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He didn't mean that there should be no witnesses." She paused so long that Layson was about to speak, feeling the silence troublesome and painful, but before he had decided what to say in comment on a tale so dreadful, she went on: "He didn't mean there should be no witnesses, Lem Lindsay didn't, but as it happened there was two.
"I heered him tell Madge Brierly that he war comin' back, this evenin'. You better maybe you had better git along." He had no wish for witnesses to what he planned, now, to accomplish, when Layson should come back to Madge, as he had promised, with the engineer's report upon her coal lands. Holton nodded, grimly satisfied that he had planted a suspicion which might flower into his own revenge.
"Here, if you'll go," he added, and thrust his hand into his pocket, "I'll give you money money to help you on your way." Still she smiled at him with that aggravating, meaning smile; that smile which he could by no means fathom and of which she scarcely knew the meaning. "No," she said, "I don't want your money. You couldn't hire me to leave the bluegrass till I've seen Frank Layson."
The day was getting on toward noon. The long tramp back to his lonely cabin in the mountains would consume some hours. The sight of all these strangers, all this work on the new railroad worried him, made him unhappy, added to and multiplied the apprehension which for weeks had filled his heart about Madge Brierly and young Layson. He battled with a mixture of emotions.
His visitors took Layson by surprise, next morning. They had started from the valley long before he had supposed they would. Holton saw him first and nudged his daughter, who was with him. They were well ahead of Miss Alathea and the Colonel, who had been unable to keep up with them upon the final sharp ascent of the foot-journey from the wagon-road. The old man grinned unpleasantly.
He took a long, full breath of the exhilerating mountain air. "Pleasure? It's a derby-day, sir, metaphorically speaking." As he rested he eyed the youngster with approval. "Frank," said he, "you've grown to be the very image of my old friend, Judge Layson. Ah, five years have made their changes in us all except Miss 'Lethe." He bowed gallantly in her direction, and she gaily answered the salute.
After the visiting party had gone down from Layson's camp, and, in course of time, Layson himself had followed them because of the approach of the great race which was to make or mar his fortunes, the man breathed easier, although their coming and the subsequent events had made, he knew, impressions on his life which never could be wiped away.
His dreams were rudely interrupted as Joe Lorey stepped ominously from behind the rock where he had waited for him. "Hold up your hands!" the mountaineer commanded, with his rifle levelled at the advancing youth. "Joe Lorey!" exclaimed Layson. "You know what air between us. Your time air come. If you want to pray, do it quick, for my finger air itchin' to pull th' trigger."
He knew that government agents have shrewd wits, keen eyes, strong arms, and never let a moonshiner escape if, through any strategy, they may bring about his capture; he knew that since the discovery and destruction of his still he was a marked man; so it was nearing dusk when, after intensely cautious and immensely skilful manoeuvering against discovery, he actually entered the Layson grounds.
This hope keenly thrilled him, for a moment, but, an instant later, when, through the small window, he saw the youth seat himself, alone, before a blazing fire of logs, stretch out his legs and lounge in the comfort of the blaze, it left him. He wondered if Layson did not intend to go down at all to meet his friends.
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