Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1919-06-06
&c
Last Resort
By ALISON MAY KRANrR


rough men of rude, uncultured ways. !
Outside of the few towns where law
and order ruled, primitive outlawry !
and physical force were the controll-
ing elements. Thus, when Hal Wyck- |
OFF. the leader of a lnwless horde Of |
moonshiners and raiders. cast his eye |
upon Nellie Virdin, the daughter of |
the school superintendent at Macon, !
only the genuine fervcr of his love !!
for her prevented his collecting q re-
ttnue of his favored comrades, carry |
Ing her off boldly, forcing some timer |
ant preacher to perform the marriage |
ceremony and defying her friends to
get her back.
He lived here, there, everywhere,
with his lawless cOnfreres; had a
sister, Althea, for whom he showed |
real devotion, had placed her with an |
old maid aunt over ut the other end |
of the county, far away from his own |
environment. Nellie, visiting the lit |
tie settlement where Althea lived. had |
incidentally met Wyckoff. Later he
had seized oil kinds of pretenses to |
appear in Macon and see Nellie. Then |
he had watched her home, making sure |
that she was alone in the house and
had almost alarmed her by appearing |
at It's porch one lovely September
evening.
II want to tell you a story" he said
bluntly, when timorously but with
courtesy she had invited him to be
seated. and Wyckoff related the in
cidents Of the rough life he had led
since the death of his parents, both
shot down by revenue officers whilst
defending an Illicit still in the noun
ta'ns. He made no secret of follow
ing In their footsteps. But now
"And want to tell you that love
you" was his final addendum to the
recital. 81 am ready to make any
sacrifice to win your esteem. will
abandon my present way Of living. I
will go to work to earn nm honest 1iv-
ing. / will establish pleasant home
with my sister, Althea. I will be q
true and faithful husband. Give the
two Of US chance to become peace
able, respectable people, instead of the
Stunned outcasts that we are"
Il nm sorry" spoke Nellie in gen.
tie. subdued way, "but I am engaged
to marry Wade Burton next month"
The tiger in the man sprang to the
surface in a flash. He was on his
feet in an instant, quivering all over.
'Let him beware, If he crosses my
path - he ground out. II have warned
you. You shall be mine. Just to gain
you I will plunge the whole district in
Oloodshed and ruinl"
''Wait! wait! have something to
tell you," began Nellie quaveringly,
but the man was gone. For two days
and nights he wandered in the widest
depths of the mountain timber. When
he returned to his comrades he was
morose and captious and kept afiame
his mad emotions with the constant
use Of liquor.
Gradually his confreres became
aware of the wretchedness that was
wearing down their leader. Mutterings
against Wade Burton, who was q
lawyer, who had prosecuted several
Of the band, intensified the insane
jealousy of Nyckoff. There came a
climax. One evening with six chosen
men he rode over to Macon, stationed
his men In ambush near the Virdln
home and stole towards 1t few min
utes later. An agreed on signal, a
low, peculiar whistle, reached the men
In covert. 1t advised them that Wade
Burton was on the premises and to
he ready to greet him when he came
down the woodland path.
Wyckoff had made out Burton and
Nellie In the garden of the little Vir-
din home. They We're conversing earn
estly, seated on bench beside a
shadowing Towering bush.
you are sure Althca Is safe. You
do not doubt that she will evade the
man who would have dragged her into
misery and sOrrow?"
Il not only convinced her that the
man was already married, but I set
the officers Of the law on his track
for an old crime and he has left the
country. 1t was narrow escape for
the trustful girl ignorant of the worlds
wavs."
Her brother should know of this,
Wrde," spoke Nellie.
Yes, he should guard Althea close.
ly. She is bright, pretty girl, and
this experience will be warning to
her. AS to Wyckoff, however, Il
scarcely dare venture to approach
him. He is like a rampant lion these
latter days."
He must feel grateful to you for
all that you have done In behalf of his
sister," said Nellie. "What was that I"
1t was groan. and 1t issued from
the lips Of Hal Wyckoff as he stag
gel Oh from hfs covorf Tho rauoIotto
Of the moment stunned him. This
man. Wade Burton, rightful beloved
of Nellie Virdln, had put himself out