Charlevoix county herald., 1910-01-08

| to a vigor her son had never seen be-
fore in her. She said: John. he
cussed YOU He called you damned
plucked banty rooster. You got to
lick him. Don't tell me about no COM
p'ny; they wants man. Don't you be
afeard, he amt sech site bigger'n
you. None of my men folks never
have run from nobody" She broke
down. wailing.
With the desperate resolution or the
weak he took immediate action. Put
! ting on his canvas leggings, he pulled
his wide felt hat over pallid face
and went out. He answered not one
word to his mothers frantic questions.
In the lean bosom of Tennie ma
| ternal solicitousness strove with the
JOY of conflict. Nervously she put the
children to bed, then drew a sack OF
pine knots near the fire, and sat down
| to wait One after another she
dropped the knots onto the hearth,
and watched them kindle to flame and
die to embers.
At last, after a wearing waiting, dim
! light showed through the cracks In
the shutter Tennie unattached the
door and went out through the young
trees to the road. Instantly terror
clutched her heart. Across the road,
in the dawning grayness, loomed a
horse, sprawled upon his back was
something unacceptable, limp. BY
his gait she knew the horse for John S.
He came warily, testing the slippery
mud for each foothold. Her first col
lected thought was of an enemy fol-
lowing, screened by the roadside tan
gle Her fingers ached for the shot
gun hanging over the mantel.
Presently the horses fore feet were
in the water, and his burden still was
motionless. A new dread held Tennie
to the spot, if John were not already
shot dead he would fall into the
stream and be drowned. Whoa,
Rags" she called, whoa" But the
little horse came on, wading carefully.
until out of his depth. when he swan
across and headed for her as he came
up the near bank At her side he
stopped. John slid to the ground, In
coherent sounds strangling him. He
held to Rags feet and would not let
her turn him over.
She slipped her hand under his coat
into a wet sickness. Across his
shoulders were welts. The red blood
boiled in her face, and she sprang
away as if she had touched something
loathly She gasped out: John, he
whipped you. Eff All hadn't a been
no biggern' an ant Aid made out
to sting him onct."
Mother, mother" he sobbed, "Ah
said All couldn't lick him but All was
agoin' to hit him onct, and did! Oh
All did" She went away from him
crying bitterly and bent with shame
Little Rags whinnied and rubbed his
soft nose over his masters bowed
head.
The next day her friends came to
commiserate her, and she learned that
the fight, If such it might be called
took place in front Of the "Commis
sary," and that Jim as winner had
celebrated" with his party.
Months have passed away, and
summer is on the land.
At the end of long day, with the
sun blazing from the cloudless sky
the wind burning and earth parched
underfoot, the evening comes. John
Penfield had ridden Rags to town. His
friend the marshal had asked him tc
late supper at the restaurant
Tony" who proclaimed himself g
Greek, had lately come to Cottons
vile, and dazzled the farmers with ar
elaboration of new paint and oil cloth
and pressed glass.
Gradually the room filled. Everyone
was well-behaved having in view the
marshaps brass buttons.
Talk ran on Got" which was "sit
tin, '" on the squaring cotton and OF
the new town hall in leisurely process:
Of erection.
The marshal had two guests besides
John, and by the time that the west
ern steak was eaten and many waflle'
washed down by sorghum syrup, the
party was in high spirits.
"Ah tell you, subj" 10 Scott said
"Ah never seen lawyer so flooreC
afore. He was standin' thar with hi
hans un'er his coat tails a-talkin' con
fidential TO the jedge an jury an tn,
cot at large. Gus he says, will yol
locate the exac' spot whar that frs
encounter taken placer Lordy
colonel. / done tole YOU Gus he says
and rolls his eyes powerful. fearin
ne would somehow get cotch up wild
But de colonel he asks him again
With that Gus breaks out perspirin
!, turrible, an sweatin' both. Fo' d
Lawd, colonel he says, you an m
wuz boys toge'er, what you-all askir
me TO-? Fo' de Lawd, colonel, yo
> knows whar Cap'n Parks watermillio
e patch is!' And the jury they laugh
out"
JOS story stopped short, for job
[ had brought his fist crashing down o.