HellFerSartain.docx

HellFerSartain.docx

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HellFerSartain

Hell-Fer-SartainandOtherStoriesbyJohnFox,Jr.

TO

MYBROTHER

JAMES

CONTENTS

ONHELL-FER-SARTAINCREEK

THROUGHTHEGAP

ATRICKO'TRADE

GRAYSON'SBABY

COURTIN'ONCUTSHIN

THEMESSAGEINTHESAND

THESENATOR'SLASTTRADE

PREACHIN'ONKINGDOM-COME

THEPASSINGOFABRAHAMSHIVERS

APURPLERHODODENDRON

ONHELL-FER-SARTAINCREEK

Tharwasadancin'-partyChristmasnighton``HellferSartain.''Jestu'nupthefustcrickbeyondthebendthar,an'climbontoastump,an'holleraboutONCE,an'you'llseehowthenamecome.

Stranger,hit'sHELLfersartain!

Well,RichHarpwastharfromthehead-waters,an'HarveHalltotedNanceOsborncleanacrosstheCumberlan'.

FustoneudswingNance,an'thent'other.Thenthey'dtakeapullout'nthesamebottleo'moonshine,an'--fustonean'thent'other--they'dswingheragin.An'AbeShiversa-settin'tharbythefirea-bitin'histhumbs!

Well,thingswassorterwhoopin',whensomebodyupsan'tellsHarvethatRichhadsaidsomep'n'aginNancean'him,an'somebodyupsan'

tellsRichthatHarvehadsaidsomep'n'

aginNancean'HIM.Inaminute,stranger,hitwasliketwowild-catsinthar.

Folksgot'emparted,though,buttharwasnomorea-swingin'ofNancethatnight.HarvetotedherbackovertheCumberlan',an'Rich'skinsfolkstukhimup``HellferSartain'';butRichgotloose,an'litoutlickety-splitferNanceOsborn's.HeknowedHarvelivedtooferoverBlackMountaintogohomethatnight,an'heridrightacrosstheriveran'uptoNance'shouse,an'

holleredferHarve.Harvepokedhisheadout'ntheloft--heknowedwhutwaswanted--an'Harvesays,``Uh,comeinhyehan'gotobed.Hit'stoolate!

''

An'Richseedhima-gapin'likeachicken,an'inhewalked,stumblin'might'

nighaginthebedwharNancewasa-layin',listenin'an'notsayin'aword.

Stranger,themtwofellersslepttogetherplumfrien'ly,an'theyettogetherplumfrien'lynextmornin',an'theysa'ntereddowntothegroceryplumfrien'ly.

An'Richsays,``Harve,''sayshe,``let'shaveadrink.''``Allright,Rich,''

saysHarve.An'Richsays,``Harve,''

sayshe,``yougoout'nthatdooran'

I'llgoout'nthisdoor.''``Allright,Rich,''saysHarve,an'outtheywalked,steady,an'tharwastwoshootsshot,an'Richan'Harvebothdrapped,an'intenminutestheywasstretchedoutonNance'sbedan'Nancewasa-lopin'awayfertheyarbdoctor.

Thegalnussed'embothplumfaithful.

Richdidn'thevmuchtosay,an'

Harvedidn'thevmuchtosay.Nancewassorterquiet,an'Nance'smammy,oleNance,jesgrinned.Folkscomeintoaxatter'emrightpeart.AbeShiverscomecl'ar'crosstheriver--powerfulfrien'ly--an'ever'timeNanceudwalkouttothefencewithhim.Onetimeshedidn'tcomeback,an'oleNancefotchedtheboysthardinner,an'oleNancefotchedtharsupper,an'thenRichheaxedwhutwasthematterwithyoungNance.An'oleNancejessnorted.AtterawhileRichsays:

``Harve,''sayshe,``whotol'youthatIsaidthatwordaginyouan'Nance?

