RR The Call of th Cumberlands By Charles Neville Buck 8 : With Illustrations from Photographs of Scenes in the Play (Copyright, p13, by W. J. Want & Col SYNOPSIS. On Misery creek Sally Miller finds George Lescott, a landscape painter, un- Conscious, and, after reviving him, goes for assistance. Spicer South, head of the family, tells Samson South and Sally that Jesse Purvy has been shot and that Sam jon is suspected of the crime. Samson denies it. The shooting of Jesse Purvy breaks the truce in the Hollman-South | feud Samson reproves Tamarack Spleer for telling Sally that Jin Hollman is | hunting with bloodhounds the man who | shot Purvy., The bloodhounds lose the trail at Spicer South's door. Lescott dis. | “avers artistic ability in Samson sketching with Lescott on the mountain, | Tamarack discovers Samson to a jeering | orowd of mountaineers. Samson thrashes i Bim and denounces him as the “‘truce- | Luster” who shot Purvy Lescott triea to bersuade Bamson to go to New York with | him and develop Sally, loyal but hearthroker tt’ ef forts his talent furthers lesoc CHAPTER VI—Continued. “Thar’s party a-goin' ter be a dancin’ ter Wile MceCager's mill come Saturday,” he insinuatingly sug. gested. “I reckon ye'll go over thar with me, won't ye, Sally?” He waited for her usual delighted | assent, but Sally only told him absent- ly and without enthusiasm that she would “study about it.” At last, how. ever, her restraint broke, and, looking | up, she abruptly demanded: “Alr ye a-goin’ away, Samson “Who's a-talkin’ manded the boy, angrily. For a irl sat Finally, she spoke in a grave voice: “Hit hain't nothin’ git mad about, Samson, The artist man 'lowed as how | ye had a right ter go down thar, an’ git an eddication.” She made a weary over been ter moment, the g gesture toward the great beyond. “He hadn't ought to of told Sally. If I'd been plumb sartin io mv mind, I'd myself—not but | what I knows, amended, “thet he meant “Air ye a-goin'? “I'm studyin’ al He awaited ame Then, with masculine vanity, he “Hain't ye a-keerin’ I goes, or not?" The girl grew rigid the crumbling plank of the stile’s top tightened and gripped har Her face did “not betray her, nor her though she had to gulp down a lump in her throat fore she answer calmly *1 think ye son.” The boy avoided the subject for fear of position—and tears. Then, slowly, she went on “There hain't nothin’ in thes hills fer ye, Sam Down thar, see lots of things thet's ; . ized an’ beautiful! gals thet kin read dressed up in all kinds of fancy in’s.” Her glib words ran out ended in a ¢ort of inward gasp. Compliment came hardly and awk wardly to Samson's lips. He reached | for the girl's hand. and whispered | “1 reckon | won't see no gals thet's as purty as you be, Sally. knows, whether | goes or a-goin’ ter git married.” drew her band laughed, a little bitte rly. In the last day, she had ceased to be a child, and become a woman with all the soul-ach- ing possibilities of a woman's intui- | tions ! | “Samson,” she said, “1 hain't askin’ ye ter make me no promises When | ye sees them other gals—gals thet kin | read an’ write—1 reckon mebby yell think diffrent. I can't hardly spe! | out printin’ in the fust reader’ Her lover's voice was scornful of the | imagined dangers, as a recruit may be of the battle terrors—before he has been under fire. He slipped his arm about her and drew her over to him “Honey,” he sald, “ye needn't fret | about thet. Readin’ an’ writin’ can't make no difference fer a woman. | Hit's mighty important fer a man, but you're a gal.” “You're a-goin’ ter think diff'rent at. ter awhile,” she inglsted. “When ye | goes, 1 hain't a-goin’ ter be expectin’ ter come back But”--tha resolution in her voice for a moment quavered as ehe added—"but God knows I'm a-goin’ ter be hopin!” “Sally!” The boy rose, and paced | up and down in the road. “Alr ye goin’ ter be ag'inst me, too? Don’t ya see that | wants ter have a chansat? Can't ye trust me? I'm jest atryin’ to amount to something. I'm plumb tired of bein’ ornery an’ no ‘count.” She nodded, “I've done told ye,” she said, wearily, “thet 1 thinks ye ought ter do hit.” » . * . * . . Lescott and Samson discussed the matter frequently. At times the boy was obstinate in his determination to remain; at other times he gave way to the yearnings for change and oppor- tunity. The dance on Saturday wad to pe something more portentous than a mere frolic. It would be a clan gath. ering to which the South adherents would come riding up and down Mis ery ard its tributaries from "nigh . y 1 a-told voice, rising astonish was son, ew Ye'll an’ in see lots write, I reckon ye stays, we'r: She away, and ye wi CENTRE HALL, Pa. abouts” and “over yon.” From fore- noon until after midnight, shufe, jig and fiddling would hold high, if rough. carnival. But, while the younger folk abandoned ‘themselves