er dark comm'
back, 'n' lay out'n the bresh by day. Hit's full eighty mile up thar."

"Air ye shore nobody seed ye?"

The question was from a Marcum, who had come in late, and several
laughed. Rufe threw back his dusty coat, which was ripped through the
lapel by a bullet.

"They seed me well 'nough fer that," he said, grimly, and then he looked
toward Rome, who thought of old Jasper, and gave back a gleam of fierce
sympathy. There were several nods of approval along with the laugh that
followed. It was a surprise--so little consideration of an escape so
narrow--from Rufe; for, as old Gabe said, Rufe was big and good-natured,
and was not thought fit for leadership. But there was a change in him
when he came back from the West. He was quieter; he laughed less No one
spoke of the difference; it was too vague; but every one felt it, and it
had an effect. His flight had made many uneasy, but his return, for that
reason, brought a stancher fealty from these; and this was evident now.
All eyes were upon him, and all tongues, even old Sam's, waited now for
his to speak.

"Whut we've got to do, we've got to do mighty quick," he began, at last.
"Things air changin'. I seed it over thar in Breathitt. The soldiers
'n' that scar-faced Jellico preacher hev broke up the fightin' over
thar, 'n' ef we don't watch out, they'll be a-doin' it hyeh, when we
start our leetle frolic. We hain't got no time to fool. Old Jas knows
this as well as me, 'n' thar's goin' to be mighty leetle chance fer
'em to layway 'n' pick us off from the bresh. Thar's goin' to be fa'r
fightin' fer once, thank the Lord. They bushwhacked us dunn' the war,
'n' they've laywayed us 'n' shot us to pieces ever sence; but now, ef
God A'mighty's willin', the thing's a-goin' to be settled one way or
t'other at last, I reckon."

He stopped a moment to think. The men's breathing could be heard, so
quiet was the room, and Rufe went on telling in detail, slowly, as if to
himself, the wrongs the Lewallens had done his people. When he came to
old Jasper his voice was low, and his manner was quieter than ever.

"Now old Jas have got to the p'int whar he says as how nobody in this
county kin undersell him 'n' stay hyeh. Old Jas druv Bond Vickers out'n
the mount 'ins fer tryin' hit. He druv Jess Hale away; 'n' them two air
our kin."

The big mountaineer turned then, and knocked the ashes from his pipe.
His eyes grew a little brighter, and his nostrils spread, but with a
swe