The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1915-08-19
The boy yOuchsafed no reply.

- ne boy FOlcnsafed no reply
The mail rider done told hit.
Somebody shot FIVE shoots from the
laurel ... Puryey hain't died yit.
Some says as how his folks
has Gent ter Lexington fer blood.
hounds"
The boys eyes began to smolder
hatefully.
Il reckon" he spoke slowly, "he
didn't git shot none too soon.p
Samson" The old mans voice had
the ring OF determined authority.
When dies yen be the head OF the
Souths. but so long es I'm a-runnin'
this hyar family | keeps my word ter
friend an foe alike. / reckon Jesse
Purvy knows who got yore pap. but
up till now no South hain't never
busted no truce"
The boys voice dropped It's softness
and took on shrill crescendo of ex-
citement as he flashed out his retort.
Who said a South has done busted
the truce this timer"
Old Spicer South gazed searchingly
at his nephew.
81 hain't a-wantin' ter suspicion We,
Samson, but ! know how we feels
about yore pap. | heered tibet Bud
Spicer come by hyar yistiddy plumb
full of liquor an lowed he'd seen
Jesse an Jim Asberry a-talkin' ter
gether jest afore yore pap was kilt"
He broke off abruptly, then added:
"Ye went away from hyar last night,
an didn't git in@twell after sunup--I
just heered the news, an come ter
look fer ye."
Air you-all 'lowin' tibet shot them
shoots from the laurel?" inquired Sam
son, quietly.
EFF veal hain't 'lowin' hit, Sam.
son, we're plumb shore tibet Jesse
Purvy's folks will low hit. They're
Jest a-holdin' yore life like a hostage
fer Purvy's, anyhow. Ell he dies they'll
try ter git ye."
The boy flashed a challenge about
the group, which was now drawing
rein at Spicer South's yard fence. His
eyes were sullen, but he made no an
swer.
One OF the men who had listened In
silence now spoke:
SIN the fust place, Samson, we hain't
a-sayin We done hit In the mex place,
eff we did do hit we hain't a-blamin'
ye-much. But | reckon them dawgs
don't lie, an, eff they trails in. hyar
yell need us. Thet's why we've done
come"
The boy slipped down from his mule
and helped Lescott to dismount He
deliberately unloaded the saddlebags
and kit and laid them on the top step
of the stile. and, while he held his
peace, neither denying nor affirming,
his kinsmen sat their horses and
waited.
Even to Lescott it was palpable that
some of them believed the young heir
to clan leadership responsible for the
shooting of Jesse Purvy, and that
others believed him innocent, yet none
the less in danger of the enemy's ven-
geance. But, regardless of divided
opinion, all were alike ready to stand
at his back and all alike awaited his
final utterance.
Then, in the thickening gloom, Sam
son turned at the foot of the stile
and faced the gathering. He stood
rigid. and his eyes flashed with deep
passion. His hands, hanging at the
seams of his jeans breaches, clinched,
and his voice came in a slow utter
ance through which throbbed the ten.
sity of soulabsorbing bitterness.
Il knowed all bout Jesse Purvy's
bein' shot. When my pap lay
a-dyin' over thar at his house | was
little shaver ten years old :,
Jesse Purvy hired somebody ter kill
him an I promised my pap
that I'd find out who tibet man was,
an thet I'd git 'em both-some day.
So help me, God Almighty, I'm a-goin'
ter git 'em both-some day!" The
boy paused and lifted one hand as
though taking an oath.
I'm a-tellin' you-all the truth :,
But I didn't shoot them shoots this
mornin'. hain't no truce buster. l
gives We my hand. on hit. :. :. Eff
them dawgs come hyar they'll find me
hyar, an eff they hain't liars they'll
go right by hyar. | don't low ter run
away, an don't low ter hide out. I'm
a-goin' ter stay right hyar. Thet's all
I've got ter say ter ye."
For a moment there was no reply.
Then the older man nodded with
gesture of relieved anxiety.
"Thet's all we wants ter know, Sam
son." he said, slowly. Light, men an
come in"