Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-22

His companion WIS frightened and
glanced from his mate TO the horse
men with a pinched, suspicious lace,
gnomelike In the moonlight.
I'm glad I met you, Les" Delaney
resumed. leaning back in the saddle.
at want to tell you we're watching you.
Mr.. Meek has complained about you--
saws you've threatened him. I'm ask
ing YOU to keep out Of trouble, because
II you start any well finish 1t. Under
HE amt got right to take our land, .
Popling snarled.
planned more kindly. TITS belonged TO
the De Hass grant ever since your peo-
pie have been squatting on 1t. Mr..
Meek has bought it. He's got papers
IN his safe that prove it's his
"Yeh." POPPING replied with sullen
uncomprenension, and turned his head
40 that the moonlight touched the
slack, stubble- bearded face, with eyes
deep sunk beneath overhanging brows.
@Ail right
He dumped heavily away In the
wake Of Johnny. who already was scut-
ting in fright down the road.
Remember" Delaney called after
him. but he paid no heed The ser
eeant ctluckled and touched Hannibal
with spur
arm glad I've seen that roughneck."
he remarked Maybe I've put the fear
Of God into him. It's not hard. He's
the only one Of the Woodpeckers that's
got any CUTS. and his is only half
portion. Say. If old Deacon Meek knew
Les was out tonight he'd be telegraph
ing the governor for the National
Guard"
Cameron was inquisitive and Delaney
talked as they rode along OF the Wood
peckers and the gtagnant backwater Of
their settlement that had lain half
hidden in the hills above Duquesne for
no man knew how long. It was q relief
70 both weary men 10 shift their minds
10 something unvexed by problems, un-
clouded by mystery.
Presumably the Woodpeckers had
been outlaws originally. expelled from
the feebly advancing civilization Of two
centuries before In the hills they had
found refuge. II may have been that
deserters from both sides In the Revo-
luton had added 10 their numbers. In
the hills they had stayed. slowly decay
ing lnbreeding. losing the virility that
had moved their foYefathers 10 break
Jaws, but retaining all of their snces-
tors fears Of the outlander. As the
tangled generations passed this fear
had grown They hunted a little,
trapped little. fishcd and made feeble
repairs upon ancient tumbledown how
els. They *aiso fashioned baskets Of
E1thes Cit from the hearts Of white
oaks, and their sole voluntary contact
with civilization was the sale Of them
81 lowlan6 store. Reading and writ
ing we're as far beyond them az San
SKIRT Religion had left them un-
touched They were fouier brethren 10
the foxes and woodchucks Of the hills
OF them all, Les alone showed signs OF
energy, due. Delaney surmised, 10 an
tliictt introduction Of wagtrei iowiand
blood into the POPPING tribe
we rode up there first year of, the
wsr," the sergeant related. and brought
down q half dozen WaS1ed-out looking
CHAPS that the draft board wanted u
see. They came with Us without much
fuss, but they didn't want 70. One Of
them said he wasn't going 70 fight u
free no niggers."
Don't people do anything for emu
Cameron asked. Don't their kids &c
20 school,"
sTfae sergeant shook mis- head. Taxes
are high enough as IL is" he said
6ryIy. Country folks leave well
enough alone. AS for schooling, you
might as we'll send fox cubs 70 kinder
Rarten.
There are other places like them In
New York Troopers have found io'
m EN- that no one seemed TO know
sbosIt. Ever hear OF the BushWhackeri
IN Columbia County or the Jackson
Wntfes of Rockland or Of Polly Hollow
tn gchobarie? Funny. isn't it, and sort
nf uathetic. too. Meek will run thai
gang out Of there, sure as can DC. II
ihs Arms Co. or any one else offers hin
: soo 3D. price for his land, and ther
uhsre'u ti1ey go? There's the nights o.
west Duquesne right ahead. kld. Gosh
H'm tiredH .s--....-s