The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-03-06

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 IN
| 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 CalIomb 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 clean-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 mflitiaman stared. This man
whose cOuntenance was calmly
thoughtful scarcely comported with the
| descriptions he had heard of the
| Wildcat Of the Mountains; the man
who had come home straight as
storm-petreI at the first note of the
| tempest and marked his coming with
| double murder CaIlomb 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 I 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. eff it's not an i'm
pertinent question. what part of the
mountains have you been visiting?"
Samson laughed.
mot any part of the mountains" he
said. I've been living chiefly in New
| York-and for time in Paris"
Callomb drew his horse to a dead
halt
I'm the name of Cod" he incredu-
lousy asked, what manner of man
are your"
Il hope" came the instant reply, cit
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"
81 knew it." exclaimed the soldier
Il knew that 1 was being fed on lies!
| That's why I came. 1 wanted to get
/ the straight of it, and 1 felt that the
solution lay over 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 a
painter"
That's a long road" Samson told
! him, but I think had a fair start 1
was getting commissions when 1 left"
Then am to understand off,
Ger met the steady gray eyes and put
the question like a cross-examiner
stand that you deliberately put behind
you 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, 1 had to come"
"Why?"
Because they had sent. They are
my people"
The officer leaned in his saddle
South" he said, would you mind
shaking hands with me? Some day
want to brag about it to my grandchil-
dren."
Ca1lomb 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-
hrance of his yunkept pledge, at least
they repressed all expression OF cen
sure.
With Spicer South and Samson the
captain talked long into the night He
made many jOttings in a note book He
with Samson abetting him, pointed out
to the older and more stubborn man
the necessity of a new regime in the
mountains, under which the individual
could walk in greater personal safety.
As for the younger South, the officer
felt, when he rode away rext morning,
that he had discovered the one man
| who combined with the courage and
honesty that many of his clansmen
shared the mental equipment and local
influence to prove a constructive lead
er.
l. When he returned to the Bluegrass
he meant OF have long and unoffi cial
talk with his relative, the governor.
The grand jury trooped each day to
the courthouse and transacted its bust
ness. The petty juries went and came,
occupied with several minor homicide
cases. The captain, from a chair.
| which Judge Smithers had ordered
placed beside him on the bench, was
looking on and intently studying. One
morning, Smithers confided to him
without cOmDensation is Indicative of