“What started that?”

“An argument over a twenty-five dollar note,” was the response.  “But you don’t want to think these were the real causes; they were usually jes’ firebrands that made things worse.  Most o’ these hyeh feuds date back to enmities made in the Civil War an’ in moonshinin’.”

“But why the war?” asked Hamilton.  “I thought nearly all the mountaineers in Kentucky fought for the North—­I know you were with Lee, of course, but I thought that was exceptional.”

“None o’ them fought for the No’th!” exclaimed the old Confederate soldier indignantly.

“Why, Uncle Eli!” said Hamilton, in surprise, “I was sure that most of them went into the Union army.”

“So they did, boy, so they did, but those who did it thought they were fightin’ for the nation, not for the No’th.  An’ the slavery question didn’ matter much hyeh.  Don’ yo’ let any one tell yo’ that the Union army was made up o’ abolitionists, because it wasn’t.  It was made up o’ bigger men than that.  It was made up o’ patriots.  I thought them wrong then,—­I do yet; but thar ain’t no denyin’ that they were fightin’ for what they thought was right.”

“But why did you join the South, Uncle Eli?” asked the boy.  “I can understand father doing it, because he was a South Carolinian.”

“I was workin’ fo’ peace,” the mountaineer rejoined “When No’th and South was talkin’ war, Kentucky, as yo’ will remember havin’ read, decided to remain neutral, an’ organized the State Guards to preserve that neutrality.  I was willin’ to let well enough alone, but when the No’th come down an’ tried to force the State Guards to join their cause, I went with the rest to Dixie.  I don’ believe,” added the old man solemnly, “that thar ever was a war like that befo’, where every man on both sides fought for a principle, an’ where there was no selfish motive anywhere.”

“The Howkles were with the Federals, weren’t they?” prompted Hamilton, fearing lest the old man should drift into war reminiscences, when he wanted to hear about feuds.

“Ol’ Isaac Howkle was,” the mountaineer replied “an’ that was how the little trouble we had begun.  At least, it had a good deal to do with it.  Isaac an’ I had never got along, an’ jes’ befo’ the war, we had some words about the Kentucky State Guards.  But I wasn’t bearin’ any grudge, an’ I never supposed Isaac was.  However, in a skirmish near Cumberland Gap, I saw that he was jes’ achin’ to get me, an’ the way he tried was jes’ about the meanes’ thing I ever heard o’ any one doin’ on the Ridge.”

“How was it, do tell me?” pleaded Hamilton, his eyes shining with interest.