to the » diver- slons, the grayer heads would gather In more serious conclave. Jesse Purvy had once more beaten back death, and his mind had probably been devising, those bed-ridden days and nights, plans of reprisal. According to current report, Purvy had an nounced that his would-be assassin dwelt on Misery, and was “marked down.” So, there were obvious exi- gencies which the Souths must pre- pare to meet. In particular, the clan must thrash out to definite under fading the demoralizing report that mson South, their logical leader, The painter had finally resolved to cut the Gordian knot, and leave the mountains. He had trained on Sam son to the last piece all his artillery of argument. The case was now submit- ted with the suggestion that the boy take three months tu consider, and should notify Lescott in advance of his He proposed sending Samson “I Reckon Hit's Agoin’ Ter Jest About Kill Me.” rary of carefully which the a mall lit eagerly interval however, to and go to the WIS Curious to observe mountaineer greed t Le o devour in the cott consented, re er Saturday, 5 Lie sure was brought to bear on and 1 a final argnment alter Kinsmen had what pre the boy, have himself vord of Spoken. which had left the A “ al ¢ GET 38 reek tf t the + £5 4g . . ‘ 4 +R uns i " ih, § } sun fought its ew in I log scrap of overhead blue From cabins and plank houses and its tributaries, men and women be gan their hegira toward the mill. Les. Cager. Already, the picket fence Was lined with strains of only by way of prelude. though he could not gay just what con crete thing told him, that under the shallow note of merry-making brooded the major theme of a troublesome problem. The seriousness was below the surface, but insistently depressing He saw, too, that he himself was mixed of white liquor had been emptied, ‘While the young persons danced ful war-fever “cleanin’ out the Holl. mans,” the elders were deep In ways If the truce could be pre. served for Its unexpired period of three years, it was, of course, best, In that event, crops could be cultivated, and lives saved. But, if Jesse Purvy chose to regard his shooting as a breath of terms, and struck, he would strike hard, and, in that event, best defense lay in striking first. Samson would soon be twentyone., That he would take his place as head of the clan had until now never been ques tioned--and he was talking of deser. tion. For that, a pink-skinned for eigner, who wore a woman's bow of ribbon at his collar, was to blame, The question of loyalty must be square. Iy put up to Samson, and it must be done today. His answer must be defi. nite and unequivocal. As a guest of Spicer South, Lescott was entitled to that consideration which is accorded ambassadors, None the less, the vital affair of the clan could not be balked by considera. tion for a stranger, who, in the opin lon of the majority, should be driven from the country as an insidious tis chief-maker, Ostensibly, the truce still held, but at no time since ite signing had matters been so freighted with the menace of a gathering storm. The attitude of each faction was that of several men standing quiet with guns trained on one another's breasts. Fach hesitated to fire, knowing that to pull the trigger meant to die himself, yet fearing that another trigger might at any moment be drawn. Purvy dared not have Samson shot out of hand, be- | cause he feared that the Souths would | claim hile life in return, yet he feared to let Samson live. On the other hand, if Purvy fell, no South could balance his death, except Spicer or Samson. | Any situatioh that might put condi tions to a moment of issue would either prove that the truce was being observ. i, or open the war—and yet each faction was guardiog against such | an event as too fraught with danger. One thing was certain. By persuasion or force, Lescott must leave, and Sam- son must show himself to be the youth | he had been thought, or the confessed | and repudiated renegade. Those ques- | tions, today must answer. It was a | difficult situation, and promised eventful entertainment. Whatever conclusion was reached as to the art- | ist's future, he was, until the verdict j came in, a visitor, and, unless liquor inflamed some reckless trouble-hunter, that fact would not be forgotten. Pos- | i sibly, it was well that Tamarack | Spicer had not arrived. Lescott himself realized the | tion In part, as he stood at the door | the house wate hing the There was fing {i champions their In the group about the door, Lescott 4 Youth hair very pink wan | the earliest to succumb to the te mpta { tion the Ug, which claim as situa Of scene inside of course, no round dan the iffie and jig—with contending for the honor ertions ¥y 8 only of passed with tow -white | and cheek The boy of moonshine tempta others } He was reeling « razily, and his albino