Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD, DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
W BOTLE-QY
4CHAMI$ NPflJIT BUCK
L WrnORof ''TlCMLoTtheCOIBEKIiiipS"
IUU5TMnQ54p -
QOPYMGffT &y
CHAJtLte
ATVJLLC ,
BlfCX I
W "
SYNOPSIS.
Juanlta Holland, a
Philadelphia younp
woman or wealth, on her lourner
Willi
her sulde. Good Anso Talbott. Into tho
lmart of tho Ctimbrlands to become a
Teacher of the mountain children, faints
at the door of Fletch McNosh's cabin.
While resting there sho overbear a talk
between Bad Ansa Llarey, chief of his
dan. and one of his henchmen that se-
3Ualnta her with the Ilavey-McBrlar feud,
uanlta has an unprofitable talk with Dad
Anna and thex become antagonists. Cal
DoUElAB of fllA tTnl-av rlan U nn trial In
3'erli, for the murder of Noah Wyatt. a
-McBrlar. In the night Juanlta hears
feudist Vida part the McNash cabin
.luanlta and Dawn McNash becorao
friends. Cal Douglas la acquitted. Nash
TVyatt attempts to kill him but Is him
self killed by the Havey. Juanlta iroeo
to live with the "Widow Everson. whos
boys aro outside Uie feud. Milt McBrlar.
head of hia clan, moots Bad Ann there
and disclaims responsibility for Wyntt's
attempt to kin Douelas. They declare a
trueo, under pressure from Good Ansa
Talbott. Juanlta thinks she Hnds that
Bad Anso Li opposing her efforts to buy
tland and build a school. Milt McBrlar
broVfcs th trueo bv havlnx Fletch Mc
Nash murdered. Jeb McNasli bejrs Bad
Anso to tell him who killed his father,
but Is not told. Juanlta and Bad Anio
further misunderstand each olbr. Bad
Arise Is bitter.
CHAPTER X Continued.
"I'm grateful for this teacher's
course,' Bald Juanlta hotly, "and I'm
not going home."
Anso Havcy went on:
"But I know thnt boy. I know that
If I'd talked thatawny ho'd JUBt nbout
havo gono out In tho la'rel an' got
somebody, lilt might not 'a' been tho
right feller, and he might havo found
that out later. I reckon yo novcr had
a father murdered, did yo?"
"Hardly," answered tho girl with a
scornful tosa of her head. "You sec, 1
wasn't reared among gun-lighters."
"Well, I havo," responded tho man.
"I waa In tho IcgiBlaturo down at
Frankfort when It happoned, a-holpln'
to mako tho lawn that govern this
state. I waa for thorn laws In theory
but whon that word camo I palrod off
with a Ropubllcan, bo's not to loso my
vota on tho floor, an I como back hero
to theso hills an' got that feller. I
reckon I ought to bo ashamed to toll
yo that, but I'm so plumb ign'rant that
I can't feol It. I know how Job felt
an' so I held him off with a promlso to
wait. Of courso yo couldn't accept tho
liolp of a man Uko that."
Ho turned and wlthdrow lilo hands
from his pockets.
Tm through," ho addod, "an' I'm
oblcoged to yo for harkcnln' to me."
"There Is something In your point
of vlow, Mr. Havoy," Bho acknowl
edged. - "Dut It is all based on twisted
and distorted principle
"I don't think mysolf a saint. I
guess I'm pretty weak. My first ap
peal to you was puro weakness. But
I stand for ideas that tho world has
acknowledged to bo fight, and for that
reason I am going to win. That 1b
why, although I'm a girl, with nono of
your physical power, and no gun
fighters at my back, you aro secretly
afraid of mo. That 1b why you are
making unfair war on mo. I Btaud for
tho lmplocablo force of civilization
that must soouor or later sweep you
away and utterly dostroy your domi
nance." For tho first timo. Bad AnBo Havoy's
faco lost its irapassiveness. Ills eyes
clouded and becamo puzzled, surprised.
"I rockon I don't hardly follow yo,"
ho said. "If yo wantB it to bo enemies
all right, but I ain't never made no
war on yo, I don't make war on wom
enfolks, an' besides I wouldn't mako
a noodlcHB war nohow. All I've got to
do is to glvo yo enough rope an' watch
yo bang yourself."
"If you think that," she demanded,
with a quick uplcaplng of anger In hor
pupils, "why did you feel It necessary
' to prevent my buying land? Why do
you coorco your vassals, under fear of
death, to decline my offers? Why,
If my school meanB no monace, do you
rcfuso it standing room to start its
fight?"
The man's poso stiffened.
"Who told yo I'd hlndored anybody
from sellln' yo land?"
"Wherever I inqulro it Is tho samo
thing. They must ask permission of
Bad Anso Havey boforo they can do
as they wish with their own."
