Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1915-03-30
We qffhe
CUMBERLANDS
~ CHARLES neville BUCNI,,
WITH MUSTRAII0NS FROM cp11sSSeS! y.

ALI journeys emo, anu 90 So
PASSED through the tawdry cars OF tn
local train near Hixon he saw severa
faces which he recognized, but the
either eyed him in inexpensive silenc
or gave him the greeting Of the FUR
riner."
Then the whistle shrieked from tn
trestle over the Middle fork, and a
only q short distance rose the p
of the brick courthouse and the scat
tered roofs Of the town. Scattered
over the green slopes by the rive'
bank lay the white spread OF a tentee
company street, and, as he looked OUT
he saw uniformed figures moving u
and fro and caught the ring OF a bugl'
call. So the militia was on deck
things must be bad, he reflected. ID
stood on the platform n LOOKED
down as the engine roared along TIT
trestle. There were two gatling guns
One pointed it's muzzle toward the
town. and the other scowled up at the
face of the mountain. Sentries pacee
their beats. Men in undershlrts LAY
doing outside tent flaps. 1t was al
a picture Of disciplined readiness, ant
vet Samson knew that soldiers made
of painted tin would be equally effect
i've. These military forces nus re-
main s%ubservient to local civil author1'
ties. and the local civil authorities
obeyed the nod Of Judge Holman ano
Jesse Purvy.
AS Samson crossed the toll bridge
to the town proper he passed two
brown shirted militiamen, lounging OF
the rail of the middle span. The!
grinned at him, and recognizing the
outsider from his clothes, n OF them
commented.
"Ain't this the hell of a town.
Its going to be-" replied Samson
systematically, as he went on.
Still. u%nrecognized, he hired a horse
at the livery stable, and for two hours
rode in silence, save for the easy
creaking of his stirrup feathers ano
the soft thud of hoofs.
The silence soothed him. The brood.
ing hills lulled his spirit as a Grooming
song lulls a fretful child. Mile after
mile unrolled forgotten vistas. Some
thing deep in himself murmured:
Home"
1t was late afternoon when he saw
ahead Of him the orchard Of Purvy's
place, and read on the store wall, 9
little more weather stained, but other.
wise unchanged:
Jesse Purvy,i General Merchandise
The porch of the store was empty
and as Samson flung himself from his
saddle there was no n to greet him
This was surprising, since. ordinarily
two or three of Purvy's persona
guardsmen loafed at the front to watch
the road. Just now the guard shoulc
logically be doubled. Samson still
wore his eastern clothes-for he want
ed to go through that o unknown
AS Samson South he could not cross
its threshold either way. But wheI
he stepped up on to the rough porch
flooring no one challenged his advance
The yard and orchard were quiet from
their front fence to the grissly stock
ade at the rear and, wondering a
these things, the young man stood FOL
a moment looking about at the after
moor place before he announced him
self.
Yet Samson had not come to TIT
stronghold Of his enemy for the pur'
pose Of assassination. There had beer
another object in his mind-an utterly
mad idea, it is true, yet so bold Of
conception that it held a ghost o.
promise. He had meant to go int
Jesse Purvy's store and chat artlessly
like some inquisitive "furriner.' Hs
would ask questions which by theil
very impertinence might be forgiven
upon the score Of a strangers folly. Blu
most Of all, he wanted to drop the cas-
ual information, which he should as
sumo to have heard on the train, tina
Samson South was returning, and t
mark, on the assassin leader, the effec
of the news. In his new code 1t wa!
necessary to give at least the RATHER!
warning before he struck, and N
meant to strike. If he were recognized
well-he shrugged his shoulders.
But as he stood on the outside, wip'
ing the p~erspiration from his forehead
for the ride had been warm, he heart
voices within. They were loud ant
angry voices. 1t occurred to him tina
by remaining where he was he nigh
gain more information than by hur
rying in.
I've done been your eXecutioner TO
twenty years." complained q voice
which Samson at once recognized a:
that of Aaron Hollis, the most trusted
of Purvy's personal guards. 6" hahn
never laid down on We yet. Me an JiI
Asberry killed old Henry South. W.
laid fer his boy an would "a got hin
eff you'd only said Their word. 1 wen
inter HiXon an killed Tam'rack Spicer
with soldiers all round me-. Their
hain't no other damn fool in thes'
mountings would 'a'took such a lont
chance es tibet. I'm tired Of 1t
They're a-goin' ter git me, an wants
ter leave, an you won't come clear
with the price of a railroad ticket II
Oklahoma. Now, damn your sting!
soul, l gifts that ticket or l gifts YOU
Aaron, you can't scare me into doin
nothin' | amt amin to do" The OLE
baron of the vendetta spoke in a COLI
stocial voice. Il tell We l amt quit
through with we yet. In due an prope
time I'll see that we get yer ticket.
Then he added, win a conciliating soft
ness: We've been friends a lon
while. Let's talk this thing over be
fore we fall out"
Thar hain't nothin' to talk over,
stormed Aron. "Ye're jest tryin' te
kill time till the boys gifts hyar, AM
then l reckon We lows ter have me xii
like yer've had me kill them others
Hit amt no use. I've done sent EN-
away. When they gifts back hyar
either you'll be in hell or I'll be on m.
y,a,. o,tap tho ponrptippS,