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Show A KKHHr OFTJE BDILMHSy DEHOCMCT y IRVING BJ&HELLER , "W BOOK TWO. Ww CHAPTER X. itEH In Which Abo and 8ameon Wrestle lljbS and Some Raiders Come to Ourn and ir W ' Within a week ufler llielr return the tjtem election came off mill Abe wom defeat- (ftft ! cil. although In lil.i precinct two luin i tired mid twenty-sown out of a total f three hundred votes luul boon cast foi him, lit' begun to consider which wiij l turn. MnJ. Jo: n T. Stuart, n lawyer law-yer of Springfield who huil Ix't'i. h comrade In tin "wur" had encour ngcd him to Mtntly low mill, furihei . luul offered to li'inl lihn hooks. So h'1 j, looked for nn occupation which would . give him leisure for study. OTnl, lil former cinplo) or, hml fnlU'il Mini linir-' linir-' iil out. The young giant regarded thoughtfully i1h scanty opportunities of the village. Hi' ctiuhl hurl his groat strength Into lu iiIuih1 timl make n goisl living, hut hi' hud li'iiriicd Hint Rtllll 11 IISO of It gave ll'lll II lien lei up ' polite fur sleep tluin study. John McNeil, who for u 8liort time hnd shared his military adventures, hml become ii partner of Samuel Hill In n stoie larger mill lit'ttvr stocked Hum uny the village hud kuowi. Itui Hill mid McNeil hud no need of n dork, ilomnii Hciiulon mid Wlllluiu I terry hud opened a general Hi ore. Mr. Ilerinloii orfered to sell his Interest to Ahc iiml tuku notes for his pay. It win) not n proposition thut promised anything lint loss. The comuiunlly win Knuill unit there were three other stores, u nd there wns no other "Hill" " Dcrry, who wus given to drink mid ( dreams, us Ahc knuw. Abe Lincoln hud not heen trained to i weigh the consequences of u IxihIiii-.hs 1 enterprise. The store would gle him leisure for Htudy mid New Siilem could offer him nothing else nave consuming . toll with tho ii x !" the miw. He could not think of leaving the little cnliln lllngc. Tluyo wcro Aim Uuttcdge and . Jack Kelso und .Samson Trnylor and Harry Needles. Kvery ladder climber climb-er In tho village nnd nn tho plain around It was his friend. Upon these people who knew and respected him Abo Lincoln based his , hopes. Among them ho had found his vision nnd failure had not diminished or dimmed It. Ho would try again for u placo In which ho could serve them" nnd It he could loom to serve Bnngnmon county ho could learn to none the stnto and, possibly, even the republic. With this thought nnd a rather poor regard for IiIh own Interest In-terest his name fell Into bad company n the signboard of nerry and Lincoln. Lin-coln. Ileforu he took his place In tho n'uru he walked to Springfield nnd borrowed, n law book from his friend Mu lor Stuart. The career of the Arm began on n liul day late In August with Itlll Horry smoking his pipe In u chair on tho lit- jHKB iff "Here Comes Steve Nucklea on His RBjjn ft tie veranda of tho store nnd Abe I.ln WaPW coin sprawled In the shade of a tree PP I that partly overhung Its roof, rending I"" 11" ,nw book' T,l fneo ' Mr- Perry .. -J suddenly assumed n look of tinlmii- , " Hon. A smull, yellow dog which had I bee it lying hf rqpo.se beside him rose -, HlAm n"' Krw'd. hit hulr rising, and with ' "jMftmiKt "t"i Crj ,)f n,,,rl" ,uul astonish. HrTB nuMlt "t;(' "'ider the store. 4HFL JM "Hero comet Stexe Nurkles on his RmJMB ''l '"ir, with n lion following him," WUnjU "lllc I(,,''v "If " ain't careful we'll KV xii i ci for plenty." JHr ,,'g MIPW'w"ppwMiifcil "If the customers don't come fuster I reckon we'll need It," snld Abe. "Howdy," snld the minister ns In-stepped In-stepped at the hitching hur. dismounted dismount-ed and lied his mare. "Don't be xkeeied o' this 'ere dug. He were tied wl.en I left home but he chawed his roM' an' come n'tcr nic. I reckon If nobody feeds him he'll patter hack tonight. to-night. Any plug tobacco?" "A backlniid of It." wild Kerry, go- In? Into the storo to wait on me minister. min-ister. When they came out the latter curved ufT a corner of the plug with his Jack-knife, put It Into Ids mouth nnd flit down on the doorstep. "Where do .Samson Trnylor live?" Ahc took him to the road und polut-id polut-id the way. "There be golif to be n raid," snld iNiickli's. "I reckon, by all I've lieurtl. It'll (ome on tonight." "A raid! Who's going to hu raided?" raid-ed?" Abe asked. "Thein Trnylor folks. , Thar be n .St. I.ouls man, niitiie o' Hlggs, done stirred up the folk from Mlssouiey und Tennessee on the south mud 'bout the Yankee who holps the niggers out o' bondiige. They he goln' to do some regitlntln' tonight. 