"By heaven, that's another He." ho
said shortly. "But I reckon yo bollevo
that, too. I did advise folks hereabouts
against sellln' to strangers, but that
waB afore yfLqomo." i
lie paced1 tho length of the room n
while, then halted beforo hor.
"Some of that property," ho went
on, and this time his voice was pas
elonato in its earnestness, "has enough
coal an' timber on it to mako itn own
ers rich soma day. Have yo seen any
of the coal-minln' sections of theso
hills? Well, go nn' have a look. Yo
won't find any mountaineer richer fer
tho development Yo'll find 'em plun
dered an' cheats! an' robbed of their
homes by your civilized furriner. I've
dona aimed tor perfect my folks
against beln' looted. I alms to go on
pcrtectln 'em."-
"Ignoranco won't protect them," sho
insisted.
"I told yo wo was. distrustful of fur
riners," went on Havoy. "Somo day
there'll be a bigger war hero than tho
Havey-WcBriar war. Yo'vo seon some
thin of that. That other war will bo
with your people, an' when It comes
War Authorities Keep Effective Track
ef Al;the Soldiers Under
Their Control.
It is doubtful whether any foreign
war office follows with an accuracy
greater than that displayed by the
United States- war department tho
movement "bf its officers. Tho follow
lng is br interesting case in point:
A yeakg army officer who had seen
service is this country and In the
C.B.MOK$
PL
there wdh't bo any Mo-Briars or
HaveyB. Wo'll all bo mountaineers
standln' together an' holdin' what God
gavo us. Qod knows I hato Milt Mc
Brlar an' his trlbo hato 'em with all
the power of hatln' that's In mo nn'
I'm a mountain man. But Milt's peo
ple an' my people havo ono thing In
common. We're mountain men, nn'
theso hills aro ourn. Wo havo tho
same klllln' instinct when men sook to
rob ub. Wo want to bo lot alone, an'
if we fight amongst oursolves It ain't
nothln' to tho way wo'll fight, shoulder
to shouldor an' back to back, against
tho robbers from down below."
Tho man paused, and as Juanlta
looked Into his blazing eyes sho shud
dered, for It aeomed that the killing
Instinct of which ho spoke was burn
ing thoro. Sho thought of nothing to
say, and ho continued:
"It's war botwen families now but'
when your pcoplo como como to buy
for nothln' and fatten on our starva
tion, wo mem of tho mountains will
forgot that, an' I reckon wo'll fight to
gether like all damnation against tho
rest. Thet's why I'm counselln' folks
not to sell heedless."
"Then you did not forbid your peo
ple to sell to mo?" inquired tho girl.
"Why, in heaven'B name, should 1
mako war on yo?" ho suddenly de
manded. "Does a man tight children?
Wo don't fight the helpless up hero In
tho hills."
"Possibly," sho suggested with a
traco of Irony, "when you learn thnt
I'm not so helpless you won't bo so
merciful."
"Wo'll wait till that timo comes,"
said tho man Bhortly. -Ho pausod for
a moment, then went on: "Helpless!
Why, heaven knows, ma'am, I pity yo.
Can't yo see what odds yo'ro contend
In against? Can't yo boo that yo'ro
flghtln God's hills and sandstone nn'
winds an' thunder? Can't yo see yo're
tryln' ter tako out of men's veins the
firo in their blood tho Are that's boon
burnln' thoro for two centuries? Yo'ro
llko a little child tryln' tor pull down
a jail-house. Yo'ro slngln' lullaby
Bongs to tho thunder. Yes, I feel right
Borry fer ye, but I nln't a-flghtln' yo."
"I'm doing none of those things,"
Bho answered with a doflant blaze In
hor eyes. "I'm only trying to show
theso peoplo thatholr Ignoranco is
not nccoBsary; that It's only part of a
schemo to keep them vassals. You
talk about tho wild, free Bplrit of the
mountain men. I think that free men
will listen to that argument."
Anso laughed. ,
"Clmngo 'em I" ho repeated, disre
garding tho slur of hcrMast spqech.
"Why, If yo don't glvo It up nnd go
back to your birds thnt pick at borrles,
do you know what will happen to yo?
I'll tell yo. Thar will bo a change, but
It won't bo In ub. It'll bo In you.
You'll be mountalnlzcd.
"Yo can't live whero tho Btorms
como rrom an' wlioro the rivers aro
born an' not havo their spirit get Into
your blood. Yo may think yo'ro In
partners with God, hut I reckon yo'll
find tho hills aro blggor than you bo.
How much land do yo need?"
"Why?"
"Because I aim to see yo get It. Yo
say I'm scalrcd of yo. I aim to show
ye how much I'm scalrcd. I aim to
lot yo go your own fool way an' floun
dor In your own quicksand. An' if
nobody won't sell yo what yo want
let mo know nn', by Almighty God, I'll
mako yo n free gift of a farm an' I'll
bu.lld your Bchool myself. Thot's how
much I'm scalrcd of yo. 1'vo tried to
bo friends with yo, nn' yo won't have
It Now just go as fur us yo feols In
clined an' boo how much I mind ye."
