The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-11-27
CHAPTER vi.

When, just before sunset yesterday
afternoon, verdict of acquittal for
Cal Douglas had come from the turv,
room, the town of Peril had once more
held its breath and doors had closed
and the streets had cleared of such as
wished to remain poncombatants. Put
with no comment or criticism Milt.
McBriar mounted his horse and rode
out OF town, shaping his course over
the hills toward his own house. Fol-
lowing his example with equal quiet,
his kinsmen mounted, too, and disap-
peared.
AS for Cal Douglas, he reserved any
enthusiasm his vindication may have
brought to his heart until he was back
again In the depths of the hills. He
and his kinsmen turned their horses
Dy shorter and sleeper trail to the
house where the dance was going for
ward with shutting and fddling and
passing Of the Jug. 49,
When Milt McBriar and his fellows
started home an informer or two from
the Havey ranks kept them in view.
themselves unseen, until they passed
through the gap and started down the
other side Of the ridge into their own
domain. ~
That they were being so watched
was either known to the McBriars or
assumed by them. But q picked SQUAD
on fresh mounts was waiting over
there In a place where the road ran
deep through the forest and laurel.
and this squad was equipped with re-
peating rifles. Milt McBriar himself
did not 60 witt them. He had made
ell his arrangements in advance, and
1t was not seemly that the chief
should take a personal part in an exc
cution which he had decreed. .,-l
Let me hear the news, boys" Old
Milt had said with q wave OF his
hand, and then he had ridden on stol,
idly toward his own domain. 8
The house where the dance was be.
ing held stood between the knees of
two hills.
Near midnight a half-dozen men
who had not been invited rode care
fully over an almost obliterated trail
which wound blindly through the
hills at the back Of the place and
hitched their horses in a rock-sur.
rounded hollow a half-mile from the
house. Other horses and mules were
hitched all along the country road, but
these belonged to the legitimate
guests.
AS the half-dozen men, whose arri.
val had been SO cautiously accom-.
plished, began slipping down. each
holding his own course in the cover of
the laurel, there was nothing to indi.
cate that any warning had gone ahead
of them. T.. 1
From the houses with their yellow
windows and their open doors came
no note Of apprehension-no intima-j
tion Of suspicion. A medley of voices, /
now and then a laugh, q din of scrap.
ing feet, and the whine and boom of
fiddles gave out careless chorus to !
the night.
Slowly, with an adept craft that
hardly broke a twig underfoot, threei
of the new arrivals hitched their way3
forward to a point of vantage DOWN
near the road.
; They went crouched low, holding toj
the shadows with rifles thrust outI
ahead and faces almost smiling inn
their grim foretaste Of sure success.Q
In few moments they would have}
before them the doors and windows asj
lighted targets. Then whoever sawS
Cal Douglas would crook forefinger on{
trigger and the error of the juryl
would be rectified. The others would
follow with a volley at random fory
good measure.
1t we3 almost too easy. It seemed
shame to snatch full and red re-
venge with such scant effort.
(TO BE CONTINUED,