01 Siitun'll break looo Kf j on don't wa'cb out they'll come owr it it' burn his house sarlln." "We'll watch out," snld Abo. "They don't know Trnylor. He's one of the best men In this county." "I'xe heeied ho were a he mnn nn' n right powerful, aod-feurln' tnnii," snld the minister. "He's one of the best men Hint ever ciituo to this country and any one that wants to try his strength Is welcome wel-come to; I don't," said Abe. "Are you going over there?" "I were goln' to wnrn 'cm an' help 'em ef I cnln." "Well, go on, but don't stir 'em up," Abo cautioned him. "Don't say n word nhiuit the rnld. I'll bo over there with Kline other fellers soon after suit-down. suit-down. We'll Just tell 'em It's a he party come over for n story-tcllln' nn' n rassle. I reckon we'll have some fun. Hide on over nnd take supper with 'em. They're worth knowing." In n fov minutes the minister mounted his horse and rode uway followed fol-lowed by his big dog. "If I was you I wouldn't go." said Horry. "Why not?" "It'll hurt trade. Let the rest of Traylor'H friends go over. There's enough of 'em." "We must nil stand ns otto mnn for law nnd order," said Abe. "If we don't there won't be nny." An soon ns Abe hud hnd his supper he went front house to house and nsked the men to come to his store for n piece of Important business. When they hnd come he told them what was In the wind. Soon nfter that hour Abe nnd Philemon Morris, nnd Alexander Ferguson, and Mnrtln Wild-dell Wild-dell nnd Robert Johnson and Joshua Miller und .Tuck Kelso mid Siiimiel IIIII und John McNeil set out for the Trnylor cabin. Samson greeted the party with n look of surprise. "Have you come out to hung tne?" ho iislccd. "No Just to hung around ye," snld Abu. "This time It's n heart wnrinln'." Jnck Kelso nvorruil. "Wo left our who tit homo so Hint wo could pny our compliments to .Mrs. Trnylor without reserve, knowing you to he u ninti above Jealousy." "It's wliiit we cull n he party, on the prnltles," snld Ferguson. "For one thing I wanted to see Alio und the minister huo n rasslo." The 'ItcwirViKl Stephen Nitckles stood In ft out of the door with Sarah and Harry and the children. Ho was a famous wrestler. "I calu't rassle tike I used to could, but I ho wlllln' to glvo ye n try, Abe." said the minister. "You'd better save your strength for ol' Hntnn." snld Abe, "do on, Abe," the others urged. "Olvc him n try." Abe modestly stepped forward. In tho Inst yenr he hud grown less In-Wined In-Wined to Hint kind of fun. The iuti took hold of each other, collar nnd elbow, They parried with their feet for nn Instant. Suddenly Abe's long , right leg caught Itself behind the left knee of the minister. It was the hip lock as they called It those days. Once secured the stronger man was ulniost sure to prevail and quickly. The sturdy circuit rider stood against It for a second until Abe sprung his bow. Then tho heels of tho former Hew upward up-ward ndhls body ennte down to the grass, hack tlrst. "That ar done popped my wind hng." said the minister us he got up. "Call In." said Joint McNeil nnd the others echoed It. "I call In Samson TrnIor." said the in I ulster. At last the thing which had long - - , . . ,..irifii WMUli ' .i iisumjh ol mis mm untinueiii In He stores nnd houcs of New Ku em wiik nbiiiil to come In piH n r'nl of strength nnd nglllty between tl e two grout lions of Siing.tiuoti conn ty. F.lthor of litem would huve glxeu it mouth's work to nvold It. "Now we shnll see which Is the son of Felons nnd which the son of Tele-mon." Tele-mon." Kelso shouted. "How shall we rassle?" Samson asked. "I don't enre," snld Ahc. "Hough nnd tumble," Ferguson proposed. pro-posed. Hoth men agreed. They bent low Intently watching each other, their great hands out reaching. They stood braced for a second und suddenly hoth sprung forward. Their shoulders enine together with a thud. It was like two hlg bison bulls hurling their weight