od rriner thet's ey i tion would later eyes were now and inflam i “Thet's ther nned fu | done turned Samson inter | claimed the youth, in a thick voice. The painter i | back. The boy | coat with hands and ut a gal” aused, and looked ng under his had be | clumsy “Lat th a » Lescott sald nothis { heard, and stepped sw “You've got t i ' { Buddy,” she said, iftly between me fast “1 reckon ye'd better run on me, a yore put er git past mammy ter CHAPTER VIL. soberer ind disarming him, led grumbling and muttering, le Wile MceCager made apologies to Several men closed aro boy, and after AWAY Ruest child he licker Jimmy's jest a ined tr ting tmmy 8 outbreak was interesting ‘ #cott chiefly of n and quarrels on his ac back clouded at indication to presence, As an might Unwilling discord by his » Sar follow uggesied but the suggestion “Et ¥ kain't' be fends,’ ¢ said, shortly, me, I stay clost to you riding to boy's face th civil ter my got right I dons ‘ fr h “they've ter account ter You stay | come hyar today mustn't meddle A short later, Wile invited Samson to the the boy nodded Lescott ian invitation to accompany him The mill, dating back | days, sat by its race with its shaft now | idle It looked to Lescott, as he ap proached, like a sc.ap of landscape torn some medieval picture, and { the men about its door seemed medio. val, bearded and gaunt, hard ter tell "em that they in my business ™ while MceCager come out to nill, and to to pioneer from too; All of them who stood waiting wera men of middle age, or beyond. A num. i ber were gray-haired, but they were all Many of them, lke | Wile McCager himself, did not bear | | the name of South, and Samson was | the eldest son of the eldest son, “Samson,” began old Wile McCager, clearing his throat and taking up his | duty as spokesman, “we're all your kinfolke here, an’ we aimed ter ask ye | about this here report thet yer ‘lowin’ | ter leave the mountings? : “What of hit?” countered the boy “Hit looks mighty like the war's | a-goin’ ter be on ag’in pretty soon. Afr | ye a-goln’ ter quit, or air ye a-goin’ ter stick? Thet's what we wants ter | know.” | “I didn’t make this here truce, an’ | hain’t a-goin’ ter bust hit,” said the | boy, quietly, “When the war com- | mences, ll be hyar. Ef 1 hain't hyar | in the meantime. hit hain't nobody's | business. I hain’t accountable ter no | man but pap, an’ I reckon, whar he fs, | he knows whether I'm agoln’ ter keep my word.” There was a moment's silence, then Wile McCager put another question : “Ef ye're plumb sot on gettin’ larnin’ why don’t ye git bit right hyar in these mountings?” Samson laughed derisivaly, “Who'll 1 git hit from?" he causti- callyAnquired. “Ef the mountain won't come ter Mohamet, Mohamet's ROt ter go ter the mountain, I reckon.” Caleb Wiley rose unsteadily to hia feet, his shaggy beard trembling with wrath and his volce quavering with senile indignation, “Hev $e done got too damned fer yore kinfolks, Samson South?" he shrilly demanded. “Hev ye done been follerin’ atter this here puny witch. doctor twell ye can't keep a civil tongue in yer head fer yore elders? I'm In favor of runnin’ this hape fur. \ 1 | of cadet branches riner outen the country with tar an’ feathers oa him. Furthermore, I'm in favor of cleanin’ out the Hollmans. 1 was Jost a-sayin’ ter Bill" “Never mind what ye war jest redly to his checkbones, but con- trolling his voice. *“Ye've done said enough a'ready. Ye're a right old man, Caleb, an’ I reckon thet gives ye some any of them no-'count, shif'less boys of yores wants ter back up what ye says, I'm ready ter go cut thar an' makes ‘em ent hit. I hain't a-goin’ ter answer no more questions.” " There was a commotion of argu- ment, until “Black Dave” Jasper, a sat- urnine giant, whose hair was no black- his expression, rose, spoke ter answer our questions, but in this hyar country, quit us, 1 reckon we ki quit you and, if we quits ye, ye hain’t nothin 1 i“ furriner an’ don’t is visitor here Tow hurt h We don't * Hu a-givin' ye Ye hain’t a today, we ter im hyar Les Cott turned to falr our breed Misery at hit's a-goin’ ter it thar's final.’ man.” thse could ~ no longer. We rajager I's “1 Alter Ye stays on yore isk an’ be plumb risky hi | t LASCOLL an’ Un« his blazed boy a-visitin’ me speak picer, When ye wants ye kin come up thas git him. E hain’t back ter damned man of vi come i if +*} oo mans 5 ii F that he'd leave hya ' nobody halu't a-g¢ Samson took bi F. ang swepl the grou re Lie fer damn cows Vhoover boy Souths Tamarack South gone ter Hixon, He's locked « We're b's high, broke an hin with MeCager, and. at its end f the day announced briefs "Samson's gol somethin ye So long aa by us, 1 3 econ ter Henry South's ter listen boy uae I hain't got no Tam'rack tly, “but 8 JH Spicer,” said the I don’t house, sd 3 boy, succin ' t him lay Tow ter k in unlessen