Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1925-06-27
The Log of
Vengeance
90. 1925. Western Newspaper Union.)
BY r. E. HAk1ILL


queer about trees.
They're lot like people. Look at
any crowd of men and you'll see little
scrawny ones, and bent ones, and big,
straight ones. It's the same in the
forest.
Once saw a strange thing. I was
just kid, and was just getting to
know the trees pretty we'll. Right
near tract we were cutting there
were some settlers clearing Off some
quarter sections, and we soon got to
know them pretty we'll.
One Of these fellows, John Allen by
name, was married, and he'd brought
his wife up there with him to live. and
naturally she wasn't contented.
Just below Aliens section fellow
by the name Of Ross had taken up
some land. This Ross was big,
handsome fellow, and he soon got to
making eyes at Aliens wife. At first
she let on to be indignant, but after
while she and Ross got to be pretty
good friends.
I knew all about these things be-
cause I used to play the fiddle some,
and the folks around Camp Two used
to get me to play for their dances.
One night I'd been up at Lige Tip
pets after my fiddle I'd left there, and
about eight o'clock I set out to go
back to camp. My way led down the
little mountain road past Aliens and
Roses cabins. A little before l came
to Aliens it began to rain, and I
thought I'd stop there. 1t was blow
ing so I could hardly see or hear. but
as I turned in the patch saw the
door Of Aliens cabin open and big
Ross step out. ducked behind
tree before the man saw me.
He was angry. He turned anu
shouted something back into the
cabin, and the next minute he was
past me and down the narrow road.
hurried to the cabin and knocked.
No one answered, so I pushed the
door open and walked in. There
stood Mary Allen in the middle Of the
room, pale as a ghost, with short
handled Ak in her hands. When she
saw me she just crumpled up on the
floor and I caught her as she fell.
ooh LATE, LATE, I'm so glad it's
you," she gasped. Bob Ross was
here-ugh! Oh. LATE, he's gone to
meet my husband and he'll kill him.
Can't you stop him?" And she start
ed to wiring her hands and moan.
was just kid then, but was big
for my age, and woman's tears will
make any man fight for her. I
grabbed the short ak and ran out the
door and down the road without an
other word. Just as I got to the edge
Of Aliens place saw Ross In the
road ahead. Then the lightning van
ished and I lost sight Of him. With
the next fash I saw him jump up the
bank off the road, and all at once I
saw Allen coming up the sloping road
with sack on his shoulder.
knew at once what Ross meant
to do. Above the road he had a pile
Of big logs that he had skidded down
from a clearing farther up. Now he
intended to loosen one Of these as
Allen came along below him-and no
one would be the wiser as to poor
Aliens death.
ran as hard as I could, but it was
pitch DARK, and all at once a rock
turned under me, my ankle Topped
over, anu there I was on my face.
Another lightning flash came then and
I saw Ross with a canthook in his
hand. balanced above the road. AL
len was nearly beneath him then. I
screamed, but my voice carried no
I went on toward the two men. AL
len all unaware of his fate, and Ross,
with murder in his heart, waiting the
exact moment to send the great log
crashing down on the man he had
tried to wrong.
saw Ross suddenly jerk down on
his canthook, saw the heavy log stir
and then leap like live thing down
the mountain. But just as it reached
the edge Of the steep bank above the
road it seemed to jump into the air,
struck bowlder, perhaps, and went
WILL q 6luAI reap SACdA oSCA LAAS
startled Allen, who dropped to the
ground as he heard the timber crash
above him.
Ross Strengthened up as the log shot
past him, and peered after 1t down
the hill. Then, all at once, saw
something move behind him. A sec
ond more, and with a spring like an
ayenging tiger, a monster log from the
heap behind him crushed him to the
ground. I saw an arm flung out-and
then it was all dark again. With
shout I was off down the road as fast
as I could hobble. l met Allen a rod
or so above the scene of the tragedy.
"Hello, Lafe," he shouted through
the storm. II had a mighty close call
back there piece Log came down
through the brush and jumped clear
over me-"
Then told him what had happened.
We went back and found Ross, face
down, dead. One log had jumped from
a heap of six or eight above him.
What loosened 1t we couldn't tell. 1t