In the llrst shock of battle. For n breath each bore with nil his strength and then closed with his nil-versa nil-versa ry. t'nch had nn under hold with one arm, the other hooked nrotind a shoulder. Samson lifted Abe from his feet but the latter with tremendous tre-mendous efforts loosened the hold of the Vcrinonter, nnd regained the turf. They struggled acress the dooryard, the around trembling heneuth their feet. They went ngnlnst the side of the house, shaking It with the force of their Impact. Sunisoti hnd broken the grip of one of Abe's luimis and now hnd his feet In the air again but the young giant clung to hip nnd shoulder nnd wriggled hack to Ills foothold. Those lesser men wore thrilled nnd n little frightened by the mighty struggle. Knowing tho strength of the wrestlers they felt n fear of broken hones. Kit ch hud torn n rent In the cont of tho other. If they kept on there wns danger Hint both would he stripped. The children had bcun to cry. Surah hogged the struggling men to stop nnd they obeyed her. "If nny of you fellers thlilk Hint's fui) you enn have my iJnce," said (Ue. Suddenly the Darkness 8eemed to Fill With Moving Figures." "Snmsou, 1 declare you elected the strongest mnn In this county. You've got the muscle of a grizzly hour. I'm glad to be quit o' ye." "It ain't n fnlr election, Abe," Sam-son Sam-son lnughed. "If you were rassllng for the right you could Hup me. This little brush was nothing. Your heart wasn't In It, nnd by thunder, Ale, when It comes to bavin' fun 1 ritther guess we'd both do better to let each other alone." "Tulii't cMictly good, amusement, not for us," Abe agreed. It was growing dark. Ann Itittledge arrlwd on her pony, nnd called. Abe aside nnd told him Hint tfic raiders were In the village and were breaking Hie windows of Ituilford's sti)re he cuntc he hnd refused to sell them liquor. "Don't sny iinythlng uliout It," Abe cnutlotied her. "Just go Into the house with Snnili Trnylor und sit down und hiiU' it gpoil visit. AVeil look nfter the rnlilers." Then Abe told Samson what was up. The men concealed theiusches In some hushes by the roadside while the minister sitt done tignlnst nn end of the house with his bloodhound beside him. Hufoio they were settled In their plnces they heard the regulators coming. Thete were eight men In the party according to Abe's count its I thej passed. The, 111111. In concealment, conceal-ment, hurried to the cabin and surrounded sur-rounded It, crouched pgnlnst the 1 walls. In it moment they could see it big spot, blacker than the darkness. inoUng toward them. It wns the massed rnlders. They came on with 1 the stealth of a cat Hearing Its prey. A IhuUIke rour broke the silence. The 1 preacher's bloodhound lenped forward, I Tho waiting men sprang to their feet und charged. The raiders turned nnd : mn, pell moll. In a panic toward their horses. .Suddenly the dnrkuoss seemed 1 to All with moving figures. One of the tleelng men, whose coat tulls the dog hud soiled, was yelling for help. The minister rescued him und the dog went on retiring nfter Hie others. When the New Sulemlte got to the edge of the grove they could hear a number of regulators climbing into the treetops. Snnison had a mini in each band: Abe had another, while Harry Needles und Alexander Fergtt son wore In possession of the map whom the dog had captured. The minister was out In the grove with his bloodhound that was barking nnd growling under a tree-. Jack KeUo TtCjJiMiyMWWn,'rrr tj- 1 mUTfirri if""- - t - ns 1 itiir "''ll'fllillliiJiif '"''tiiiiiililfr .lined wth liniteiii. i - ion's inptUes lnvtin swear 11 an Uiuggtlng to get tiwny. Sumsoti gavr him n little shake nnd IihiIp him hf quiet. The mnn nlleied a cry of fear and pain nnd offered no more resistance. resist-ance. Stephen Nuekfdcnme out of the grove. "The rest o' that nr party done gon upstairs to roost," snld the minister. "I reckon my dog'll keep 'cm thnr. We better Jest tote these men Inter tho house nn have a prnyln bee. I've got a right smart good chnnct, now, to whop ol Sntnn." They moved the rnlders' horses. Then the party save Harry Needle, w hu stayed In the grove to keep watch took Its captives Into the cabin. Three of them were boys from eighteen to twenty