Judith of the Cumberlands

								

I'll see that you get justice."
While he spoke there wheeled into the square, from a nearby waggon-yard,
two young mountaineers on mules, one leading by the bridle-rein a sorrel
horse with a side-saddle on it. At sight of the marshal and those with
him, an almost imperceptible tremor went through the pair. There was a
flicker of nostril, a rounding of eye, as their glance ran swiftly from
one to another of Haley's prisoners. They were like wild game that winds
the hunter.
"St! You Pony Card, is that them?" whispered Haley, sharply nudging the
prisoner he held. "Turn him a-loose, Bonbright; I've got him handcuffed
now."
The boy--he was not more than sixteen--choked, reddened, held down his
head, studying the marshal's face anxiously from beneath lowered
flax-coloured brows.
"Yes, them's Andy and Jeff Turrentine," Bonbright heard the husky,
reluctant whisper. "Now cain't I go?"
The newcomers were beyond earshot, but the by-play was ominous to them.
The lean young bodies stiffened in their saddles, the reins came up in
their hands. For a moment it seemed as if they would turn and run for it.
But it was too late. Without making any reply Haley shoved his prisoner
into the hands of the deputy and with prompt action intercepted the two
and placed them under arrest. Bonbright observed one of the boys beckon
across the heads of the gathering crowd before he dismounted, and noted
that some one approached from the direction of the Court House steps and
received the three riding animals. In the confusion he did not see who
this was. Haley spoke to his deputy, and then drew their party sharply
off toward the jail, which could be used temporarily for the detention of
United States prisoners. To the last the young Turrentines muttered
together and sent baleful glances toward Bonbright, whom they plainly
conceived to be the author of their troubles. Poor Pony Card plodded with
bent head mutely behind them, a furtive hand travelling now and again to
his eyes.
Such crowd as the little village had collected was following, Bonbright
with the rest, when he encountered the girl who had come from the
milliner's shop. She stood now alone by the sorrel horse with the
side-saddle on it, holding the bridle-reins of the two mules, and there
was a bewildered look in her dark eyes as the noisy throng swept past her
which brought him--led in the hand of destiny--instantly to her side.
"What's the matter?" he asked her. "Can I help you?" And Judith who, in
her perturbation, had not seen him before, started violently at the words
and tone.
"They've tuck the boys," she hesitated, in a rich, broken contralto, that
voice which beyond all others moves the hearts of hearers, "I--I don't
know how I'm a-goin' to get these here mules home. Pete he won't lead so
very well."
"Oh, were you with the men Haley arrested?" ejaculated Bonbright.
"Yes, they're my cousins. I don't know what he tuck 'em for," the young,