The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-09-16
THE EVENING STORY
AIawfuI Fence.
CBy Martha

| Hayden heard Margaret with a fine
| grave courteSy-still there was a suS-
picion of twinkling in his lazy eyes.
Her grievance seemed to him ridicu-
| lous indeed-yet she was evidently a
gentlewoman, since she had set it
forth without heat. CHANGING covertly
| at her, he had a sense of dfsappoint-
ment that she was SO hopelessly plain.
1t would have tempered smartly the
tedium of things to right the wrongs
of beauty in distress.
so hogs from this place are de-
stroying your corn" he said, as she
Laused. She nodded, being a woman
sparing of speech. mo doubt about
the culprits?' he asked.
She shook her head vigorously, but
| after half a breath said firmly, Cant
/ be. have ten of them in a close pen,
and all are in your grandfather's
mark
Wont you please explain?' Hay
raw to things here-and quite shame
| fully ignorant. Indeed, hardly know
a hog from a ham,"
The Hayden mark is a slit in the
right ear, a swalluw-fork in hte left"
Margaret explained. ours is a half
crop, right, under, under-bit, left
'tOh, I see.'' Hayden said. Now
please be kinder still. and tell me
what L must do about it,
Take your hogs home and keep
All at once she had become conscious
of her sunburned hands, her freckles,
her faded calico frock and scuffed
leather shoes. She had come just as
she was from the field of battle as
soon as the marauders were sefely
penned. She had expected to have it
out with Unc' Pete. the grizzled black
foreman, never dreaming that John
Hayden Sd had come to take the
masters place, now that his grand
father was belfast.
Wait, pleasei I want you to give
orders yourself to Unc' Pete-I might
make mess of it," Hayden said, also
rising.
Even as he spoke came a rap at
the back door-it stood open. In a
breath Unc' Pete had followed his
knock and stood looking at them with
a face wherein anger struggled with
concern.
Dropping his hat upon the floor he
began instantly. Mist John, hear de |
trufe fore you makes any settlement |
OBJ hern-houn' dawgs dey isis done
killtd very bes OBJ my prize pegs and |
tored de ears often de mex bes'. I
wouldn't oh Token nobody's $50 fer |
nary one OBJ 'em-top-bred Red Berk- |
shires is cheap at lat"
Where were they killed." Mar
garet demanded, her nostrils curling. |
Suddenly Hayden noted how fine and
thin they were and what a pure I1ne
her profile showed.
Unc' Pete looked at her almost COM
pasionately. why, dey wus in dat
dar ole fiel' you broke up last fall and
planted ter Gavin dis spring, but you
know you amt got no lawful fence
eroun' it,
Haven't-eh? My hounds are fence /
enough Margaret scoffed.
She knew she had lost-that she
was hopelessly wrong-the fence was
half rotten-but it ought to have turn
ed any creatures pampered and stuffed
as were the prize red Berkshires. She
had not known when she came that
her dogs had done murder. Now that
she did know she must somehow face
it out. Hayden saw that in her face
it was thin and mobile, and flushed
quickly for all its tan. I'VE won't
talk of fences-nor anything he said.
Unc' Pete, go straight after those
wicked hogs-and never let them out
side again while they live"
"Den-dee wont lib long, Uunc'
Pete said, folding his arms and sniff
ng. "Hawgs is boun' ter hab er woods
run cherry little while-dat's why I
,urnt dee out. Hits de hawg-mfnd ter
20 eat up roastin' era Gavin when I
specs your granpap gwine tell We his
stock is gwine run out when dee oughter
ter make lazy folks mind dey fences,
# nothin' else"
go after those nogS'' hayden Sa1o
luietly, but in a tone that sent Unc'
Pete scuffiing away.
Margaret turned to go. I'm awful +
V sorry-to find Bulge and Rather were ! h
10 bloodthirsty," she began.
Hayden stopped her with glance. a
I am glad" he said simply-adding I
.fter a breath glad there are even
friends to stand up for z
our rights
Hazily he knew Margaret's story a
nd heretofore had thought of her t
With touch of patronizing Scorn, as
n aging single woman, who had made n
erself the talk of the countryside by q
akipg charge of her aunt's farm and
it the same as a man. She y
ad not asked favors nor granted them +
indeed, in her keen desire to be bust a
esslike she had done injustice to her :,
7omanhood. 1t was this which had h
revoked talk such as Hayden had lis t
ened to. Now for all the repellant o
utside, he read something delicate,
ven shrinking within. As he walked
eside her to the lawn gate he said
There can be no talk of
aging damages between us-our faith
rs were friends, you know. But-but
on must have lost a lot of corn-sc p
lease let me see to it that the
Thank you, but it's impossible =.
Margaret said, and for the first time II
Ter eyes were lifted to his. Il am -
DING to see to the fence-time I'm u
trough with it. it will turn anything
ought to have done it at first. Unc' al
'ete is right-your grandfather could -
make me pay roundIy for those pigs. I'd
reckon you know why didn't fix :.
he fence-I never have money enough ~
} do half that is needed" -
What is lawful fence - Hayden -,
sked a.
Margaret smiled. THAT depends on -
how many friends you have at court nj;
daddy used to say lawful fence was it
ne 'bull-strong, horse-high and pig er