''

``AbeShivers,''saysHarve.``An'whotol'you,''saysHarve,``thatIsaidthatwordaginNancean'YOU?

''``AbeShivers,''

saysRich.An'bothsays,``Well,damnme!

''An'Richtu'nedrightoveran'begunpullin'strawsout'nthebed.Hegottwoout,an'hebitoneoff,an'hesays:

``Harve,''sayshe,``Ireckonwebetterdrawferhim.Theshortes'gitshim.''An'theydrawed.

Well,nobodyeverknowedwhichgottheshortes'straw,stranger,but--Thar'llbeadancin'-partycomin'

Christmasnighton``HellferSartain.''

RichHarp'llbetharfromthehead-

waters.HarveHall'sa-goin'tototetheWidderShiverscleanacrosstheCumberlan'.Fustone'llswingNance,an'thent'other.Thenthey'lltakeapullout'nthesamebottleo'moonshine,an'--fustonean'thent'other--they'llswingheragin,jesthesame.

ABEwon'tbethar.He'sa-settin'byabiggerfire,Ireckon（efheain'tinit）,a-bitin'histhumbs!

THROUGHTHEGAP

Whenthistlesgoadrift,thesunsetsdownthevalleybetweenthehills;whensnowcomes,itgoesdownbehindtheCumberlandandstreamsthroughagreatfissurethatpeoplecalltheGap.

Thenthelastlightdrenchestheparson'scottageunderImbodenHill,andleavesanafter-glowofgloryonamajesticheapthatliesagainsttheeast.

SometimesitspanstheGapwitharainbow.

StrangepeopleandstrangetalescomethroughthisGapfromtheKentuckyhills.Throughitcamethesetwo,lateoneday--amanandawoman--afoot.Imetthematthefoot-

bridgeoverRoaringFork.

``Istharapreacheranywhararoun'

hyeh?

''heasked.IpointedtothecottageunderImbodenHill.Thegirlflushedslightlyandturnedherheadawaywitharatherunhappysmile.

Withoutaword,themountaineerledthewaytowardstown.Amomentmoreandahalf-breedMalungianpassedmeonthebridgeandfollowedthem.

AtduskthenextdayIsawthemountaineerchoppingwoodatashantyunderaclumpofrhododendronontheriver-bank.Thegirlwascookingsupperinside.Thedayfollowinghewasatworkontherailroad,andonSunday,afterchurch,Isawtheparson.

Thetwohadnotbeentohim.Onlythatafternoonthemountaineerwasonthebridgewithanotherwoman,hideouslyrougedandwithscarletribbonsflutteringfromherbonnet.Passingonbytheshanty,IsawtheMalungiantalkingtothegirl.Sheapparentlypaidnoheedtohimuntil,justashewasmovingaway,hesaidsomethingmockingly,andwithanodofhisheadbacktowardsthebridge.Shedidnotlookupeventhen,butherfacegothardandwhite,and,lookingbackfromtheroad,Isawherslippingthroughthebushesintothedrybedofthecreek,tomakesurethatwhatthehalf-breedtoldherwastrue.

ThetwomenwereworkingsidebysideontherailroadwhenIsawthemagain,butonthefirstpay-daythedoctorwascalledtoattendtheMalungian,whoseheadwassplitopenwithashovel.Iwasoneoftwowhowentouttoarresthisassailant,andIhadnoneedtoaskwhohewas.Themountaineerwasadevil,theforemansaid,andIhadtoclubhimwithapistol-buttbeforehewouldgivein.

Hesaidhewouldgetevenwithme;

buttheyallsaythat,andIpaidnoattentiontothethreat.Foraweekhewaskeptinthecalaboose,andwhenIpassedtheshantyjustafterhewassenttothecounty-seatfortrial,Ifounditempty.TheMalungian,too,wasgone.Withinafortnightthemountaineerwasinthedooroftheshantyagain.Havingnoaccuser,hehadbeendischarged.Hewentbacktohiswork,andifheopenedhislipsIneverknew.EverydayIsawhimatwork,andheneverfailedtogivemeasurlylook.EveryduskIsawhiminhisdoor-way,waiting,andIcouldguessforwhat.Itwaseasytobelievethatthesternpurposeinhisfacewouldmakeitswaythroughspaceanddrawhertohimagain.

