The Call of the Cumberlands

That afternoon, one of Hollman's henchmen was found lying in the road

with his lifeless face in the water of the creek. The next day, as old

Spicer South stood at the door of his cabin, a rifle barked from the

hillside, and he fell, shot through the left shoulder by a bullet

intended for his heart. All this while, the troops were helplessly

camped at Hixon. They had power and inclination to go out and get men,

but there was no man to get.

The Hollmans had used the soldiers as far as they wished; they had

made them pull the chestnuts out of the fire and Tamarack Spicer out of

his stronghold. They now refused to swear out additional warrants.

A detail had rushed into Hollman's store an instant after the shot

which killed Tamarack was fired. Except for a woman buying a card of

buttons, and a fair-haired clerk waiting on her, they found the

building empty.

Back beyond, the hills were impenetrable, and answered no questions.