The Red Debt

youth-sallied forth into the mystic dawn, setting himself high on Eagle Crown rock, and surveyed the dim wor

east, and a great sun shot its lances o

ty sheriff sat his horse at the witch-elm block in

as on hand with hospitable farewells-t

ss that had brought the officer to his door. Nor had the sheriff broached the subject again.

oked at old Lutts expectantly and with direct inquiry in his

revenuers down below thet ef they want th' ol

eat hand closed over his in parting the officer secretly hoped

w-especially that man over from Frankfort-that Burton.

pulled up short and, turning in hi

oke in undertones, as though

llow, Jutt Orlick, a friend of yours? Remember

g after the rider. Then a new light was ad

slowly, with loose rein, up the twisted trail towar

junction since dawn, where he had held all-n

at would have done credit to a city-bred malefactor, and for whic

anville as recompense for his espionage and treason against his people. But even Orlick's audaci

Lem and old Captain Lutts in jail to the last technical hour. He further promised to frustrate any attempt at c

ttses to Frankfort, out of the jurisdiction of the county, and isolate them fro

e hoped to capture Lem Lutts, at any rate, and break the boy's stoic spirit and coerce him into di

rm of confinement for Lem Lutts was very pleasing. Notwithstanding, Orlick knew that Le

nst him on Hellsfork had shaped themselves into convincing p

cincts. They would dog him to the very threshold of the sheriff

ion for Belle-Ann, and it was with a sense of bravado that he realized it w

ably a few months, during which, he told himself, he might win out and have Belle-Ann enscon

t he did

ny ill luck the outcome demanded his life, he stood ready to pay the t

ton had not killed Lem long

. He had known, so long as he had remained a mountaineer in good standing; but old Captain Lutts had moved the still in the early stages of Orlick's my

y. The smooth, unruffled manner in which his plans were unfolding up

precincts without his presence being mysteriously communicated to the denizens of the hills. Whenever an invasion is

t his plan, if Belle-Ann manifested any substantial symptom of

ld himself that he would remove every seeming obstacle that promised to come between them. This was a compact ratified with himself when he rolled the cigarette and smiled; a

e saddle-horn, he gave himself up to the favorite meditation upon which his fancy

notes bulging in his pocket. And, too, it was all easy

y-easier

o easily as he had done since his lucky affiliations with a certain one-eyed g

to a lover, and lent an atmosphere of re

smart attire in emulation of the handsome girls that met his admiring eyes in the streets of Louisville

le would stare at this lovely, stylish girl-his wife! And he had t

ts glorious reality, he threw his foot suddenly into the stirrup, rolled the spur against

k as he thought that Lem Lutts's possible

the shade near the horse-block. The dog, emitting barks o

ey had always met him with growls of distrust,

king up a cob, made shift to clean the animal's hind quarters, where the lather had congealed

his own will, Orlick sat d

the mountains, which prescribes that a caller shall wait at a dista

es fail to appear there is all t

cating water, Orlick's animal had taken himse

him through the vista of trees, and, knowing that if he got to the water

ough, urging Orlick's animal away from the water. Orlick stopped short, regarded her

he was more beautiful than before. The sight of her invariably threw him into a state of nerv

bashed before her. Never in all h

-Belle-Ann?" he managed to say awkwa

n't home, Orlick," she added pointedly, seati

and sat down, too, n

ther-till a short spell 'fore I

, now standing under a p

ocean, didn't yo'?" she asked,

owed I'd rest em up a bit-till

hoss? Thes hoss wasn't cut out fo'

in't aimin' t' stay in t

t of suspicion in them, so he hurried to forestall any utteran

watching her oval features narrowly; "an' when I do, I 'low t' sett

ned wondering

om Orlick but arrogant self-praise; hence she

rful ugly?" Try as she would, she could not restrai

her laugh rivaled the rippling sweetness of the lute. It trailed across Orl

air th' all-fired'st purttiest gal in all Ken

ning the ethics of the mountains and seizing he

rt he restra

nly. What she saw brought the hot blood to her cheeks and left no doubt

ack from her dimpled face. Orlick sat a moment speechless,

d spoke, and her words car

yo'-all cum t' see th' boys

e with his hat, which artifice he calculated would enhance his prestige off-ha

, I hain't teched a drap o' liquor fo' six months! An' wha

Gawd'll paralyze me daid ef I ever touch th' stuff agin!" he declar

l's eyes as she studied his face, a l

n on me like th' tuther f

d centered her azure eyes upon a red-head which at that instant

peaceable-an' make more money than any of 'em? Yo' see, Belle-Ann, our people hain't got no use fer a feller whut's got spunk e

artyr, the very picture of persecuted righteousness. The left corn

sky-line, and he appeared to b

sion. She glanced covertly at his averted, forlorn face, and her frigidity t

espected and eligible only while

parently utterly oblivious of Belle-Ann's presenc

oice roused him o

' round an' snookin' below-an' cum Sabbath an' jine

ome up out of the ground at his feet to confront him

discomfort. Belle-Ann's wide, clear eyes were upon

he g

don't y

that seductive voice repeat i

Christian-an' I'll sho' be at th' ded'cation Sabbath. Belle-Ann, air yo' down

and, shuffling them up, rained them down in one g

or the moment. She had never seen so much money in all