Summary: Jonathan Smith and Mark Garden are traveling through Tennessee and in an emergency stops them in a place called Hog Hollow in the mist of a feud.

The Hill People

Chapter 1:

Mark is driving along the road talking to Jonathan, "Do you think we'll ever see the Goodlet family again? Brandon was quite a little boy, but he is in Heaven now. You just never know what's going to happen with each assignment."

Jonathan responds, "You just never know, buddy, you just never know."

While Mark has his eyes on the road a gunshot out of nowhere gets Mark in the chest. Jonathan stops the car just in time before it crashed into a guard rail. Jonathan gets out of the car when a man rushes him, knocks him to the ground and says, "Get down dummy were feuding." He gets off a few more shots the others run like rabbits. The men yells, "That's right run you varmin! BlASTED McCallisters!"

Jonathan says, "One of you shot my friend."

The man answers, "Probably one of them McCallisters. I'm told Toady Hoad, my brother Billy. Pleased to make your acquaintance. Let's get your friend to the house. We'll have to call the doctor man. Follow us in that their fancy automobile."

The Hoads get in their rickety old truck dated from the 1930s tied together with rope and head back to the house. Toady upon arrival calls out, "Maw! Maw!, the wrong man got shot. He's bleeding bad get a bed for him. Andy, (Toady's son) go fetch the doc."

Andy says, "Right away, Paw."

While Andy went to go get the doctor, Jonathan, Toady and Billy went with their Maw, Daisy Bell Hoad to get Mark on a bed. Daisy Bell says, "I best boil some water or something. I imagine your friend there needs sterilizin or cleanin' 'fore the doc gets here."

Toady says, "we sure is a sorry your friend got shot in our feud."

Jonathan doesn't respond to Toady but caring for Mark he says, "Mark you are going to be all right you're going to pull through this."

Toady says as he went to go get something and brings it over to where Jonathan is, "Here is our Bible there's might a bit of comfort taken from it."

Jonathan opens it to Psalms 23 and reads it to Mark. Jonathan brushes marks forehead and says, "He's burning up!"

Daisy Bell runs to the kitchen and brings back some cool water with a cloth. Jonathan dabs the cloth with cool water on Mark's forehead and face. A moment later Andy returns with the doc, doctor Billy Cain. The doctor has a look at Mark and wants to speak with Jonathan and Toady in the other room. Dr. Cain says, "The bullet is lodged between his lungs and his heart I can remove the bullet but is dangerous. There is a chance he might not pull through. He could die. Jonathan you're his friend should we operate now and save his life or should we risk waiting to get him to Methodist General Hospital in Chattanooga 45 minutes away by Chopper? Better facilities, better chance that is if we can stop the bleeding."

Jonathan then asks, "Do you think you can remove the bullet skillfully Dr?"

Dr. Cain replies, "Yes, I believe I can."

He instructs everyone what they must do,"Hold the lamp, clean the towels, sterilized water even moonshine to clean the instruments for the operation."

Dr. Cain operates on Mark and successfully and safely removes the bullet and says, "Now it's only a matter of time with rest he should be back to normal in a couple of days."

Jonathan says, "Thank you Dr."

Daisy Bell asks, "Doc, won't you stay for supper with us? We're having hog jowls and beans."

Doc answers, "Thank you Mrs. Hoad, sorry but I've got other rounds to make."

Daisy Bell replies, "Well least take some of our fresh squeezed cider for your trouble."

The doctor takes the cider.

Jonathan notices a photo of a pretty woman who doesn't appear to be there anymore. Toady notices Jonathan looking at the picture and says, "That was Ellie Jane Hoad, my woman, my Mrs. She died three months ago. She hit her head doing laundry at the creek and drowned. Maw's afraid of doing laundry now she doesn't want to drown like Ellie Jane did."

Jonathan doesn't say anything but nods his head in understanding.

Toady says, "It's been a rough life for us ever since we left West Virginia. The Pantfield family feuded with us there now the McCallisters want to feud with us here. We are peaceful folk though Jonathan we just can't figure why folks like to shoot at us."

Jonathan asks, "What caused the feud here?"

Toady answers, "The McCallisters keep daming the river that feeds our Creek. Our crops are dying. We don't want to feud with them but when we try to undam the river they shoot at us and that's why we feud cuz they keep shooting at us. Same as it was in West Virginia. Ain't there no civilized folk anymore?"

Jonathan replies to Toady, "Keep the faith, my friend, keep the faith."

Will they continue to feud and how will Mark recover from his gunshot?

To Be Continued