Mountain advocate. (Barbourville, Ky.) 1904-1935, 1915-11-05
CHAPTER VII.


II was into this newly charged at
mUsphere that Judnita Holland and
hrr missionary guide rode ia the morn.
ing mists
Good Anse Talbot was in many
ways an inadequate ally. He was both
morrow and illiterate. but he was ear.
nest
At last the girl rode resolutely up to
her escorts saddle skirts and asked .
ProtL"r Talbot. hadn't you better tell
ne what It all means"
The missionary lifted a face that
Was almost haggard.
Tilt means he said with no idea
Of irreverenCe. tibet Satans got both
underholts-an' God help this coun.
try"
Then he sketched for her the his
tory of the fcud and deduced conclu-
siOHs from what they had both seen
and heard
She listened with a sickening heart
until he changed the subject aud told
her that the Widow EversOn. with
whom she was to stop. had stable
house where she would be comfortable
At last the girl saw, still a long way
OF, fertile little valley, where the
corn seemed taller and richer than on
the scattered coves. There. like a tiny
matchbox, on a high level near which
the wall of mountain broke into
broad gateway she could make out
house. 1t was not Of logs, but of brick
and stood in all Enclosure that looked
more like the Blue Grass than the
mountains.
Does >e see yon brick house nigh
ther gap. TAets Bad Anse's place. an
ser thar aclVSt Their ridge. three
mile away by cruw.tiight an a half.
days ride by Their roads. is whar Milt
MCBr.ar dwells. Ye KANT see hit
nom hyar."
IL Was almost shutdown when they
reached the house OF the Widow Ever
son, and II sight OF the woman stand
ing 1t the fence to meet them Juani-
ta's heart took strength. This house
was not of logs, but OF undressed
boards, with gayly painted window and
door frames OF red, and although two
DAYS ago she would have called it
mean, she had revised her views
enough to regard it now as almost
magnificent
The widow dwelt here with her two
sons. and the trio. by virtue OF great
diplomacy. had succeeded in maintain
ing a neutrality throughout :he strife
The comforts OF the place were such
as must serve to give contentment
where teaming is arduOus aud the
mail carrier comes twice week. but
cleanliness dwelt there and homely
cheer OF a sort.
Before they had yet entered the
house the girl saw horseman ap-
preaching with an escort OF several
men who carried rifles balanced across
their pommels. They came nom the
east and though Juanita did not know
Who they were, she recognized the cen
trail rider. himself unarmed, To be
person OF consequence
He was tall, and under his faded
coat his rather lean figure fell into an
attitude of wellmuscled strength de.
spite his ruilness OF years.
"Evenin', ma'am." said the new.
conner, no. | haint a-goin ter light
jest hetred thet Brother Talbot Mas
a-comin' over hyar, an | wanted speech
with him"
The missionary nodded.
IAN right Mllt' he said, and the
girl knew, as she had already suspect.
ed, that here was a second of her Chief
enemies.
Il reckon We all knows what hap
pened last night she heard him say
ing slowly INT war a pity, an |
hears tibet Their llayeys are a-chargm
hit up ergin me Thets natral enough
| reckon They lows tibet Ia walk
plumb acrost hell on rotten plank
ter do EN- injury, ri they stopped ter
reason hit out a spell they'd rccolIect
tibet went over thar ter Peril am let
a jedse thet didn't own his own soul
an 4 jury they he'd done packed clar
one of their kinfolks fer KILN
cousin o. mins-an tibet | never raised