he's got t he charged knew that posedly close to the Holimans, reality an informer for the im led of a half-dozen ¢en the iron-barred him. That was all, except Hollman forces were Hixon, and, if the en masse, a pitched batt inevitable result. The F595 A man sup $ ar V hat But no one it in Souths, had by a and had on seen h into the jailvard posga men, close that rathering Souths went must be the first doors the in step “This Hain't No Time for Squabblin’ Amongst Ourselves.” to gain accurate information and an answer to one vital question. Was Tamarack held as a feud victim, or was his arrest legitimate? How to learn that was the problem. To send a body of men was to invite bloodshed. To send a single inquirer was to do liver him over to the enemy. “Alr you men willin’ ter take my word about Tamarack?” {inquired Sam. son, There was a clamorous assent, and the boy turned to Lescott “1 wants ye ter take Sally home with ye. Ye'd better start right away, afore she heers any of this talk. it would fret her, Tell her I've had ter go ‘cross ther country a piece, ter see a sick man. Don’t tell her whar I'm a-goin’"” He turned to the others, “1 reckon I've got yore promise thet Mr. Lescott hain’t a-goin’ ter be bothered afore its back? Wile McCager promptly gnve the as Burance. “1 gives ye my band on hit” “l seed Jim Asberry loafin’ round jest beyond ther ridge, as | rid over hyar,” volunteered the man who had brought the message “Go slow now, Samson, Don’t be no blame fool,” dissuaded Wile McCager. hit's Saturday. Hit's apt ter be shore Main street—ef ye gits thet far, dassent do hit” boy, with a flash of sudden anger wae a coward, All right, mebby I be. hears from me-—an’ keep ‘em sober.” He turned and made his fence where his mule stood hitched, When Samson crossed the ridge and berry, watching from a hilltop point of vantage, rose and that stood hitched screen of rhododendron young cedars, Sometimes, he rode just behind a nearby cuts, But vigilant wayside he watched his enemy pass he held him under a he reached where a local telephone gave communi Mammoth De took short always ey a Blore cation with Jedge, hie “Bamso: south’s done an’ ne I git h he comin’ mn * BlOoregee wy Yes “Well, jest let hi { end ter lim hyar, ef ) withheld his band, and mere! ulletis fro nded pretend ’ overed At the hitching INAOWs beneath the is passed cau walk to the trees edged keer a8 sqQuirred the brick n beh covers as he ind the 1d their went th selves protected ir g creep aro a trunk when a hunter is Samson halted at the jail wall, and called the prisoner name A tousied head and surly face window, ind ge el appeared at the barred and the boy went over and held convers we outside, How in hell dic » git into town?” lemanded the “*q id short repli in the jailhouse? aptive was shamefaced “1 got a leetle too much licker, an’ | . $ : tae fod was shootin’ out the lights last night he sod confe What did ye have hyar in business “1 jest slipped in ter see a gal” | Samson leaned closer, and lowered his voice ‘Does they know thet y¢ Tamarack turned pals, “No.” he stammered, you done hit" Samson laughed of the rifles dozen invisible rests “How long air they a-goin’ ter keep | ye byar?” he demanded. | "I kin git out tomorrer ef | pays the | fine. Hit's ten dollars.” “And eof yo don’t pay the fine?” “Hit's a dollar a day.” “I reckon ye don’t low ter pay hit, | do ye?” i “1 lowed mebby ye mout pay hit fer me, Samson.” “Ye done ‘lowed pluncd wrong | i come hyar ter see ef ye needed help, | but hit ‘pears ter me they're lettin’ yo off easy.” He turned on “they believe He was thinking i i i i { i 1 3 his heel, and went | back to his mule. The men behind the | trees began circling again. Samson mounted, and, with his chin well up, trotted back along the main street. It was over. The question was answerqd. | The Hollmans regarded the truce as still effective. The fact that they were permitting him to ride out alive was a wordless assurance of that. Incl dentally, he stood vindicated in the eyes of his own people. 10 BE CONTINUED) dni —— ——— Hadn't Looked for That. “When we bought dear little Hobby the electric flashlight he had been begging for so long,” says a mother, “we never anticipated that the first time we had company he would hold it up to the guest's er and say: ‘Oh, 1 just want to see If your ear is clean!” »» Riches From Gift Bestowed, When you give away happiness you all de time gits richer an’ richer io it ~-Atlanta Constitution. 4 Onvyg —— B. B. SPANGLER ATTORNEY AT LAW SELLEFONFTRY Practices tn all the esuris TI. Penns Valley Banking Company Centre Hall, Pa. Receives Deposits . . . @ Discounts Notes , , 3 eh 80 YEARS EXPERIENCE Trsor Manne Desians Corymarrs &a Anrone sending a sketch and description fulck ly asceris our opinion free wLelher nee nabs. 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