reached Hixon, there were few men who envied him his post, and none who cared to bet that he would live to take his oath of office.
 That August court day was mem orable~ one in Hixon. Samson South was coming to town to take up his duties. Every one recognized it as the day of final issue, and one that could hardly pass without bloodshed. The Hollmans, standing in their last trench, saw only the blunt question of Hollman-South supremacy. For years. the feud had fiared and slept and broken again into eruptions, but never | before had South sought to throw his outposts of power across the Wa ters of Crippleshin, and into the coun- ty seat. That the present South came the law only made his effrontery the more unendurable.
 Samson had not called for outside troops. The drilling and disciplining of his own company had progressed in silence along the waters of Misery. They were a slouching, unmiItary band of uniformed vagabonds. but they were longing to fight, and Callomb had been with them. tirelessly whipping them into rudimentary shape. After ! all. they were as much partisans ae they had been before they were issued state rifles. The battle, if 1t came, would be as factional as the fight of 9 years ago, when the Hollmans held the store and the Souths the conrt- house. But back of all that lay one es- sential difference. and it was this diff | ference that had urged the governor to stretch the forms of law and put such dangerous power into the handss of one man. That difference was Inc, man himself He was to take drastic steps. but he was to take them under the forms of law. and the state execu- tive believed that. having gone through worse to better, he would maintain the improved condition.