clothes; and others still, the ne'er-do-wells and outlaws, who
fought by the day or month for hire. Even these were secured by
one or the other faction, for Steve and old Jasper left no resource
untried, knowing well that the fight, if there was one, would be
fought to a quick and decisive end. The day for the leisurely feud,
for patient planning, and the slow picking off of men from one
side or the other, was gone. The people in the Blue Grass, who
had no feuds in their own country, were trying to stop them in the
mountain. Over in Breathitt, as everybody knew, soldiers had
come from the " settlemints," had arrested the leaders, and had
taken them to the Blue Grass for the feared and hated ordeal of
trial by a jury of "bigoted furriners." On the heels of the soldiers
came a young preacher up from the Jellico hills, half " citizen,"
half furriner," with long black hair and a scar across his forehead,
who was stirring up the people, it was said, " as though Satan was
atter them." Over there the spirit of the feud was broken, and a
good effect was already perceptible around Hazlan. In past days
every pair of lips was sealed with fear, and the non-combatants left
crops and homes, and moved down the river, when trouble began.
Now only the timid considered this way of escape. Steve and old
Jasper found a few men who refused to enter the fight. Several,
indeed, talked openly against the renewal of the feud, and
somebody, it was said, had dared to hint that he would send to the
Governor for aid if it should break out again. But these were
rumors touching few people.

For once again, as time and time again before, one bank of the
Cumberland was arrayed with mortal enmity against the other, and
old Gabe sat, with shaken faith, in the door of his mill. For years
he had worked and prayed for peace, and for a little while the