The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-08-16
CLUB.
ARonanCe Of West Virginia,
BY DAVID LOWRY.
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
Az AvowAL OF LovE-RouoH AND READY
DIRECTORS.
Dan Bash stood looking at Club. he
did not know what to say. Words seemed
too weak at such moment.
Finally, he collected his wits.
miss Dawson!"
. sim plain, Belle Dawson here"
swell, Belle, then. I owe my life ia
you-twice to-day you have saved my
life"
II reckon I've saved it once, anyhow.
Them miserable skunks would have
killed you. And oh! Mr.. Rash-"
@Permit me. My name is Dan-1'm
plain Dan Bash here"
He smiled.
She smiled also.
She could not help it. She had used
the same language
"Well, was going to say, if you want
to die natural death, 60 away at once.
Ge-and 60 now. Dol"
@Why should I 60 now? Because these
Monks and that poor creature with them
hate me? Is that it?"
ain I UDdC. II ) DSCduSe--
Club checked herself. Would she tell
him what she witnessed before she fired
that first shot, or not? 1t might only
alarm him, without doing any good
Perhaps she had hest tell her father all
about it, and leave him to decide what
course to pursue.
"Well, you have not given me the req
son, Belle"
II will soon. It's good reason"
@But unless know what it IS"
II may as we'll tell. ! thought them
mean critters would just as like as not
try to kill you. didn't go home. I just
put across the hill, near cut, and Isaw
Ned Monk draw a bead-well. he hadn't
time to draw bead on you, TIL shot so
close to his head he was skert."
$50 it was you who fired that first
shot?"
"fes, twas me-"
Club was laughing now.
YOU'D langh if you'd seen them
Jump The hull passel on 'en jumped.
Then they waited awhile, and thought
rs they were there to kill you they might
IS well take the risk"
miss DawSon-Belle-Chu said
Dan Bash quickly, as he caught her
hand, "you are one in thousand-one
woman in m!ll!ons!"
, aNorsense, don't you begin to say
foolish things to me, now"
@They are not foolish, Bale-Chub. I
have been attached to you from the mo-
nent first saw you"
II reckon it's about time for me to 60
home Iow."
mo. You must hear me, Chub-you
must / can't let you &C now won't
let you go-until speak what is in my
mind. If you think you could ever care
for me, don't prevent me from speaking. "
~Whose preventing you9 Seems to
mc"-here Club laughed, and Dan Bash
thought he had never heard a sweeter
or more silvery laugh-"you're doing all
the talking. Now. Pm & square out girl,
rs everybody knows"
He gazed at her admiringly. She was
@ square oat girl. Her blue eyes met
his honestly. There was conscious
pride in her manner, in her tone, in the
way she held her head up as she looked
at him.
"I'm square out girl, Dan Bash. If
you want to come TO our house, and
father don't object. the door is open 70
you. My father is man who has been
out in the world some. never do any
thing unless dad agrees-and dad gen.
orally asks me about things he amt just
quite sure Of That's the way we do up
here in the mountains Idon't suppose
we're as fine as the folks you've lived
among-but we're straight out-all ex-
cept that gang Of Monks-and we make
them come up to the mark, toe, once in
q while. Yes, we do"
Dan Bash took off his hat, and bowed
TO her as courteously as though she were
queen.
refer TO that they had the thousandth
part of the honesty-the hundredth part
Of the good qualities you and your
father display"
well this is not the place to be stop
ping If you want to catch them directors.
That's what you want, l reckon"
"I'll go now"
Dan Bash turned, waved his hand,
and walked On.
The Monks and Squatty had turned up
q path on the mountain side; there was
now no danger Of molcstation from that
source for the remainder Of the day.
But Club stood, long after he had left
.her, watching him hasten along the
road, which was in plain view.
When he had walked half mile, Chub
turned and retraced her steps over the
mountain side in the opposite direction.
Dan Bash pushed on quickly to Squire
Meeks', where he found the two direc-
tors who controlled the schoo! district
They were both noted men.
One was the best jumper in the county,
He had jumped farther and higher than
any man who had stood before him. He
could-had, more than once-jumped Oh
the ground, clouted one mans ears with
one foot, and the next instant clouted
another's To kick mans hat off was