The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1915-06-17
CHAPTER IV-Ccntinued.


turned sharply into the woods, and
began climbing. His steps carried MIN
TO the rift in the ridge where the white
oak stood sentinel over the watch
tower of rock. AS he came over the
edge from one side his bare feet max
ing no sound, he saw Sally sitting
there, with her hands resting on the
moss and her eyes deeply troubled
She was gazing f1xedly ahead and her
lips were trembling. At once Sam
sons face grew black Some one had
been making Sally unhappy. Then he
saw beyond her a standing figure,
which the tree trunk had hitherto con-
cealed. It was the loose-knitted figure
of young Tamarack Spicer.
I'm course" Spicer was saying, I'VE
don't low Samson shot Jesse Purvy,
but them Hollmans II 'spicion him, an
heered just now tibet them dawgs
was trackin' straight UP hyar from the
mouth Of Misery. They'll git hyar
against shutdown"
Samson leaped violently forward.
With one hand he roughly seized his
cousins shoulder and wheeled him
about.
"Shet up!" he commanded. What
d-n fool stuff hev We been tellin'
Sally?"
For an instant the two clansmen
stood fronting each other. Samson's
face was set and wrathful. Tamarack's
was surly and snarling. "Hain't got
q license ter tell Sally the news?" he
demanded.
Nobody hain't got no license" re-
torted the younger man In the quiet
Of cold anger, "ter tell Sally nothin'
thetIl fret her"
"She air bound ter know hit all
pretty soon. Them dawgs-"
Didn't tell ye ter shet up?" Sam
son clenched his fists and took step
forward. EFF ye opens yore mouth
again, I'm a-goin' ter smash hit Now,
git!"
Tamarack Spicer's face blackened,
and his teeth showed. His right hand
swept to his left arm-pit. Outwardly
be seemed weaponless, but Samson
knew that concealed beneath the
hickory shirt was a holster, worn
mountain fashion.
What air ye a-reachin' after,
Tam'rack?" he inquired, his lips twist
Ing in aMusement.
"Thet's nay business"
We'll, git hit out-or git out yeself,
afore / throws We often the cliff"
Sally showed no symptoms of alarm.
Her confidence In her hero was abso-
lutte. The boy lifted his hand, and
pointed. of down the path. Slowly
and with incoherent muttering, Spicer
took himself away. Then only did
Sally rise. She came over. and laid a
hand on Samson's shoulder. In her
blue eyes, the tears were yelling.
Samson" she whispered, "ef they're
after We. come ter my house. I kin
hide ye out Why didn't ye tell me
Jesse Jurvey'd done been snotr
'Hit faint nothin' ter fret about,
Sally" he assured her. He spoke
awkwardly, for he had been trained to
regard emotion as unmanly. Thar
hain't no danger"
She gazed searchingly into his eyes,
and then, with short sob, threw her
arms around him, and buried her face
On his shoulder.
EFF anything happens ter ye, Sam.
son." she said, brokenly, "hit'H Jest
kill me. I couldn't live withouten ye
Samson. Jest couldn't do hiti"
The boy took her In his arms, and
pressed her close. His eyes were gag
Ing of over her bent head, and his lips
twitched. He drew his features into
3 scowl, because that was the only ex.
preston with which he could safe.
guard his feelings. His voice was
ausky.
81 reckon, Sally" he said, II couldn't
i've withouten you, neither"
The party of men who had started
at morning from Jesse Purdy's store
had spent hard day. The roads fol
lowed creek-beds, crossing and re-
crossing waterways In fashion tina,
gave the bloodhounds a hundred baf
fling difficulties. Often, their noses
lost the trail, which had at first been
so surely taken. Often, they circled
and whined, and halted In perplexity
but each time they came to a point
where, at the end, one of them again
raised his muzzle skyward, and gave
voice.
Toward evening, they were working
up Misery along course less broken
The party halted for moments rest
and, as the bottle was passed, the man
from Lexington, who had brought the
dogs aud stayed to conduct the chase
put question:
What do you call this creek?"
"Hit's Misery"
Does anybody live on Misery thai
-er-that yen might suspectT
The Hollmans laughed.
This creek is settled with Souths
thicker'n hops"
The Lexington man looked up. He
knew what the name Of South mean
10 Holman.
'Is there any special South, whe
might have a particular grudge1"
THE Souths don't need NO parti1al
grudge, but thar's young Samson
South. He's wildcat"
HE lives this way?"
These dogs air amakin' bee-lins
fer ais house" Jim Holman wa.
bDsnking. Then he added: rvs aous