Ho turned abruptly on his heel and
wont out, quietly closing tho door bo
hind him.
CHAPTER XI.
That summer Juanlta'a cabin rose
on tho small patch of ground bought
from the Widow Everson, for In theso
hills the raising of a houso is a Blmplo
thing which goos forward subject to
no delays of striking workmen or
bulking contractors. Tho usual type,
with its Blnglo room, may ho reared
in a few days by volunteers who turn
their labor Into a frolic. She had owed
much to Jorry Everson and to Good
Ansq Talbott, -for had her building
forco been solidly of Havey or Mc
Brlar complexion the school would
henceforth havo stood branded, In nn
tlvo eyes, a feud institution.
But Good Anso nnd Jorry, who wore
tolerated by both factions, nnd were
gifted with a rough-hewn diplomacy,
had known upon whom to call, oven
whtlo they had seemed to select at
random.
Tho cabin had boen flulBhed just bo.
foro tho nowB came of the death of
Fletch McNash," and Jerry EvorBon
had gone over with her to Burvey and
admlro it.
As ho stood undor tho newly laid
roof, wilding tho fresh, woody fra
granco of tho green tlmbors, ho pro
duced from under his coat what lookod
like a giant powdor-horn. Ho had
scraped and polished It until It shono
llko varnish, nnd ho hung It by its
leather thong nbovo tho hearth.
"What Is it for, Jerry?" demandod
East was onco with a umaii .... i
party in Arizona. After two weeks in
tho desert hia squad camo to tho rail
way near a small station. Within ten
minutes a telegram from Washington
was brought to him by tho station
agent It asked if tho officer wished
to bo transferred to ono of tho new
artillery reglmonts thon forming.
Ho answered by telegraph that he
would bo glad to enter either of them.
Then with bis squad ho set off again
across the desert
It waa six days later when they
Law
-v irf.
tho girl, and with that ho took It down
ngaln and set It to his lips nnd blow.
A mellow Bound, not loud, but fnr
carrying, llko tho fox-hunter's tally-ho,
floated over tho valloy.
"Our houso hain't moro than a
whoop an' n hollor away," ho said
awkwardly, "but when yo'ro llvln' over
hynr by yorcaolf, of yo ovor wants any
thing In thcr nighttime, jest blow thct
horn."
After sho had nlmost burst her
chooks with effort, ho added: "Don't
nover blow this signal onlcss yo wants
tor ralso merry holl."
Then he Imitated very low, through
pursed lips, threo long blastn and
three short ones.
"What's that signal?" sho demand
ed. "Yo'vo heorod tho McBrlar yoll," ho
told hor. "Thot horn calls thor Havoy
rallyln' slgnnl. Whon thot goos out
ovory Havoy thot kin toto a gun's got
tor git up an' como. Hit moans war."
"Thank you. Jorry. I won't call tho
HaveyB to battle."
Tho night attor sho had flung her
challongo down to Bad Anso Havoy
Juanlta stayed at tho McNash cabin
to bo with Dawn and tho widow. Tho
next day sho wont with them to tho
mountalnsldo "buryln'-ground," whoro
Good Anso performed tho last rltos for
tho dead.
After it was all over, and It had been
doclded that tho widow was to tako
tho younger children up Mooting
houso fork to live with a brother, tho
missionary and tho tcachor started
back. Job waa to stay hero alono to
run tho farm, and whon Juanlta re
turned to tho rldgo Dawn went with
hor.
Thoy were passing a tumbling wa
terfall, shrunken now to a trickling
rill, whon Dawn broke tho long silence.
"Wunst, whon I war a leetlo gal,"
Bho said, "Unc' Perry war a-hldlng out
up thet branch from thor rovonuers. I
used tor fotch his victuals up thar ter
him."
Juanlta turned suddenly with a
shocked expression. It was as If her
little Bongblrd friend had suddenly and
violently reverted; as If tho flower had
turned to poison weed. And na Jua
nlta looked Dawn's eyes wore blazing
and Dawn's faco was as dark as hor
black hair dark with tho Bame ex
pression which brooded on her broth
er's brow.
"What is It, dear?" Juanlta nBked,
and In toiiBo and fiery voice tho
youngor girl exclaimed:
"I wishes I war a man. I wouldn't
walt and set still llko Job's doln'. By
hoaven, I'd git thot murderer. I'd cut
his heart outen his body."
"I tolo ye," qulotly commented
Brothor Anso, "thet thor Instinct's in
thor blood. Anso Havoy wont down
tor Frankfort an' set In thor legislator
but ho como back titer samo man
thot went down. Somethln' called
him. Somethln' calls tor every moun
tain man thot goes away, nn' ho bark
ens tor ther call."
