The Holly chieftain., 1916-03-31

hair and scraggly beard ] stepped
forward and fung up my arm
Drop it," said shortly. Lift that
gun and you're dead"
At first thought him crazy enoug.
to take the chance of my fire: then
the big fingers relaxed. and the rifle
fell Gathering to the floor. To my sur
prise. the fellow laughed.
We'll. III be damned" he chortled,
you here?"
He threw back his head. and ] rec
ognized him-Jem Taylor. old Ned
Cowan. drew a quick breath. m!
teeth clenched. my arm steady. This
encounter was going to prove no boy'r
play.
Put down yer popgun. boy. an take
1t easy-the blame thing mout go on
! reckon as how we all hav'nt got
nuthin' ter fight fer. hav' wef How
ther Sam Hill did yer ever git yereF
Nov watt" broke In coldly. You
stand just where you are. ! am not
sure whether you know me or not:
but know you. Ned Cowan-l know
what you did at Hot Springs. and how
you took me along SO as to make 9TH
ers believe was guilty"
"Shucks. lad; twas no more than
fair fight"
1T was old-blooded murder. Cow
AMI" exclaimed Indignantly. the cul
mination Of feud.'
Huh who told yer thatf"
| stepped aside. but still held him
under the muxxle of my revolver. The
change In posture brought the man
face to face with Noreen; saw him
lean forward and gaze at her: then
recoil. as though he viewed ghost.
She never moved. never spoke.
Good Lord!" he muttered. ''ls that
Harwood's girl? Why. Anse's out
huntin' after her now"
He stopped. cursng fiercely to him.
self. His eyes shifted their gaze from
the face Of the girl to mine. They
were narrow cat eyes. cruel and Gun.
ming.
Il reckon I amt seen OIL Harwood's
gal afore in maybe five year." he said
slowly. but she has sure growed up
fine. Anse took after marrying her
furst jist ter spite Harwood. but since
he seed her q while back he's sorter
took q notion he wants her hisself
reckon don't blame him. Thet's
why he wouldn't wait. but set out ter
night. No, don't reckon. young tel
Ter. it's no particular risk. Yer sojer
an don't Jest understand how we fight
out yere In the mountings. We Jest
strike quick. an then git away. "Tain't
so much Of trick Anse Is a-playing
at over at Lewisburg. Sure thars Hve
hundred Yanks thar; an II thar wus
five thousand It wouldn't make no
great difference the way the guard is
sot. The whor blame caboodle is
camped in the courthouse yard an
the only picket is at the main ford o.
the Green Briar. Yer never saw no
body. did yer. gittin' out yere?"
NO" admitted, realizing his init.
mate knowledge. "The camp is poorly
protected"
Il reckon 1t il. and Anse knows
that just as well as you do. An he
knows the gal yere had room at ther
hotel. Thar is where he went. amin
fer ter raid the shebang just before
daylight" He laughed again mirth.
lessly. by God. but Anse will be
some mad when he finds out whut has
happened. l reckon he'll bout cut yer
heart out"
Il dEln will hova IN cot mo Rrok
"Oh, don't yer ever worry none
bout thet, young fellar. Anse will
sure git yer; he knows every bride
path cross these mountings, an !
wouldn't give q continental damn
fer no chance you've got fer ter git
away. He's tiger cat on a trail.
Anse is-an' besides the blame fool
wants the gal He amt no Cowan II
he let's you beat him outer her"
He glanced quickly across my shoul
der toward the door. Perhaps she
moved; perhaps 1t was all imagina-
tion. but thought heard a noise. and
wheeled partly around, my eyes for
an instant deserting old Cowan's face.
1t was his one chance. and he took 1t
sensed the spring, even as Noreen's
cry Of warning broke the silence. but
not in time to escape the grip of the
old mans iron fingers. His body
crashed against me with such force
that ! staggered and fell; one hand
closed like q wise on my throat. the
other gripped the stock of my re-
volver. crushing my fingers lifeless
struck the edge of the table, strug.
Cling vainly to keep my feet 1t went