"
The other sprang up with an oath. "We uns aint got no call ter take
chances," he growled; "best make sure." And with his rifle half raised,
he looked anxiously along the trail, but the stranger had passed from
view.
A few minutes longer they waited and watched, discussing the situation;
then returning to the mules, they rode out of the little gully and on
down the branch in the direction the object of their suspicion had
taken.
Just across the road from the mouth of the ravine down which the hunter
had come, was a little log cabin, and in the low doorway an old woman
sat smoking a cob pipe. "Howdy Liz," said one of the men, "Seed
anythin'?"
"Yep," returned the woman. "He done ast th' way ter Simpson's. 'Low'd
he'd been huntin' turkey an' lost hisself. I done tole him he orter
git someone ter tromp 'roun' with him er he might git killed."
She laughed shrilly and the two men joined in with low guffaws. "Reckon
yer right, Liz," said one. "Jake, why don't ye hire out ter him."
Jake slapped his leg. "By gum," he exclaimed, "that thar's a good ide'.
I shor' do hit. An' I'll see that he don't find nothin' bigger'n turkey
too; less'n he's too durned inquisitive; then I'll be--." He finished
with an evil grin. "You all tell Cap I've done gone ter hunt with
Mistah Whitley ef I don't show up." And beating his mule's ribs
vigorously with his heels, he jogged away down the road, while his
companion turned and rode back up the little valley.
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