Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1915-10-01

If" said Callomb, you are content
to play the catspaw to a bunch of as
sassins. I'm not. The mail-rider went
out this morning and he carried a let
ter to old Spicer South. l told him that
I was coming u~nescorted and unarmed
and that my object was to talk with
him. l asked him to give me a safe
conduct, at least, until l reached HE
house, and stated my case. l treated
him like an officer and a gentleman,
and, unless I'm a poor judge of men
he's going to treat me that way"
The lieutenant sought vainly to dis
suade Callomb, but the next day the
captain rode forth, unaccompanied
Curious stares followed him and Judge
Smithers turned narrowing and I'M.
pleasant eyes after him, but at the
point where the ridge separated the
territory of the Hollmans from that OF
the Souths he saw waiting in the road
a mounted figure, sitting his horse
straight, and clad in the rough habili'
ments of the mountaineer.
AS Callomb rode up he saluted and
the mounted figure with perfect grav-
ity and correctness returned that
salute as one officer to another. The
captain was surprised. Where had
this mountaineer with the steady eyes
and the elean-cut jaw learned the
niceties of military etiquette?
81 am Captain Callomb of F. COM
pany," said the officer. I'm riding
over to Spicer South's house. Did you
come to meet me?"
ITO meet and guide you," replied a
pleasant voice. MY name is Samson
South"
The militiaman stared. This man
whose c-ountenance was calmly
thoughtful scarcely comported with the
descriptions he had heard of the
wildcat of the Mountains" the mar
who had come home straight as a
storm-petrel at the first note of the
tempest and marked his coming with
double murder. Callomb had been too
busy to read newspapers of late. He
had heard only that Samson had been
away"
While he wondered, Samson went
on:
I'm glad you came. If it had been
possible | would have come to you."
AS he told of the letter he had written
the judge, volunteering to present him.
self as a witness, the officers wonder
grew.
"They said that you had been away
suggested Callomb. "If it's not an i'm
pertinent question, whatA part of the
mountains have you been visiting?"
Samson laughed.
mot n part of the mountains" he
said. I've been living chiefly in New
York-and for a time in Paris"
Callomb drew his horse to aHdead
halt.
I'm the name Of Cod" he incredu-
lousy asked, what manner of man
are your"
Il hope" came the instant reply, ut
may be summed up by saying that I'm
exactly the opposite of the man you've
had described for you back there at
Hixon."
IT knew it," exclaimed the soldier.
Il knew that l was being fed on lies!
That's why I came. / wanted to get
the straight of 1t, and l felt that the
solution lay yer here"
They rode the rest Of the way In
deep conversation. Samson outlined
his ambitions for his people. He told,
too, of the scene that had been enacted
at Purvy's store. Callomb listened with
absorption. feeling that the narrative
bore automatic truth On its face.
At last he inquired:
did you succeed up there-as q
painter"
That's a long road" Samson told
him, but l think I had a fair start l
was getting commissions when I left"
Then am to understandable off,
e met the steady, gray eyes and put
the question like a cross-examiner
bullying a witness-"I am to under
stand that you deliberately put behind
you a career to~come down here and
herd these fence-jumping sheep?"
Hardly that" deprecated the head
of the Souths. "They sent for me-
that's all. OF course, l had to come"
"Why?"
Because they had sent. They are
my people"
The officer leaned in his saddle. Z
South" he said, would you mind
shaking hands with me? Some day |
want to brag about it to my grandchil-
dren."
Callomb spent the night at the house
Of Spicer South. He met and talked
with a number of the kinsmen, and, If
he read in the eyes of some of them a
~smoldering and unforgiving remem-
brance of his unkept pledge, at least
they repressed all expression of GEN.
sure.
With Spicer South and Samson the
captain talked long into the night. He
made nan jottings in a note book. He