"Anso como back," repeated Dawn
triumphantly. "An" Anso Is hyar. Ef
Job sets thar an' don't do nothln", I
"Who Told You I Hindered Anybody
From Selling You Land?"
reckon Anso Havoy won't hardly let
hit go by without doln' nothln'. Thank
heaven, thnr'a Bomo men loft In thor
hills llko Ansc Havoy but ef Job don't
do nothln' I'll do hit mysolf."
Again Juanlta shuddered, but it was
not tho time for argument, and so sho
went on. bitterly accusing Havey In
her heart for his wizard hold on theso
people a hold which Incited thom to
bloodBhod as the fanatical prlosts of
tho dosert urge on their wild tribes
mon. Sho did not know that Bad Anso Ha
voy wont ovory fow days over to tho
desolated cabin and often persuaded
tho boy to rldo homo with him and
spend a part of tho time In his larger
brick houso. Sho did not know that
Bad Anse was coining nearer to lying
than ho had over boforo como In with
holding his strong suspicions from tho
boy bocaUBO of his unwllllngnosa to
inclto another tragedy.
So when ono day a McBrlar hench
man by tho namo of Luko Thlxton had
loft tho mountains and gono wost, Anso
hoped that this man would stay away
for a long while, and ho refrained from
mentioning to Job that now, whon
tho bird had flown, ho know definitely
of his guilt.
While Dawn, undor tho guldanco of
hor preceptress, wub making tho ac
quaintance of a now and sweeter life,
whoso Influences fed her imagination
and fired her quick ambition, hnr
again struck the railway, this timo
80 miles from tho point at which timv
had previously crossed It, but tho of
fleer's reply from tho war department
was awaltlug htm. It had boen tele
graphed to overy station within two
hundred miles.
A moro striking Instance of accu
racy occurred after tho same officer's
transfer to tho East. He was travel
Ing homo on leave and, as tho regula
tions require, had notified tho depart
ment of tho day, hour and probablo
routo of his Journoy. After ho had
brothor was moro solomnly holng
hiolded by tho Havey chief.
Tho water-mill of old Bob McGroogor
waa tho nearest spot to tho dwolllng of
Bad Anso Havoy where grist could bo
ground to moal, and sometimes when
Job camo over to tho brick houso ho
would volunteer to throw upon his
shoulders tho sack of corn and plod
with It up across tho ridges. Ho would
sit thoro in tho dusty old mill whtlo
tho slow whool groaned and croakod
and tho cumborsomo millstones did
tholr slow Btint of work.
So ono day, toward tho end of Au
gust, Juanlta, who had climbed up thu
path to tho poplar to look ovor her
battloflold and renew hor vows, saw
Jcb sturdily plodding his way in long,
rosoluto strides through tho woods
toward tho mill, a heavy sack upon his
shoulders and a riflo swinging at his
sldo.
That day chance had it that no one
elso had como to mill and Bob Mc
Greegor had porsuaded tho boy to
drink from the "leetlo bluo kag" until
his mind was rlpo for mlschlof. While
tho mill slowly ground out hlB meal
Job McNash sat on a pllo of rubbish
In tho gloomy shack, nursing his
knees in interlocked fingers. Old Bob
drank and stormed and cursod tho In
ertia of tho prosont generation. The
lad's lean fingers tautened and gripped
themselves moro tensely and hlB eyes
began to smolder and bluzo with a
wlckod light ub ho listened.
"Yo looks like a right stand-up sort
of a boy, Jeb,'' growled tho old flro
eator who had set moro than a fow
couples at each other's throats. "An"
I reckon hlt'B all right, too, for a fel
ler tor bldo his time, hut hit 'pears ter
mo llko ther men of theso days don't
do nothln' but bldo thar time."
"I won't bldo mine no longer than
whnt I has tor," snapped tho boy.
"Anso 'Iowb tor tell mo when ho finds
out who hit war thct got my pap.
Thct'a all I needs ter know."
Old Bob shook his head knowingly
and laughed in his tangled beard.
"I reckon Anso Havcy'll tako his lei
sure. Ho's got other fish to fry. He's
a-thlnkln' 'bout bigger things than yoro
grievance, son."
Tho boy rose, and his volco came
very quietly and ominously from sud
denly whltenod lips. "What does ye
mean by thot, Uncle Bob?"
"Mobby I don't mean nothln' much.
Then ergln mebby I could glvo yo a
pretty good idee who kilt yoro pap.
Mebby I could tell yo 'bout a feller
a feller thet hain't fur removed from
Old Milt hlssclf thot went snoopln'
croBt ther rldgo ther same day yoro
pap died with a rifle-gun 'crost his
olbow nnd his pockets strutty with
ca'trldges."
"Who war ho?" camo tho tenso de
mand with tho sudden snap of rlfle
flro. "Who war thet felttr?"
