The Heritage of the Hills

"Well, it's at least got traditions," returned Mr. Tamroy, adding the unlettered man's apology for his little fanciful flight, "'as the fella says.' Like father like son, you know. The Seldens are gunmen. Old Adam Selden's dad was a 'Forty-niner; and Adam Selden--the Old Man Selden of today--was born right close to here when his dad was about twenty-five years old. Le's see--that makes Old Adam 'round about seventy. But he's spry and full o' pep, and one o' the best rifle shots in the country.

"He takes after the old man, who was a bad actor in the days o' 'Forty-nine, and his boys take after him. They're a bad outfit, takin' 'em all in all. The boys are Hurlock, Moffat, Bolar, and Winthrop--four of 'em. All gunmen. Then there's Jessamy Selden--the only girl--who ain't rightly a Selden at all. None o' the old man's blood in Jessamy, o' course. Mis' Selden--she was an Ivison before she married Lomax--Myrtle Ivison was her name--she's a fine lady. But she