BEAR CAT STACY

Thames Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 17695, 20 September 1929, Page 3

BEAR CAT STACY

I OUR SERIAL STORY fJk

CHAPTER XVII

"Ef them loves lied been struck ter death by a rattlesnake—and hit war feasible fer ye, 'stid of jest killin' ther snake, ter put an encl ter ther pizen hitself—fer all time—would ye waste strength on a single sarpent?" The eyes of the speaker were glowing with ardour. "Men like Kinnatrd air snakes thet couldn't doi noi harm save fer ther pizen of ther copper worms. Hit's because they pertects them worms thet ther lawless stands behind hich men—an' ther law-abidin' fears 'em. Wipe out ther curse itself—and ye wipes out ther whole system of meanness an' murder." He paused, and for the first time since his outburst Bear Cat spoke soberly. "Over thai-—at ther Quarterhouse—whar they sought ter git Henderson—they warn't nothin' but a yelpin' pack of mad dogs—all fired ter murder with white licker."

Brother Fulkerson nodded. "I said ye lied power, an' I don't want ter see ye misuse hit. "Ye asked me a spell back why I pestered ye with talk about betterment in this houl- of yore affliction. Hit's because I-want ye ter go on fightin' fer thet dream—even ef hit's denied ye ter profit by hit. I wants thet jest now with ther Stacy's, gath-ea-in' in from back of beyond, ye starts out leadin' them rightfully ' 'stid of wrongfully—fer • whichever way ye leads, ye'U go far." Bear Cat Stacy rose from his seat. His chest still heaved, but "Iris eyes were aflame with a fire no lo?*ger baleful. In them was the thrilling blaze of far-reaching vision. For a time he stood silent, then he thrust out his hand.

"Brother Fulkerson, I've done been right close ter hell's edge ter-night—-but ye've brought- me out. I hevn't put by my resolve ter punish murder —if I can prove hit—but I've put by punishin' hit with more murder. I aims ter make an end of blockadin'.'' "Praise God," murmured Brother Fulkerson with the glowing face of an old and wearied prophet who sees a younger and mightier rise before him. Yet benause his own long labours had taken heavy toll of weariness, he knew the ashes of despair as well as the flame of ardour. Now he found himself arguing the insurmountable difficulties. "But how dees ye aim ter persuade men ter forego blockadin' Yore own kinfolks air amongst 'em." Bean- Cat's excitement of resolve brought a tremor to his voice. "By God, I don't aim ter persuade 'em over-much. I aims ter force 'em. Ijiim* ter rip out every still this side of Cedar Mounting—Stacy's and Towers' alike, an' I don't aim ter sneak up on 'em, bufe-ter march open ; about ther business!"

It was a campaign of persuasion, rathe*!' than abrupt coercion, that the preacher had sought to guide his convert, and at this announcement of audacious purpose he shook his head, and the hopefulness faded from his pupils.

"The system lies hits' roots, set deep in ancient toleration, an' hooked under the .rocks themselves. Afore ye alters hit by force, ye've got ter shake ter the bottom-most ledges, hills thet

By CHARLES NE VILLE BUCK. (Author of "The Call of the Cumberlands," etc.)

hain't never been shuck afore." But Bear Cat Stacy had within the hour become the crusader in spirit, hct with a new-born purpose, and it would have been as possible to send molten lava travelling uphill to go tamely back to its bursted crater, as to shake his purpose. He was in eruption. . "I knows thet, but I aims ter blast out the bed-rock hit-self an' build hit up anew." "Hit seems ter me right now es ef I kin see ther picture of this land in years to cciae. I kin see men walkin' with thar heads high .an' thai- gaze clear—'stid of reel in' in thar saddles j an' scowlin' hate outen drunken eyes. I kin see sich schools es Jerry Henderson named ter me in other valleys an' coves. "Ye says hit hain't a-goi'n ter be easy, but I tells ye more then thet—hit's goin' ter be jest one mite short of impossible—an' none-the-less I'm a-goin' ter do hit. I'm a-goin' ter lay ther foundations fer a peace thet kin endure. I reckon . folks'll laugh at fust, and mark me down fer death, but I means ter prevail afore I quits —an' I'm beholden ter sre5 r e fer pointin' me ther way,." *~ The preacher clasped his hands in a nervous uncertainty. The transition from night to the twilight of the day's ' beginning had passed" through its most! ghastly vagueness to a fog-wrapped morning. A dour veil-of gray and sod- ! den mists trailed along the slopes with that chill that strikes at the heart I and quenches the spirit in degression. Joel Fulkerson, stood, gray, too, and colourless. "I don't hardly know how ter counsel ye. son," he said, and his voice was that of a man of weariness was crushing him. "Ye aims ter do a thing thet hain't never been successfully xmdertook before: Ef ye seeks ter force men 'stid of persuadin' them—ye're mighty liable ter fail—and cause ther valleys ter run red." Bear Oat's lips twisted themselves into a smile ironically mirthless. "Brother Fulkerson," lie said, in thar—ye kin almost hear her moanin' now—is ther gel thet I've always loved. Ter me the gjround she walks o.i lis holy—thet air she breathes is ther only air I kin breathe without torment . . . ter-night I fotched hyar ther man thet my heart was clamourin' ter kill; fotched him hyar ter wed with her." As he paused Turner's face twitched painfully. "Ye says I mustn't undertake this job in no spirit of vengeance. Ther hain't no other fashion I kin undertake hit. I must needs throw myself inter this warfare with all ther hate—an' all ther love thet's in my blood. I hain't a-goin' ter try gentle iniquity ' —l'm goin' ter strive ter tromp hit under foot.'-' . When Bear Cat was joined by Joe Sanders a few minutes later, the ridges were still grim and unrelieved heaps of ragged gray. The skv was lowering and and., the., face of the sun pale and sullen. Joe, too, in that -depressing dimness Jooked like a churlish ghost, and as the pair stod silently.in the. road they j saw a trio of horsemen approaching i and recognised at their head Dog Tate, mud-splashed and astride a horse that limped stiffly with weariness. ; Dog slid from his saddle*, and re- ' ported briefly. . 1 :

"Ther toys air a-comin' in from ther branch waters an' ther fui-thai-most oo\€s. I've done started a tide of men flowin' ter-night."

"I'm beholden tea - ye. I reckon we'd all better fare over ter my house and make ready ter meet 'eni thar." Tate leaned forward and gripped Bear Cat's arms.

"I've done wanned everybody thet our folks must come in quiet. I 'lowed ye'd want ter liold ■ counsel afore any man fired a shot—but"—he paused and looked furtively about him, then lowered his voice—"but thar's a thing comin' ter pass thet don't pleasure me none. Kinnaad Tower s air a-ridin' ove'V hyar ter hev speech with ye—an' ef ye jest says ther word—thar hain't no need of his ever gittin' hyar."

"Kinnard Towers!" For an instant Ri\ astonished and renewed anger flared in Bear Cat's pupils, a.nd the face of the ether man blackened with the malevolence of a grudge long nursed and long festering in repression, i

"Kinnard Towers," repeated Dog Tate, vindictively "mouthing the name. "He's hired more men killed than he's got teeth in his jaws. He's raked hell itself, stirrin' tribulation fer yore people an' mine—an' I've done took my oath. Jest es soon es things start poppin' he's my man ter kill!"

(To be continued.)