Old Bob filled and lighted hia pipe
with fingers that had grown unsteady
from tho ministration of tho "leetlo
bluo kag." Ho laughed again In a
drunken fashion.
"Ef Bad Anso Havey don't 'low ter
toll ye, son," ho artfully demurred, "I
reckon hit wouldn't hardly bo becomln'
for mo ter name his name."
Tho boy picked up his battered hat.
"Give mo my grist," he said shortly.
Ho stood by, breathing heavily but
silently while tho sack was being tied,
then, putting It down by tho door, ho
wheeled nnd faced tho older man.
"Now yo'ro a-goln' ter tell mo what
I needs ter know," ho said quietly, "or
I'm a-goln' ter kill yo whar ye stands."
Uncle Bob laughed. Ho had meant
all tho whllo to Impart that succulent
bit of Information, which was no Infor
mation at all, but mlschlof-maklng sus
picion. Ho had hold off only to infu
rlato and envenom tho boy with tho
cumulatlvo forco of climax.
"Hit warn't nobody but" After a
pause ho went on, "but old Milt Mc
Brlar's own son, Young Milt."
"Thet's all," said Job soberly; "I'm
obleeged ter ye."
Ho went out with tho sack on his
shoulders and tho rlflo under hl3 arm.
but when ho had reached a place In
tho woods whoro-a blind trail struck
back bo doposltcd his sack carefully
undor a ledgo of overhanging reck, for
tho clouds were mounting and banking
now In a threat of rain and It was not
his own meal, so ha must bo careful
of Its safety.
Then he crossed the ridge until, ho
came to a point whero tho thicket
grow down close and tangled to tho
road. Ho had seen Young Milt going
west along that road this morning and
by nightfall ho would be riding back.
Tho gods of chance were playing into
his hands.
So ho lay down, closely hugging tho
earth, and cocked his rifle. For hours
ho crouched there with unspeakable
patienco, whllo his muscles cramped
and his feet nnd hands grow cold un
der tho pelting of a rain which was
strangoly raw and chilling for tho Boa
Bon. The sun sank In an angry bank
of thunder-heads and tho west grow
lurid. Tho drenching downpour blind
ed him and trickled down his splno un
dor his clothes, but at last ho saw tho
figure ho awaited riding a horso ho
know. It was tho Bumo roan maro that
Bad Anso had restored to Milt Mc
Brlar. When young Milt redo slowly by,
fifty yards away, with his mount at a
walk and his reins hanging, ho waa
untroubled by any anxiety, because ho
was In his own territory and was at
heart fearless. Tho older boy from
Tribulation felt his templos throb and
tho rlflo camo slowly up and tho ono
oyo which wna not closed looked point
blank across Immovablo sights nnd
along a steady barrel Into tho placid
face of his Intendod victim.
Ho could see tho whito of Milt's ovo
and tho ragged lock of hair undor tho
hat-brim which looked llko a smudgo
of soot across bU row. Then slowly
boen on the train for eight hours at
n small station tho conductor entered
with a telegram, asking If anyono of
hts namo was on board. On opening
the telegram tho officer found that It
ordorod him to detached duty.
Exactness of detail could not bo car
rlod much further. Tho wat depart
ment know tho whereabouts of a sec
ond lloutenant oven when ho was trav
eling on leavo of absonco.
Tho albatross Is tho largest of sea
birds.
Job McNash shook his head. A spasm
of battlo wont through him amrahook
him llko n convulsion to tho soles of
his foot. Ho had hut to crook his lin
ger td appcaso his blood-lust and
break his pledge.
"I done glvo Anso my hand tor bldo
my timo 'twell I war dead sartalu," ho
told himself. "I hain't quite dead sar
tain," ho told himself. "I hain't qulto
dead sartalu ylt. I reckon I'vo got ter
wait a spoil."
Ho uncocked tho rlflo and tho othor
boy rodo on, but young Jeb folded his
arms on tho wet earth and burled his
faco In thom and sobbed, and It was
an hour luter that ho Btumblod to his
feet and went grogglly back, drunk
with bitterness and emotion, toward
tho house of Ahbo Havoy. Yet when
ho arrived after nightfall his tonguo
told nothing and his features told less.
Juanlta, living In tho cabin she had
built with tho girl who had become her
companion nnd satellite, making fre
quent hard journoyn to somo houso
which tho shadow of illness had in
vaded, found it hard to bcllovo that
this Ufo had boon hers only a fow
months. Susponso seemed to stretch
The Rifle Came Slowly Up.
weeks to years, and sho awoko each
now day braced to hear tho news of
somo fresh outbreak, and wondered
why sho did not. A few neighborhood
children wcro already learning their
rudiments, and plans for moro build
ings were going forward.
