Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-11-30
BY DAVID LOWRY.
CHAPTER III.

CHAPTER III.
Az AvOwAL OF LOvE-ROUGH AND READY
DIRECTORS.
: Dan Bash stood looking at Club. He
did not know what to say. Words seemed
too weak at su h moment
Finally, he collected his wits.
"MisS Dawson"
"I'm plain, Belle Daw on here"
"Wcll, Belle, then. owe my life to
you-twicc TO day you have saved my
life"
81 reckon I've saved it once, anyhow.
Them miserable skunks would have
killed you. And OH Mr. BASH"
"Fermit me. My name is Dan-Im
p ain Dan Ba h here"
He smiled.
She smiled also.
She could rot help it. She had used
the same language.
"WelI, was going to say, if you want
to die a natural death, go away at once
Go-and go now. Do"
"Why should go now? Because these
Monks and that poor creature with them
hate me? Is that it?"
,"It.ain't that. It's because"
SChub 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 best tell her father all
about it, and leave him to decide what
cOurs1 to pursue.
"Well, you have not given me the rea-
son, Belle"
81 will soon. It's a good reason"
ssD,,+ ,,nIocc 7 lynoU what il ic -
81 NAV as we'll tell. | thought them
mean critters would just as like as not
try to kill you didn't go home. just
nut across the hill, near cut, and saw
Ned Monk draw a bead-well, he hadn t
time to draw a bead on you, till shot so
close to his head he was skert
$50 it was you who fired that first
ehot?"
"YeS, twas me-"
Club was laughing now.
"Youd laugh if you'd seen them
Jump The hui passel on 'em jumped
Then they waited awhile, and thought
as they were there to kill you they might
as well take the risk"
"Mss Bele-Chub, said
Dan Fash quickly, as he caught her
hand, "you are one in a thOuSand-one
woman in milliOns!"
"Nonsense, don't you begin to say
foolish things to me. now"
"They are not foolish, Bcllc-Chub.
have been attached to you from the mo-
ment first saw YOU"
81 reckon it's about time for me to go
home now"
"No. You must hear me, Chub-you
must. ! can't let you go now-I 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.
"Who Sc preventing you? Seems to
me"-here Club laughed, and Dan Bash
thought he had never heard a sweeter
or more slvery laugh-"yOu're doing all
the talking. Now. I'm aSquare out girl,
as everybody knows"
He gazed at her admiringly. She was
O. square oIt girl. Her blue eyes met
his honestly. There was a 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. II
you want to come to our house, and
father don't object. the door is open tC
you. My father is a man who has been
out in the world some. never 40 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
he:e in the mountains. don't suppose
we're as fine as the folks you've lived
among-but we're straight out-aIl eX-
cept that gang of MOnks-and we make
them come up to the mark, too, once in
q while. Yes, we do"
Dan Bash took off his hat, and bowed
to her as courteously as though she were
queen.
al wish I could say for the people you
refer TO that they had the thOusandtb
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"
"Iil go now"
Dan Bash turned, waved his hand,
and walked on.
The Monks and Squatty had turned up
a path on the mountain side; there was
now no danger of molestatiOn from that
source for the remainder OF the day.