The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times., 1915-01-14


show OF peace
"Evenin'. stranger" hailed the old
man. Come right In"
"Mr. South" began tho dog-owner.
with some embarrassment, II have
been employed to furnish pair OF
bloodhounds to the family OF Jesse
Purvy, who has been shot"
Il heerd tell thet Purvy was shot,
said the head of the Souths in an az.
fable tone, which betrayed no deeper
note OF interest than neighborhood
gossip might have elected.
Il have no personal interest In the
matter" went on the stranger, hastily.
as one bent on mailing his attitude
clear. except to supply the dogs and
manage them. do not In any way di.
rect their course; merely follow"
"Ye can't hardly fo'ce a dawg." Old
Spicef sagely nodded his head as he
made the remark. "A dawg jest match.
er1y follers his own nose"
"Exactly-and they have followed
their noses here" The Lexington man
found the embarrassme of his posi-.
tion growing as the C, luy proceed.
ed. u want to ask you whether, II
these dogs want to cross your fence. I
have your permission TO let them?"
The master OF the house crossed the
stile, the low sun shining on his shock
OF gray hair. and stood before the man.
hunter He spoke so that his voice
carried 10 the waiting group In the
road.
"Ye're plumb welcome ter turn them
dawgs loose, an let em ramble.
stranger. Nobody hain't a-goin' ter
hurt EN-. ] sees some fellers out thar
with ye thet mustn't cross my fence.
Ef they does"-the voice rang men
acingly-"hitll mean that they're
a.bustin' the truce-an' they won't
never 30 out ag'in. But you air safe
In hyar. gives yer my hand on thet
Ye're welcome. an yore dawgs is vel
come. ] haint got nothin' 'gainst
dawgs thet comes on four legs. but
shore bars the two.legged kind"
There was n murmur OF astonish.
ment from the road. Disregarding II,
Spicer South turned his face toward
the house
You boys kin come out" he shout.
er, AN leave yore guns inside"
Tho leashes we're slipped from the
dogs. They leaped forward, and made
| directly for Samson, who sat as un.
moving as lifeless image on the top
step OF the stlle. There was halfmo.
ment OF terrific suspense, then the
beasts clambered by the seated figure.
passing on each side and circled aim.
lessly about the yard--their quest un.
ended. They shifted indiferently about
the trouser legs OF the men who saun.
tered indolently out OF the door. They
trotted into the house and out again,
and mingled with the mongrel home
pack that snarled and growled hos.
tility for this invasion. Then, they
came once more to the stile. AS they
climbed ont. Samson South reached
up and stroked tawny head. and the
bloodhound paused moment to wag
its tail In friendship, before II jumped
down to the road. and trotted glngerly
onward.
I'm obliged to you, sir" said the
man from the Bluegrass. with n voice
OF immense relief.
The moment OF suspense seemed
past. and. In the relief OF the averted
clash, the master OF hounds forgot
| that his dogs stood branded as false
| trailers. But when he rejoined the
group in the road he found himself
looking into surly visages, and the
features Of Jim HOLMAN In particular
were black In their scowl OF smolder.
ing wrath.
why didn't ye ax him." growled
the kinsman Of the man who had been
shot, "whar the other feliers at?"
What other fellow?" echoed the
Lexington man.
Jim IIollman's voice rose trucu.
lently. and his words drifted, as he
meant them TO. across to the ears of
the clansmen who stood In the yard
OF Spicer South.
Them dawgs OF your'n come up
Misery a.helin'. They hain't never
turned aside. an onless they're plumb
ornery. no.'count ours thet don't know
their business. they come for some
reason. They seemed mighty inter.
ested In glttin' hyar. AK them fellers
in thar who's been hyar thet hain't
hyar now? Who Is ther feller thet
got out afore we come hyar?"
At this yelled charge OF deceit the
faces of the Souths again blackencd
and the men near the door OF the
house drifted in to drift presently out
again. swinging discarded Wlnches.
ters at their sides. II seemed that,
after ALL the incident was not closed.
The man from Lexington finding him.
self face to face with new difficulty.
turned and argued In n low voice with
the Holman leader. But Jim Holl.
man, whose eyes were fixed on Sam.
son. refused to talk In a modulated
tone, and he shouted his reply:
Il haln't got nothin' ter whisper
about" he proclaimed. 60 AK EN-
who hit war thet got away from hyar."
Old Spicer South stood leaning on
his fence and his rugged countenance
stiffened. lie etarted to speak, but
] Gatnaon rnaa from tho stilo nnd anid