The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-01-20

fer hev We fotched yer gun ter the
feld?"
The boy laughed. "Oh, hit 'ai:n't
nothin' perticler," he reassured. "IIit
haint nothin' fer a gal ter fret hersslf
erbout, only T. kinder $suspicions
strangers jest now 3 i...: I. .;,.s :;
"Air the truce bustedp She put. the
quertion in a tense, deep-breathed
whisper, and the boy replied casually,
almost indifferently. sl !, : I@:' q y! y.
mo, Sally, hit hain't Jest ter; say
busted, but pears like hits right
smart cracked. reckon, though, he
added in halfdisgust, "nothin' won't
come Of hit" y
Somewhat reassured, she bethought
herself again of her mission. Z
"This here furriner hain't got no
harm In him, Samson" she pleaded.
'"He pears ter be more like a gal than
man. He's real puny. He's got
white skin and "a bow Of ribbon on
his neck-an' 3he paints, pictchers." :
The boys face had been hardening
with contempt as the description adj
yanced, but at the last: words glow
came to his eyes, and he demanded
almost breathlessly: - : %r@l -. =. a i
!. "Painta Itctchers! How do ye know
that ~ ;Sisi1. ,.as..4 - tII, {,
II seen 'em. He was paintin' one
when ha fell often the rock and busted
his arm. It's shore es beautiful es-"
she broke on, then added with a sud.
den peal of laughter-@es er pictcher." !"
The young man slipped down from
the fence, and reached for the rifle.
The hoe he left where 1t stood.
S'I'll git the nag" he announced
briefly, and swung on without further
parley toward the curling spiral Of
smoke that marked a cabin 3 quarter
Of mile below. Ten minutes later
his bare feet swung against the RIBS
OF gray mule and his rifle lay ball
anced acroBs the unsaddled withers.
Sally sat mountain fashion behind
him, foclng straight to the side. ..,s
So they came along the creek bed
and inte the sight Of the man who
still sat propped. against the mossy
rock. Alb Lescott looked PIP he closed
the case of his watch and put It back;
into his pocket with a SMILE 81 As..
Ssnappy work, that!" he called out
"Just thirty-three minutes. ! didn't
believe 1t could be DONE 81
Samso,l's face was masklike, but
as he surveyed the foreigner, only. the
ingrained dictates Of the country's
hospitable code kept out OF his eyes
a gleam Of scorn for this frail mem
ber Of ai,ex which should be stalwart.
Howdy?" he said. Then he added
suspiciously;f What mout yer buBi.
ness be in these parts. stranger"
Lescott gave the Odyssey Of his wan
derings, since he had rented mule
at Hixon and ridden through the coun.
try, sketching where the mood prompt
ed and sleeping wherever he found a
hospitabls roof at the coming OF the
evening. .i- :. I, 7 Si5 s. a ssSG Ss i't ass !
"Ye come from over on Cripple!
shin?' The boy flashed the question
with a sudden hardening Of the voice,
and, when he was afiirmatively ans.
swered, his eyes contracted and bored
searchingly Into the strangers face.
"Where'd y'e put up last night n /,
"Red Bill Hollman's house, at the
mouth of Mesting House fork; do you;
know the placer" I, 5,.s.5 & (. j, g;5
Samson's reply was curt. IN -t
II knows hit all right" (.
There waiI a nom ent's pause
rather an awkward pause. Lescott's
mind bet;an piecing together fras-
ments Of conversation he, had heard!
until he had assembled sort OF, mem
tai jigsaw puzzle. y +. ~ :s55
The South. Holman feud had been
mentioned by the more laxative OF
his informers, and carefully tabooed
I By others notable among them hin
host of last night. It now dawned on
him that he was crossing the boun:
dary and coming as the late guest OF.
a Holman to ask the hospitality OF 81
South l'tS.s pya7f tts+
.'I didn't know whose house 1t was, ,
he FASTENED 70, explain, until I was
benighted and asked for lodging. They.
were very kind to me. I'd never seen
them before, I'm stranger here,
abouts," m ::;5 ~ ..{l
!, Samson only nodded. If the expIana.
ton failed to satisfy him, it at least
seemed to do so. IT, ~.
5'T reckon ye'd better let me holp
We up on thet old mule" he said;
"hit's a-comir' on ter be night" II
q With the nountaineer's aid, Lescott
clambered astride the mount, then he
turned dubiously. %,t'sz H.
''T'm sorry to trouble you," he ven
tured, "but ] have paint box and
some materials UP there. II you'll
bring +heIn down here, I'll show you
how to pack the easel, and. by the
way" he ar.xiously added, please
to handle tlat fresh canvas carefully
by the eds Its not dry yet. :.
He had anticipated impatient con-
tempt for his artists impedimenta,
but to his Aprprise- the mountain boy
climbed th.. rock and halted before
the sketch with a face that slowly
softened to IN expression Of amazed
admiration. finally he took up the
square of academy board with ten.
der care Of which his rough hands
would have seemed incapable and
stood stock sill, presenting an anoma-