The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-02-24
{ CHAPTER vlI-continued.


S. Lescott stayed on week after that
& simply in Difference to Samson's insist
aence. To leave at once might SAVIOR or
fight under fire, but when the week
I was out the painter turned his horses
head toward town, and his train swept
him back to the; Bluegrass and the
& East. ~ /, Z. ~, H. q. - 49,
A quiet of unbroken and deadly
routine settled down on Misery. The
conduct OF the Souths in keeping hands
on, and acknowledging the justice OF
Tamarack Spicer's Jail sentence. had
been their answer to the declaration
Of the Hollmans in letting Samson ride
Into and out of Hixon. The truce was
j establ blished When, short time later,
Tamarack left the country to become
a railroad brakeman, Jesse Purvy
passed the word that his men must,
4 until further orders, desist from vio-
slence. The word had crept about that
Samson, too, was going away, and, II
this were true, Jesse felt that his fu-
ture would be more secure than his
& past. Purvy believed Samson guilty,
despite the exoneration Of the hounds.
Lescott had sent a box of books, and
81 Samson had taken team over to
Hixon, and brought them back. .,.t.' :.
He 9deVoured them all from title
page to finis line, and many of them
he went back to. and digested again.
He wrestled long and gently with
& his uncle, struggling to win the old
mans consent to his departure. But
Bs Sptcer South's brain was no longer
plastic What had been good enough
for the past was good enough for the
future. Nevertheless, he arranged af-
D fairs go that his nephew should be
a able, to meet financial needs, and to go
q where he chose in a fashion befitting
81 South 5y@2ls ~
November came In bleakly, with .
Esraw and: devastating breath Of fatality.
q The smile died from horizon to hori-
ron, and for days cold rains beat and
4 lashed the forests. And, toward the
end OF the month, came the day which
Samson had set for his departure.
|Ss at the threshold, with the saddle
bags over his ieft forearm and the rife
In his hand, he paused. His uncle stood
at hfs elbow and the boy put out his
hand.
"Good-by, .Unc' Spicer," was all he
said. The old man, who had been his
second father shook hands. His face,
teo, was expressionless, but he felt
that he was saying farewell to a SOL
dier OF genius who was abandoning the
field. And he loved the boy with all
& the centered power of an isolated
heart.
g A half-mile along the road, Samson
halted and dismounted. There, in a
small cove, surrounded by 8 tangle Of
3briers and blackberry bushes, stood a
small and dilapidated meeting house.
and churchyard, which he must visit
He made his way through the rough
undergrowth to the unkempt half-acrs,
and halted before the leaning head.
stones which marked two graves. With
sudden emotion, he swept the back
Of his hand across his eyes. He did
mot remove his hat, but he stood in the
4 drizzle of cold rain for moment OF
silence, and then he said:
"Pap, l hain't fergot / don't want
Aye ter think thet I've fergot"
Before he arrived at the Widow Mil.
ier,s, the rain had stopped and the
clouds had broken.
Sally opened the door, and smiled.
She had spent the day nerving herself
for this, farewell, and at least until
the moment Of leave-taking she would
be safe from tears. The Widow Mil
ler and her son soon left them alone,
and the boy and girl sat before the
blazing logs.
For a time, ain awkward silence fell
between them. At last, the boy rose
and went over to the corner where be
had placed his gun. He took it up and
laid 1t on the hearth between them.
Sally" he said, Il wants ter tell ye
some things thet haint never said
ter nobody else. In the fust place,
wants ye ter keep this hyar gun fer
me. ....i... p
1.ae, girls eyes widened with sur
prise.
& "Hain't ye a-gofn' ter take hit with
ye, Samson?"
He shook his head. IS ..
aI hain't a-goin' ter need hit down
below. Nobody don't use 'em down
thar I've got my pistol, an reckon
thet will be enough"
sstaIll take good keer of hit" she
| promised. .-..
The boy took out Of his pockets q
box of cartridges and small package
| fled in greasy rag.
Hits loaded, Sally, an hits cleaned
an hits creased. Hits ready fer use y
Again, she nodded in silent assent
and the boy began speaking in slow
careful voice, which gradually mount
ed into tense emotion.
sally, thet thar gun was my pap's
7 When he lay a-dyin', he gave hit ter
4 me, an he gave me job ter do with
hit. When was q little feller, ! used
ter set up most all day. polishin' thet