Evening star., 1898-12-17

in. she would knock drop it and run away.
Their house sat almost flush with the road
which little later plunged downhill into
dark and threatening gorge. Either side
the hills, precpices almost, crowded in so
close resolute man might dispute an
others passage. Lassaphine hated the
gorge She passed through it whenever she
went to her favorite church, Sharon.
Brother Micklejohn preached there today.
The Rouse tribe were likely to go and hear
him. Lassaphine hersef had meant to be
there-also to fetch the minister home with
her, to share her Christmas dinner. Let
the Rouses have him-with the rest" she
thought, touching the bundle of which her
arm wa growing weary. She heard hoofs
upon the road behind, and slipped within
a roadside cedar clump to rest. She was
hardly well hidden before three riders halt
ed just in front of her, spoke briefly to-
gether, then rode furiously away down hill.
Brother Mickeljohn had prayed with fer
vor and preached with JUNCTION, yet his
heart was heavy as he rode away from
Sharon. Against hope. against reason, he
had hoped to see LasSaphine. He loved his
Master and his Masters work yet he was
barely twenty-three, with veins riotously
full of young red blood From the first he
felt Lassaphine's spell. brief while he
had fought against it-then he surrendered
everything but conscience to its subtle
sweetness. 1t was conscience which had
made him anger her; he was jealousy
afraid of his own heart. Another man, in
Sonny's case, would have been privately
told of his unseemly behavior. Love and
Lassaphine had constrained him to deal
barShly upon pain of seeming to himself
a coward.
She must be furiously angry-still he
would not give her up-he would go to her,
and somehow make his peace. He rode
with eyes downcast, reins hanging. His
horse, all at once, SHE'D violently, then
stood stock still. glance told him the
reason-three other horsemen SO aligned as
to block the way. Jack Childers was in the
middle. Grant and Haskell to right and
left. All three faces were set in a sort of
steely whiteness. 1nstinctively Micklejohn
understood, and in understanding compre-
hended how much he had mistaken his
vocation. The elemental savage woke in
him|ove, religion, honor, ambition, were
as nothing by contrast with this lust for
a weapon, this mad desire to fight to the
death. He was wholly unarmed, in the face
of tremendous odds. He was better horsed
than any of the three, and to the full as
good a rider His one chance was to ride
them down, and run for it. 1t was charac-
teristic that the thought of turning back
never once entered his mind
He gathered up his reins, bent his head,
whistled softly and spurred straight at the
line. Jack swerved his horse the least bit,
let the other get his head well past, then
leaning lightly tore the reins from Mickle-
johns grasp and threw his horse upon its
launches. The force of impact swung his
own horse around-in an instant, both ami
mails had fallen. The riders, at hard grips,
writhed free of the struggling beasts, stag
gered, swayed back and forth through
breathless heart-breah. ng minute, then fell
prone in the rocky road.
Micklejohn stood six feet-he had
brawny broad shoulders and loose-jointed,
long-reaching arms. But try as he might,
he could not free himself Jacks arms
We're locked about the big chest like steel
band, momentarily tightening. Not word
had been SDOken. None was needed
Micklejohn knew he was paying for what
they had taken as an insult to Lassaphine.
neither thought nor planned consciously.
Life meant ftghting-nothing more nor less
lighting an antagonist he ought to crush
with one arm, who yet seemed likely to
best him.
He shut his eyes, but opened them in
stantly. He could see nothing but rings of
red and yellow and green, melting into
blackness Still Jacks grip held, vise-lke,
agonlzing. His breath went no lower than
the throat-he must break the grip or per-
ish. With a mighty plunslng surge he got
to his knees, lOOsed one hand. clinched it
and struck Childers blow full in the face
Blood followed 1t, red blood warm and
sticky. 1t came in a trickIing jet but did
not dim the fire In Jacks eyes Still he held
hard. swayng bacn and forth, foiIing
Micklejohn's efforts to get upon his feet.
lie saw the purple face, the staring eyes
he knew the end was only minute away.
Triumph was in his grasp. Micklejohn
had struck him again, a feeble glancing
blow. All at once a whirlwind seemed to
rage behind him-his arms We're torn loose
he was flung violently asde-Lassaphine
her eyes blazing, stamped her foot and
cried: Shame Shame!! Shame on you..
Alter this never call yourselves men,
''You-dont-think you can't-we set on
hlm-three to one"' Jack gasped She nod
ued coidly. Il can think anything else"
she said. Il know we'll why-because he
TOOK 1t on himself to sass Sonny-and me
I-nyr
iltten fer him to fight, no matter how n,uch
strength and will he may have. 7 co,I1d
n,ighIy mig li nigh manage you, Jack. fair fist
and-skull-but you wouldn't Law the weipbt
or your hand on me, no matter uyba9
might do "i'0' l
No Jack said nor let ANYBODY else"
no planned this foollshness first?" she
asked, still severe.
AL AL Of u.s." said Haskell laconicaIlv
.ri heh we drawed lots-and Jack had luck
mat fellow mad to be thrashed-ef he
r,,a,1t MI aeheu JACK then come into the argy-
Hleht, and Doc alter me-
Lassaphine's face relaxed a little ..yo,,
aii 20 ON up to the house and wait" she
sald I-i-that is--there's sometbing-I've
eot -; d "oro 10 say to Brother Mickiejo
;, IN fraid it's Yes Doc said gloon
ny as they mounted and rode away. Pc
member how she biushed up. at fhe last
Lassaphlne amt like no other woman ever
a,.sa sam-Dut , even she's likely to be a fool
over good iookin' preacher"
Does look Hike it," Haskell admitted
win half sarcastic sigh. "'TWouId he
lhhny now If we'd won the brothers caso
Tor MIN, instead O. runnin' him out n, the
Guntfy as we intended. Whut do Won
think about 1t Jack?" '0'
10! nothtng!' Jack said as though COM
ing out OF dream. I'm this matter I,assa-
phine must do the thinking"
Sonny and grandpap gave the trio an In
roarlous welcome which grew somewhat
cnastened when ten minutes later Lassa-
phine came In with Brother Mickleiohn in
her wake. Shake hands-all Of YOU" she
commanded. then wash your hands and
races and come out to Christmas dinner"
1t was royal dinner. Black Luce, whose
i0rbears had belonged to the Murrays in
the days before their decadence had done
her very hest-and Sonny had helped her
Sonny had a gourmet's palate and a pretty
taste In seasoning. At Christmas neither
was ever stinted however bare the living
other days of the year They ate in Ieis-
urely fashion-it was quite dusk when thev
arose from the table. Lassaphine led the
way into grandpap's room, which was
bright with leapng freight Notwith-
standing she lit candles n two tall brass
sticks, turned about and faced MickIe-
john, who throughout what ought to have
been an ordeal had seemed curiously eIate,
Her face was grave though laugh lurked
in her eyes. Brother Micklejohn." she
q 81 lal