Sometimes Jeb camo over from the
brick houso to see his sister, and on
tho boy's face was always a dark cloud
of settled resolve. If Juanlta never
questlosed him on tho topic that sho
know waB nearest his heart It was be
cause sho realized that to do so would
bo tho surest way to ostrango his
friendship and confidence
In one thing sho had gained a point.
Sho had bought as much property as
sho should need. Back somewhere be
hind tho veil of mysterlos Anso Havoy
had pressed a button or spoken a word,
and all tho hindrance that had lain
across hor path straightway evaporat
ed. Men had como to her, with no
further solicitation on her part, and
now it seemed that many were animat
ed by a desire to turn an honest penny
by tho sale of land. In ovory convey
ance that was drawn doeds of ninety-nine-year
leaso Instead of salo sho
read a thrifty and caracul knowledge
of land laws and reservation of min
eral and timber rights which sho
traced to tho head of tho clan.
As summer spent Itself there was
opportunity for felling timber, and tho
little sawmill down In tho valloy sent
up its drono and whlno in proclama
tion that her trees wero holng turned
into squared timbers for hor buildings.
Once, when Milt McBrlar rodo up to
tho sawmill, ho found the girl sitting
there, her bauds clasped on her knees,
gazing dreamily across tho sawdust
and confusion of tho place.
"Yo'ro right smart Interested In thet
thar woodpile, hain't ye, ma'am?" ho
hiqulred with a slow, benevolent smllo.
His kindliness of guise invited confi
dence, and there was no ono else with
in earshot, so tho girl looked up, her
eyes a little misty and hor voice im
pulsive. "Mr. McBrlar," sho said, "ovory one
of those timbers means part of a
dream to mo, and with every one of
them that is Bet in place will go a hopo
and a prnyor."
Ho nodded sympathetically. "I reck
on," ho said, "yo kin do right smart
good, too."
"Mr. McBrlar," she flashed at him in
point-blank questioning, "slnco I camo
here I "havo tried to bo of uso in a
very simple and lneffectivo fashion. I
havo dono what little I could for tho
sick and distresBod, yot I am constant
ly being warnod that I'm not allowed
to carry on my work. Do you know of
any reason why I shouldn't go ahead?"
He gazed at hor for a moment, quiz
zically, then shook his head.
"Oh, pshaw!" ho oxclalmed, "I
wouldn't lot no slch talk es thot fret
mo nono. Folks round hyar hain't got
much ter do oxcopt tor gossip 'round.
Nobody hain't n-goln' tor hlndor yo.
Wo hain't such bad pooplo, after all."
After that sho felt that from tho Mc
Briars she had gained official sanction,
nnd her resentment against Anso Ha
voy grow hocauso of his scornful un
graciousness. Tho last weoks of tho suramor wore
weeks of drought and plnguo. Ordi
narily, In tho hills storms brow swiftly
and frequently and spend thomselves
in violent outpourings and cannonad
Unable to Appreciate Silence.
Somo pooplo never learn to approcl
ato tho beauty of silence. Perhaps It
is an appreciation that canuot bo ac
quired. Perhaps It comos by naturo
Such peoplo scorn to bollavo that at:
apparently human relations must ex
press themselves In speech. Thoy
keep up an Incessant chatter and thoy
try to mako othors chatter in return
Thoy are among tho most fatiguing in
fluences in tho world. Ofton thoy are
tormented with personal curiosity
They ask searching questions, nnd if
Ing of thunder, but that year the
clouds seemed to haVo dried up, and
down In tho tablelands of tho Blue
Grass tho crops wcro burned to worth
less stalk and shrunken ear. Even up
hero, In tho birthplace of waters, tho
corn was brown and saplos3, so that
when a breeze strayed over tho hill
side Holds thoy sent up a thirsty, dying
rasp of rattling whisper.
It was not only In tho famished
forests nnd seared fields that tho hot
breath of tho plaguq breathed, carry
ing death In Its fetid noBtrlls. Back in
tho cabins of tho "branch-water folks,"
where Httlo Bprlngs diminished nnd be
camo polluted, all thoso who wore not
strong enough to throw off tho touch
of tho specter's flngor sickened and
died, nnd typhoid went In and out of
Havoy shack and McBrlar cabin whis
pering, "a pest on both your houses."
Tho widow McNash had not been
horsolf slnco tho death of Fletch. She
who had once been so strong over her
drudgery, sat day long on the doorstop
of her brother's hovel and, In tho lan
guago of her peoplo, "Jest sickened an
pined away."
So, as Juanlta Holland and Good
Anso Talbott rodo sweating mules
about tho hills, receiving calls for help
faster than thoy could answer them,
thoy were not astonished to hear that
tho widow was among tho stricken.
Though thoy fought for her life, sho
refused to fight herself, and once
again tho Eastern girl stood with
Dawn In tho brior-chokod "buryln'
ground," and onco moro across an open
grave sho mot tho eyes of tho man
who Btood for tho old ordor.
