The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-06-03
THE STARS TEN MINUTE STORY Curl
THE TEST.

1t seems TOO GOOD 10 De JluS'
Lizzie" said Mrs. Meadows, as she
placed the candle upon the table in
the front apartment of the two-room
cabin. ITS almst a miracle. knew
Mr.. Lowry was a powerful exhorter,
but l never thought he could move
Jim Meadows. Your father has al
ways had very trying temper, Liz
zie."
The girl dropped her hands into
her lap and her black eyes snapped
as she frowned into the cracklins
fireplace.
"It's enough to give anyone try
ing temper, living away out here
away from everybody" she said i'm
patiently. ct don't see why pa didn't
stay in Shell county and fight it out!'
"He wouldn't have fought very
long, replied Mrs. Meadows YEARLY.
CATER that last row with the Hawk
inses there weren't enough of our folks
left to stand any show. And then when
Bill Hawkins ambushed your father
and broke his leg with a bullet, we
had to give up. We had to get out
of Shell county, Lizzie. Maybe we
can go back some time, but I don't
want to until we can live in peace.
I was sick and tired of the fighting.
I wasn't raised that way"
Seems to me, ma there's a call
for Mr.. Lowry up at Hillsdale. If
he'd convert Bill Hawkins and his
gang, that would be something to
brag about What's the use of con-
verting Pa. He wouldn't harm any
body if they'd let him alone"
Hush, Lizzie. Don't question the
ways of Providence. I only hope your
father won't backslide. You can't
tell until he's tried and tested I'm
awfully afraid he can't stand a test
Mrs. Meadows walked to the window
and peered anxiously into the dark
ening forest. "Here he comes at last
she said in thin, worn voice. I'm
always nervous when he stays out
after dusk. We're long way from
FIillsdale, but you can't tell what
Hawkins and his people might do"
The cabin door swung open to adj
init tallish, shaggy-bearded man, on
whose hard features was an express
sion that caused the woman and the
girl to exchange interrogatory
glances.
"Hope you amt been worried" the
man observed, as he limped toward
the fireplace Comm up from the
woods pasture I met Dave Stevens
on his way home to Hillsdale. There's
been terrible doin's up there today"
He stopped to poke the burning logs
vigorously and his eyes glittered with
a fire as fervid as the flames that
leaped up the clay-daubed chimney.
"Bill Hawkins and the Kelly boys
rode into Hillsdale this morning,
tanked up, and went to shootin' pro-
miscous. They wounded Abe briggs,
the town clerk, and killed poor old
Hi Billings as he was hobblin' down
the street. Then Thorne, the new
sheriff, lowed it was time to restore
law an order in Shell county. He
hustled together posse, and when
the smoke cleared the Kellys was
dead, and Bill Hawkins was in Jail
with a bullet-hole through his arm. :
az wish it was through his head!"
the girl flared.
The man looked down at her with
a forced frown that belied the quick
CLEAN of pride in his steely eyes.
'You mustn't say that, Lizzie" he
protested mildly. "It's sinful"
Sinful" the girl snapped. Sinful,
when Bill Hawkins ran us out Of
Shell county. You didn't talk that
way, Pa, before we moved"
"He hadn't seen the bright light
then, Lizzie" said Mrs. Meadows, re-
garding the man affectionately
The gin rose to her feet and laid a
hand upon the long muzzle-loading
rife that hung above the fireplace.
Look here, Pa" she cried, "Ill
test you! Suppose you had Bill
Hawkins at the muzzle of this, ami
your finger on the trigger-would you
pull?"
"That would be a hard test, for
sure" the man answered thought
fully. "But don't think I would.
No, l wouldn't; not now, Lizzie"
well, I would. l don't believe in
fool notions or laws that protect
brutes like Bill Hawkins!"
81 guess they'll not protect him
now" remarked Mrs. Meadows.
"He'll surely hang for what he's