Sheperd Of The Hills

5

above. It was Jed Holland coming down the trail with a
week's supply of corn meal in a sack across his horse's back .
As the figure of the traveler emerged from the mists, the
native checked his horse to greet the newcomer with the customery salutation of the backwoods: " Howdy. ”
The man returned Jed's greeting cordially, and, resting his satchel on a rock beside the narrow path , added, " I am very glad to meet you. I fear that I am lost.”
The voice was marvelously pure, deep, and musical, and,
like the brown eyes, betrayed the real strength of the man,
denied by his gray hair and bent form . The tones were as
different from the high keyed, slurring speech of the back woods, as the gentleman himself was unlike any man Jed had ever met. The boy looked at the speaker in wide-eyed wonder; he had a queer feeling that he was in the presence of a superior being.
Throwing one thin leg over the old mare's neck and wav ing a long arm up the hill and to the left, Jed drawled,
" That thar's Dewey Bal’; down yonder's Mutton Holler.”
Then turning a little to the right and pointing into the mist
with the other hand, he continued, “ Compton Ridge is
over thar. Whar was you tryin ' to git to , mister ?”
" Where am I trying to get to ?” As the man repeated
Jed's question , he drew his hand wearily across his brow .
" I – I — it doesn't much matter, boy. I suppose I must find
some place where I can stay tonight. Do you live near
here?”
"Nope,” Jed answered. " Hit's a right smart piece to whar
I live. This here's grindin ' day, an ' I've been t mill over on Fall Creek; the Matthews mill hit is. Hit'll be plumb dark ' gin I git home. I ' lowed you was a stranger in these parts
soon's I ketched sight of you . What might yer name be,
mister?
The other, looking back over the way he had come,
seemed not to hear Jed's question, and the native continued,
" Mine's Holland . Pap an ' Mam they come from Tennessee.