years of age. The other was a lanky, bearded Tcnncs-scenn Tcnncs-scenn some forty years old. One of the young tads hnd hurt bis hand In the uvenlng's frolic. Blood wns dripping from It. The four sat silent anil fearful fear-ful and nshnmed. Snrah mado tea nnd put It with meat and milk and doughnuts and bread and butter on the table for them. Samsoa washed and bandnged the boy's wound. The captives ate ns If they were hungry, while tho minister went out to feed his dog When the men hnd mt'shed eating Samson offered them tobacco. The oldest man Oiled his pipe nnd lighted It with n coal. Not one of the captives hnd said a word until this lull Tennesscenu remarked re-marked nfter bis pipe was going: "Thankee, mister. You done hoirn right good to us." "Who told you to come here?" Sara-son Sara-son demanded. "Twere n mun from St. Louis. Hi done snld you hated thu South nu' were holpln' niggers to run nwuy." "And he offered to pay you to come here nnd burn this house and run Trnylor out of the county, didn't he?" Abu asked. "Ho did yes, sub he sttnh did," nnswered the niaii like n child In his Ignorunce nnd simplicity. "I thought so," Abe rejoined. "You tnckled it big Job, my friend. Did you know thut every 0110 of you could In sent to pilson for n term of years, nnd I've 11 good mind to see that you go there. You men have got to begin right now to liehnve yourseUes mlghtj proper or you'll begin to sup sorrow." Stephen Nuckles returned ns Ab wns speaking. "You Jest lenc 'em to me, Mr. Lincoln," Lin-coln," he "said. "These bo good men, but ol' Satan done got his hooks on Vin. Mia' Trnylor, f you don't mind, I bo goln' to do n Job o' prnyln right now. Men, you Jest git down on yo' knees right hyur along o' me." It Is recorded later In the diary thai the rude Shepherd of the pralrlei worked with these, men on their farmt for weeks until he hud them wonted to the fold. CHAPTER XI. In Which Abe, Elected to the Legist ture, Gives What Comfort He Can U Ann Rutledge In the Beginning ol Her 8orrow Also He Goes t Springfield for New Clothes. Kndford'a grocery hnd been m wrecked by the raiders that Its ownei was disheartened. Reinforced by Jobs Cameron and James, Itutledgo he had succeeded U drawing them away before be-fore thoy could steal whisky enough tl get drunk. Uut they had thrown much of his goods Into the street Radford mended Ids windows and offered of-fered his stock for sale. After a Ural Horry and Lincoln bought It, giving notes In payment and applied for license to sell the liquors they had thus ucqulred. Lute thut autumn n bay buby arrived ar-rived In the Trnylor home. Mrs. On stott, Mrs. Wnddell and Mrs. Kelue ciimu to help nnd one or the other of them did tho nursing und cooklmi 'while Sarah was In bed nnd fo'r a little time thereafter. The comln of the buby wus u comfort to this lonely lone-ly mother of the prairies. There Is u letter from Sarah to her brother dated May, 10, 18X1, In which she sums up some mouths of history In the words that follow: "The Lord hits glon us n new son, I hai lived through the onloal tliunks to Ills goodness and am itroug again. The coming of the hab.T hut lecoiiclled us to the loss of our old friends ns much ns any thing could it bus made this little home dear to us nnd pioM-il the quality of our new friends. Nothing Is too much for them 10 do. I don't wonder Hint Abo Lincoln Lin-coln bus so much confidence In the people of this country. They art sound at heart, both tho northerners and the southerners. Harry Needles N getting over his disappointment. He goes down to the store often to sit with Abe and Jnck Kelso and hear thent talk. He and Samson tire getting get-ting deeply Interested In politics. Al lets Harry rend tho hooks that he borrows bor-rows front Mnjor Stunrt of Springfield, The boy Is bent on being a Inwyer und Improving his mind. Him Kelso write to her mother Hint sho Is very happy hap-py In her new home but there Is something some-thing between the lines which seoat to indlcute that sho Is trying to pn, a good fuie on a bad matter. Ab bus been appointed postmaster, r-cry r-cry time he leaves tho storo he taken the lotters In his hat and delivers thaj us he gets a chance. We have nam the now hnby Samuel." (TO UE CONTINUED.) |