The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-06-02

''holy terror" who could so fearfully convulse the people of Coyote Prairie.
 "That's him leanin' agin the side O the house," whispered Jake, "and he's got his shootin' fixin's along.
 As she approached the schoolhouse, Zelma gave swift glance at the tall, strongly built bronze faced fellow leaning carelessly by the doorway, with ono hand carcssing the muzzle of bright, new rife. He was quite handsome, she at once decided, with his flashing eyes so deeply blue as to be easily mistaken for black, and his hair of the hue of blackbird's wing. He was dressed in somewhat brigand- ish style and wore a richly finished belt, from which protruded an ivory handled revolver. Zelma had never seen "holy terror" before and the specimen by no means impressed her unfavoTa5iy.
 For one week everything moved along without the least discord. Zelma seemed to have "got on the blind side O thet thar Bill Warren" Jacob Hadley told the neighbors.
 All the pupils seemed to like their pretty, energetic young teacher, who ruled them by wise combination of kindness and firmness.
 The big boys all said that she was "hard to beat" and even rough Bill admitted that she was "tolerbly fair ish like"
 "How a ye gittin' erlong with thet thar Bill Warren?". asked Jacob Had ley, hailing Zelma as she passed his house on her way home after two weeks labor in the Coyote Prairie school
 "Very nicely, indeed" she answered. "He takes to books readily, and, so far, has been real studious."
 Hell break out all of suddint some day like one of our western blizzlrds, now you-uns mind eff he don't" chimed in Jacobs better half from the door. "He's got awful nice, we'll edarcated folks, but they've lived out hyar on Coyote Purary so long, Bill's got the upper hand of lem, and he jest runs wild, like an Injun, and his pap has no more rulin' over him than nothin."
 When Monday morning came Bill Warren did not put in an appearance at school. A little sister of his handed Zelma note from his father. It read
 Mss ARCHER: I write this to put you on your guard. Bill, l am sorry to say, is go to school no longer, and has threatened to break up your school, as he did the one held last winter. His mother and I were in high hopes that you had won him over to good be- havior, he started in so favorably. But we are now in said despair. Yours respectfully, B. l.. WARREN.
 Zelma's face flushed little as she perused this note, but almost in- stantly it took on a determined ex- pression, one a soldier might have worn, and she said slowly under her breath eff he cannot, 1 can. If I have any martial blood in my veins it is in arms and ready 'to dare or die'"
 As soon as school was called, she asked if any of the pupils had seen Bill Warren that morning. She inn mediately learned from Jake that the ''holy terror" was even then amusing himself with target on the prairie back of the school house, evil dently delighting in the thought that he must be terrifying the new teacher
 Zelma at once appointed six of the largest boys to go out and command the big truant to come into school. "Tell him that his teacher commands him to come immediately into the school-house and receive punishment for daying to play truant."
 Her messengers grinningly obeyed, but soon returned, saying:
 "Ef ye please, teacher, Bill swore at us awful, an sent us to the hot place, an jes stood us all off with his re- volver. He says he won't come nary inch, an you-uns kain't make him."
 "Ah, we shall seew was all Zelma said. But her dark eyes flashed and her lips were firmly compressed. Bid- ding the scholars be quiet and prepare their lessons, Zelma left the room.
 A short distance from the back of the school building Zclma espied Bill Warren seated on the ground examin- ing his rifle. His back was towards her, and so quickly and noiselessly did she slip upon him that he was uncon- scious of her presence, until she grasped him vigorously by his coat collar and shook him quite soundly.
 "You rough, unmanly fellow, to send lady such messagel Perhaps that is your idea of bravery? If so, it is very poor one. Are you not thor oughly ashamed of yourself?" and she bent her dark eyes upon his face searchingly.
 Bills cOuntenance was study. Surprise, anger and shame each con- tended for mastery there.
 "Give me that rife and revolver, sir, and come in school at once." She spoke with the tone of true firmness but without the ring of anger.
 "I intend to punish you. William