A Cumberland Vendetta

r of rock and crag. A peculiar cry radiated from the Lewallen cabin with singular resonance on the crisp air-the mountain cry for straying cattle. A soft lo

answered her. Temper and exertion had brought the quick blood to her face. Her head was bare, her thick hair was loosely coi

the hoss to-day, Jas?"

was aimin' to do. I

goin' to mill to-day.

wrong," he answe

" she cried, hotly; "that's

laughed. But when he brought his horse to the door a

at the bend O' the road, 'n' ye kin git it thar. I'll bring the meal back ef ye puts

, and as the girl reached out her hand to str

you, Jas," she said. "Me 'n' him have got to b

left out'n the bresh now, 'n

g over the bridge of the nose. A kind of grim humor lurked about the old man's mouth, which time might trace about young Jasper's. The girl's face had no humor; the same square brows, apart and cl

sin 'n' temptation. Hit do me good ever' time I look at him.

old man followed, and halted

said, in a low voice. "See all them citizens I tol' ye, 'n' tell 'em to

llop. The old man lighted his pipe, and turned back to the h

he said. "The mill on Dead Crick's a-runnin' ag'in, 'n' I

t, dad," she replied, "ef ye g

called after her,

d she loosed the boat, and headed it across the swift, shallow water from the ford and straight toward the mill. At every stroke of her paddle the water rose above the prow of the boat, and, blown into spray, flew back and drenched her; the wind loosed her hair, and, tugging at her skirts, draped her lik

the two were face to face. No greeting passed. The girl lifted her head with a little toss that deepened the set look about the mountaineer's m

She spoke shortly,

composedly. "He had schoole

he com

e night,

r's

m's

's tendin'

into the corner and, without look

coolly. "Hev a cheer, and rest a spell. Hi

e? The mountaineer was a Stetson, a worm to tread on if it crawled across the path. It would be like backing down before an enemy. He might laugh at her after she was gone, and, at that thought, she sat down in

a smile on his sober face. Their eyes cam

a body out'

rounded with a s

r strange to hear him talkin'. He's jes a-ravin' 'bout hell 'n' heaven, 'n' the sin o' killin' folks. You'd ha' thought he hed been convicted, though none o' our fambly hev been much atter religion. He says as how th

o the supernatural, she had turned toward hi

ught it was like his other talk, 'n' I never let on-a-knowin' how mam was." A flush rose like a flame from the girl's throat to her hair. "But hit's this," Rome went on in an unsteady tone, "that he talks most about, 'n' I'm sorry myself that trouble's a-comm'." He dropped all pretence now. "I've been a-watchin' fer ye over thar on t' o

ling an empty bag at the hopper, he had not dared to look at the girl till he heard her move. S

n' to have yer

she answer

Martha was gone, and he follo

The mountaineer knew that she had been coming there. He was at the mill for anothe

st. This time he yielded. His horse was at hand, and the river not far below was narrow. The bridle-path that led to the Lewallen cabin swerved at one p

watching her, for her life was lonely. She had waved her bonnet at him from mere mischief. She hardly knew it herself, but she had gone across the river to find out who he was. She had shrunk from him as from a snake thereafter, and had gone no more until old Jasper had sent her because the Lewallen mill was broken, and because she was a woman, and would be safe from harm. She had met him then when she could not help herself. But now she had gone of her own accord. She had given this Stetson, a bitter enemy, a chance to see her, to talk with her. She had listened to him; she had been on the point of letting him grind her corn. And he knew how often she had gone to the mill, and he could not know that she had ever b

he matter

oked straight at him, and her lips tightened with a reso

off atter ye. Y'u've 'witched me, gal! I forgits who ye air 'n' who I be, 'n' sometimes I want to come over hyeh 'n' kerry ye out'n these mountins, n' nuver come back. You know whut I've been watchin' the river fer sence th

f it thrilled her, and left her trembling. While he spoke her lashes drooped quickly, her face softe

ye?"-the blood rose to his eyes again. "Ye mustn't fool with me, gal, by --, ye mustn't. Whut hev you been goin' over thar fer?" He even took a threatening step toward her, and, with a helpless gesture, stopped. The girl was a little frightened. Indeed, she smiled, seeing her power over him; she s

the faint beats of a horse's hoofs. He was unarmed, and he knew it was death for him to be seen on that forbidde

run." The hoof-beats came nearer. The ri

f appeal, not anger. The black look passed from his face, and he caught her by the shoulders with rough tenderness; but she pushed him away, and without a

al I ever straddled. Why d'

Rome waited, breathless. "Wasn't the mill

Gabe wasn't thar, 'n' Rome Stetson was. I wouldn't '

e voice was lost i

father had killed old Jasper's brother. So it went back: a Lewallen killed a Stetson; that Stetson had killed a Lewallen, until one end of the chain of deaths was lost, and the first fault could not be placed, though each clan put it on the other. In every generation there had been compromises-periods of peace; why not now? Old Gabe would gladly help him. He might make friends with young Jasper; he might even end the feud. And then-he and Martha-why not? He closed his eyes, and for one radiant moment t all seemed possible. And then a gaunt image rose in the dream, and only the image was left. It was

uickly aside into the bushes. Two women who had been washing clothes pa

"Young Jas has been a-darin' 'n' a-banterin' him, 'n' he wo

hitched to the fence. All had travelled a long way. One wore a man's sad

r getting supper. Inside a dozen rifles leaned against the wall in the firelight,