The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1913-08-07

sanity, feverishly toward this day. The
release from strain allowed his mai
treated. protesting body to he heard.
He got up and left the office. as though
fleeing from the problem.
He laid roundabout course away
from Main street out into the country.
He tramped determinedly along the
pike, filling his lungs with the tonic
air. 1t had been a good growing sea
SON. His way took him between
fields of clean young corn and barley
and oats and occasional cool. green
wood lots
\ farmer. driving pair of heavy
farm horses doing duty ut the tongue
of squeaky spring wagon, ratified up
behind him.
"Howdy. John! Want iift?'
| "Howdy. ri! No. thank you. Just
taking a little exercise and soaking in
all this"
| Cranshawe reined in his team. John
stopped.
Little mite too smart fer 'em today.
weren't ye?'
"They had been so bold. they made
1t easier"
Cranshawe nodded BE smarter next
time. reckon-'f we give 'em chanct.
# we give 'em chanct,' he repeated
reflectively "Us farmers. we're feelin
purity good about these trials Feel
like we didn't make any mistake last
fall"
"Murchell says you forget" John
smiled back.
BEN Mt ye already. has he?' Gran
Shave asked shrewdly. Hell he at
ye harder. before ye're through. Ye
got 'em scared Mebby We'll fergit an
then mebby we won't But | guess
that's our lookout. not yours. So furs
ye're concerned. all ye got to do is &c
ahead an try to finish up the job we've
started. r we don't do our part.
guess we won't have nobody to blame
hut ourselves"
"The question is. am l big enough
for the job:"
mo, that amt the question" Gran
shave contradicted quickly. BE
cause that can't be answered till ye'yt
tried The question is, are ye goin' t.
be scared out by a job because it's big
or are We goin' to keep up what ye'v'
started? IF ye don't, there amt any
body else to do it, An We'll soon b.
back where we started
John nodded slowly Cranshawe di'
|, not pursue the point.
). II see Steve Hampden's back" b
:. remarked casually THAT girl O. hi
. was at the trial Came in late an ha
to stand by the door where ! wa
standin She was with some youn
: city feller. Seen her at the rally las
/. fall too She seems" he grinned qui;
e ye. so longr'
: Soon he was out of sight around
q turn in the road.
l. John swung rapidly along for an'ho.
Ia until the sweat oozed from every pol
q Of his body. Then he threw himse
IL under tree by the roadside.
% He pondered his problem. Yet L
knew that it was answered. not by u
,s Cranshawe's homely wisdom, but
the inscrutable purpose OF the fort
10 which had impelled him into the figl
"a He could not withdraw from the tn:
ID to which he had been set Whithe
~ was Il question that he needed not
ia answer, SO long as ii straight piece
"a road lay ahead He thought sadly
of his fathers displeasure. And
n thought Of Katherine, whom, it a
"a peared. the winter had not taught
or forget him. He had not learned to fl
of get Work could dull, it could n
he wholly stitie, the longing for her. Al
"a. yet he had not been unhappy.
in knew that he could not say no to tn
IN which was calling him into service.
mt He walked home through the calm
,f. sundown. At the corner where stan
the Farmers bank he met War;
X. Blake and companion. War;
,ot stopped him to introduce the strang
,e. Haig. lanky. cadaverous individ'
'or who was the author Of Il much cr
cised novel. 1.-The Brethren"
I'd. II heard you twisting Murchell's
| this afternoon" Haig drawled.
ny you don't mind. I'd like to congratul,
ar you-on your nerve. I've been wond
ing whether you are merely br:
to man or specimen Of that splen'
genus. the fool Brother Blake incliI
ed, to the latter notion
e. Eyes. Warren would" John smiled
The II do" said Warren solemnly.
don't believe in agitation. 1t hu
oes business-and the agitator."
to I'm New Chelsea. Mr. Haig. we da
ned offer thanks for prosperity. good wea
his er and the old party"
lse Haig's ready grin brOadened as
ook placed hand on Warren's should
urt Here. Mr.. Dunmeade. but for
un- grace of God. stand l. My pee
wanted to make me banker.
loie "a dollar. Mr. Haig." John put
its "held close enough to the eye will
70 the rest Of creation"
the Haig chuckled. "Now. that's g
ked That's very good. Wish I could b
rev thought of It."
ake 'As we put 1t in New Chelsea,
you leaving soon. Mr.. Haig" rs
ohm John.
was Lord, no! I'm here for my he:
ask Doctor told me I'd been working
,sk! hard or not hard enough. | TO
nph which, and that l needed fresh ali
mis- my liver. So | trailed up here q
for the Hampdens, where, by the
ung Brother Blake and ! are dlnihs
t at evening"
2 to "Yes, and we'd better start W.!