Andshedidcomebackoneday.I

hadjustlimpeddownthemountainwithasprainedankle.Acrowdofwomenwasgatheredattheedgeofthewoods,lookingwithalltheireyestotheshantyontheriver-bank.Thegirlstoodinthedoor-way.Themountaineerwascomingbackfromworkwithhisfacedown.

``Hehain'tseedheryit,''saidone.

``He'sgoin'tokillhershore.Itol'

herhewould.Shesaidshereckonedhewould,butshedidn'tkeer.''

ForamomentIwasparalyzedbythetragedyathand.Shewasinthedoorlookingathimwhenheraisedhishead.Foronemomenthestoodstill,staring,andthenhestartedtowardsherwithaquickenedstep.Istartedtoo,then,everystepatorture,andasIlimpedaheadshemadeagestureofterrorandbackedintotheroombeforehim.Thedoorclosed,andIlistenedforapistol-shotandascream.Itmusthavebeendonewithaknife,Ithought,andquietly,forwhenIwaswithintenpacesofthecabinheopenedthedooragain.Hisfacewasverywhite;heheldonehandbehindhim,andhewasnervouslyfumblingathischillwiththeother.

AshesteppedtowardsmeIcaughtthehandleofapistolinmysidepocketandwaited.Helookedatmesharply.

``Didyousaythepreacherlivedupthar?

''heasked.

``Yes,''Isaid,breathlessly.

Inthedoor-wayjustthenstoodthegirlwithabonnetinherhand,andatanodfromhimtheystartedupthehilltowardsthecottage.Theycamedownagainafterawhile,hestalkingahead,andshe,afterthemountainfashion,behind.AndafterthisfashionIsawthematsunsetnextdaypassoverthebridgeandintothemouthoftheGapwhencetheycame.ThroughthisGapcomestrangepeopleandstrangetalesfromtheKentuckyhills.

Overit,sometimes,isthespanofarainbow.

ATRICKO'TRADE

Stranger,I'maseparATEman,an'I

don'tinQUIZiteintonoman'sbusiness;

butyouaxmestraight,an'Itellyestraight:

YouwatcholeTom!

Now,I'lltakeoleTomPerkins'wordaginanybody's'ceptin'whenhitcomestoahosstradeurapieceo'land.Ferinthetrickso'sech,oleTom'lows--well,hit'sdiff'ent;an'Ireckon,stranger,ashowhitsorteris.Hewasa-stayin'

atTom'shouse,thefurrinerwas,a-dickerin'

ferapieceo'lan'--thesamepiece,mebbe,thatyou'reatternow--an'Tomkeepshimtharferaweektobeathimout'nadollar,an'thenwon'tlethimpaynaryacentferhisboa'd.

Now,stranger,that'sTom.

Well,AbeShiverswasa-workin'ferTom--you'veheerdtello'Abe--an'

thefurrinerwasn'tmore'nhalfgoneaforeTomseedthatAbewasuptosomeofhisdevilMINT.AbekinhatchupmoredevilMINTinaminitthanSatanhisselfkininaweek;soTomjesgotAbeout'nthestableunderahoe-handle,an'tol'himtotellthewholethingstraighturhe'dhavetogotogloryrightthar.An'Abetol'!

'PearslikeAbehadfoun'astreako'

ironoreonthelan',an'hadrackedhisjinnyrightdowntoHazlanan'tol'thefurriner,whowasthara-buyin'wildlandsrightan'left.Co'se,Abewasgoin'tomakethefurrinerwhack