THE NIGHTRIDERS' FEUD



  Peter looked into the pale face. "He's dead,
shore, boys; he's a goner now, an' won't give us
any more trouble."
  Just at this juncture there could be heard the
sound of the heavy beat of horses coming over the
mountain.
  "Git back a little, quick !" said Peter, 'they
mout be more trouble in the air."
  There was no further danger, however, for old
Jim Thompson came over the mountain bearing
the flag of truce; with him were two other men.
  "Hey, Judson !" he cried, "come out quick.
There will be no more fightin' from this side." Old
man Thompson was quite surprised to hear Judson
reply from a very few feet away: "Ef ye mean
that, Jim, hit's good news, an' I'm with ye; but
ef ye air a-jokin' or workin' a game, ye better go
slow."X
  "I'm sincere, Peter," replied Thompson. "Ye've
shot my arm off agin to-night an' killed Al, an'
I've got 'nough, an' nuthin' left to fight fer. It's
no fault o' yours, as I kin see."
  "I'm willin' ter be yer friend, Jim. Git down
an' les hold prayer over Al's dead body, an' bind
this covenant over him so's ther fust one as breaks
it, let them what hears kill us then an' thar."
  Wade and Nora stood off a few paces and,
though there was gloom about the mountain side



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