American of native blood, afraid of nothing that rides, walks or swims, willing to fight his weight in wildcats to defend the freedom and liberty of his native hills—and he is a fugitive from justice. Now, how can the A. P. L. save that man from the consequence of his folly?
He was saved. As soon as the Chief heard of Tom B's disappearance, he packed his timber cruising kit and went out into Tom's country. At night he reached the cabin of Uncle John Coggins, who knew everybody in that neck of the woods and whose word was law. Uncle John knew what was up, but he said nothing—only kept his small blue eyes fixed on the visitor. After they had finished their meal, the two went out and sat on a log in the sun, in the middle of a clearing where no one could approach without being seen in time.
"I understand," remarked the Chief casually, "that Tom has stepped back into the brush."
No sign from Uncle John that he had heard anything. Tom's name was not mentioned again.
Then the talk was shifted to the war and other things. The chief tried to explain to Uncle John the problem of raising the army. He tried to bring home the war, across the thousands of miles of sea and land, to this old man sitting on a log in the western North Carolina mountains. He pointed out the purpose and the manifest fairness of selective service, taking all alike from all ranks.
Then they talked about the weather and the crops and the soaring price of corn "likker" and the growing scarcity of good white oak timber. The Chief went away. Uncle John, when he said good-bye, understood perfectly why the visitor had come to his cabin.
Several days later Uncle John appeared in the office of the Chief. He drew up a chair and remarked, "Howdy," and sat gazing at the other man with about as much animation as an Egyptian mummy. Only his little snappy eyes under the bushy brows told of his alertness. The conversation was again about the weather, the crops, the soaring price of corn "likker" and the growing scarcity of good white oak timber. At length Uncle John hitched his chair closer.
"I kinda tho't you all mought wanter know 'bout Tom