But now sho had learned to set a
lock on her lips nnd hold her counsel.
So, whon Bho mot Anso nnd Jcb after
ward, sho asked without rancor: "May
i tako Httlo Jesse back with me, too?
Ho's too young," she added, with just
a heartsick traco of her old defiance,
"to bo useful to you, Mr. Havey, and
I'd llko to teach him what I can."
Anso and Job conferred, and tho
older man camo back nnd nodded his
head.
"Jesse can go back with ye," ho said.
"I'm still aimln' to glvo yo all tho rope
yo wants. When yo'vo had enough an'
quits, lot me know, an' I'll tako care of
Fletch's children."
And on her farm, as folks called
Juanlta'a place, that September saw
many changes. Near the original
cabin was springing up a new struc
ture, larger than any other house In
that neighborhood, except, possibly,
the strongholds of tho chiefs, nnd as
It grew and began to tnko form It im
parted an air of ordered trlmness to
tho countryside nbout It. It was fash
ioned In such stylo as should bo in
keeping with Its surroundings and not
give too emphatic a note of alien
strangeness.
Juanlta wished that her cabin could
houso more occupants, for the plague
had loft many motherless families,
and many children might have come
Into her fold. As It was, she had sev
eral besides the McNashea as her nu
cleus, and whllo the weather held
good she was rushing her work ot
timber-felling and building which the
winter would halt.
CHAPTER XH.
.Ono day in early October young
Milt McBrlar happened upon Dawn
and Juanlta walking In tho woods.
Tho gallant colors nnd tho smoky
mists of autumn wrapped tho forests
and brooded In the sky. An ollxlr
went into tho blood with each deep
drawn breath and set to stirring for
gotten or hitherto unawakened emo
tions. And In this heady atmosphere
of quickened pulses tho McBrlar boy
halted nnd gazed at tho Havey girl.
Juanlta saw ,Young Milt's eyes flash
with an awakened spirit. She saw a
look In his face which she was woman
enough to Interpret even beforo ho
himself dreamed what its meaning
might be.
Da,wn was standing with her head
up and her lids half closed looking
across tho valley to the Indian sum
mer hazo that slept In smoky purplo
on tho ridges. She wore a dress of
red calico, and she had thrust In her
belt a few crimson leaves from a gum
treo and a few yellow ones from a pop
lar. Juanlta Holland did not marvel at
tho fascinated, almost rapt look that
came into Young Milt's eyes, and
Young Milt, too, as he stood there in
tho autumn woods, was himself no
mean figure. His lean body wob
quick of movement and strong, and
hlB bronzed faco wore the straight
looking eyes that carried an assurance
of fearless honesty. He had been
away to Lexington to college and was
going back. Tho keen Intelligence of
his faco was marred by no note of
meanness, and now, as ho looked at
tho girl of the enemy, his shoulders
came unconsciously erect with some
thing of the pride that shows in men
of wild blood when they feel in their
veins the strain of tho chieftains.
But Dawn, after her first blush,
dropped her lids a little and tilted her
chin, and without a word snubbed him
with tho nir of a Havoy looking down
on a McBrlar.
Milt met that gaze with a steady
one of his own and banteringly said:
"Dawn, 'pears llko ye mought 'a' got
tangled up with a rainbow."
Her volco was cool as Bho retorted:
"I reckon that's better than glttlng
mixed up with somo other things."
"I was jest a-thlnkln', es I looked at
ye," went on tho boy gravely, "thet
hit's better thon gittln' mixed up with
anything else."
(TO BE CONTINUED.)
A man may deliver a convincing
barroom oration concerning a free
country, and then bo required to put
his money on tho counter boforo being
served.
they do not recolvo spontaneous and
full rcpllos thoy become suspicious or
hurt
Laugh and Grow Well.
Gloom Is not a vlrtuo, any more
than filth. Tho "odor of sanctity" does
not necessarily Involve a long fac
and a long black frock coat and Infre
quent baths. Laughter Is good medi
cine, both for the bod) and the mind.
Tho man who laughs Is likely to bo a
healthy man, and a happy man, and
bo Is rarely a villain
ANCIENT SERBIAN CITY
SEMENDRIA HAS LONG BEEN
KNOWN IN HISTORY.
Its Trade, Chiefly With Vienna and
Budapest, Has Specialties That
Hnvc Made It Noted At One
Time Strongly Fortified. ,
"Seraendrla, whero tho shells from
AuBtro-Gcrman battorles fell In prep
aration for tho Teutonic drlvo toward
tho Golden Horn, Is ono of tho first
commercial towns of Serbia," sayB u
war primer issued by tho National
Geographic society. "Serbia is an
agricultural country. Pigs and grains
are its ranking exports, and the
greater part of tho Serbian export In
pigs, and almost all of its export in
coreals, passed through Somendrla In
pcaco times. Its trado has been done
chiefly with Vienna nnd Budapest.
Among Its cxportB aro a superior
whlto grapo and a delicious wine.
"Thoro Is an Interesting tradition
connected with tho grapes of Semen
drla. It is told that tho Serbian
Prlnco Georgo Brnnkorlch brought
cuttings of tho grnpo vines of Se
mendrla and planted them upon his
sunny estates Jn Hungary, when ho
becamo tho lord of Tokay thoro. This
transplanting of tho Serbian grapee
took place In tho fifteenth century,
and it is from theso Imported vines
that Hungary's famous, spicy whlto
wino, Tokay, came. This, tho Httlo
Serbian city Is the great ancestor of
tho Magyars' best-known product, tho
fiery, aromatic glass from Hungary v
which Is prized by connoisseurs tho
world around.
"Semondria lies upon tho Danube,
between Belgrade and tho Iron Gates.
It is distant about 30 miles southeast,
from tho Serbian capital. It is salin
to stand upon tho alto of tho Roman
town Mona Aureus, and legend has it
that Its famous grapo vines wero
planted by tho Roman Emperor Pro
bus. Therefore, it may bo seen that
tho royal wlno had an Imperial be-
ginning, and tho porfect product ot
today can boast a long and glorious
past.
"At ono time a powerful fortress
guarded tho approach to the city. It
was a thick-walled, triangular struc
ture, said to havo been built In 1430,
and for a long time It was tho dis
tinguishing feature of the small place
and tho river crossing which It guard
ed. Semendrla has been under attack
several times in the courso of its his
tory, and one battlo ot great Impor
tance took plnco here In 1411, when
tho Turks forced a passago Into Hun
gary through a Danubo choked with
tho bodies of tho heroic Magyar de
fenders. "Semendria has often been a fa
vored residence of tho Serbian ruler
and from 1430 to 1469 It was tho capl
tal of the state. Tho town has a
picturesque setting upon tho broad
river, hero narrowing for Its passage
of tho Iron Gates just below It. Tho
country around It is broken and
wooded. The population is about 7,600,
and, desplto a thriving wlno produc
tion and an oxpandlng commerces
this population has remained abotR
the aamo through the last score of
years. Tho port has a branch lino
conuecting It with the Bolgrade-Nlsh
railway, tho main products' artery in
tho country. Its rugged old trian
gular fortress still stands, tho most
interesting architectural feature n
tho city, and Its 24 square towers
are sentinels of Semendria today as
In tho days of Georgo Brankovlch,
father of Tokay wine, who builded
them.' Tho fortress was built on the
model of tho Constantinople walls."
Star Is Lost.
In a recent communication to l'As
tronomle, M. Raymond of Antlbes re
ported that ho was no longer able
to see tho companion of Alpha Can
crl, which ho had previously observed,
and asked to have his observation ver
ified at institutions equipped with
largo telescopes. Tho object has since
boen sought In vain with tho 31.5 re
flector of tho observatory of Mar
seilles. It will bo interesting to learn
whothor still more powerful tele
scopes can detect It. Tho companion
In question baa heretofore been de
scribed as a star of tho eleventh or
twelfth magnitude, distant about elev
en seconds from tho primary. M. Ray
mond also notes an apparent change
of color between tho timo tho binary
was first observed by Herschol In 1820
and his own observations of 1909 and M
1910. Scientific American.
China Awaking.
Tho Chlneso business men of Hang
chow, In tho Shanghai district, have
organized the United Association for
Advising the Nation to Uso Native
Goods. At tho initial mooting six
means of advancing tho usefulness ot
tho association wero pointed out: En
list the sympathies of all schools and
colleges throughout tho country, print
short notices In tho dally press, em
ploy men to go around and give public
addresses to tho people, distribute
handbills giving uames and short de
scriptions of nativo goods, keep in
touch by letter and othorwlso with the
chamber of commorco and dealers In
foreign goods, and call upon tho nation
to uso native goods.
Italian Lemon Gardens.
Tho Italian lemon gardens vary in
area, being commonly extremely small
In comparison with California's groves
About Palermo, however, there are
gardens having as many as 2,000
acres. Fertilizers aro used, but there
Is Httlo or no system. Nor 1b there
agrooraent as to tho proper Intervals
between trees. Irrigation Is employed.
In tho Sorrentlno region, whoro tho
water Bupply la short, a treo averages
not over 400 lemons, but well-handled ( A
Sicilian groves may produce 1,200 or
moro per tree. Tho moBt northern
gardens produco less than thoso of-
Sorrento.
r
Era of Pure Food.
"Shall I serve tho dish sir?" asked
tho waiter.
"Yes, you may servo It."
"And how about tho chemical an
alysts, sir? Shall I make It, or will
ou, sir?" Louisville Courier-Journal.
y