Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-01-22

sanity. fsvsrishly toward this day. The
release from strain allowed biz mai
treated, protesting body to b heard
He got up aud left tho Once. as though
aseing from the problem.
He laid q roundabout course away
from Main street out into the country.
He tramped determinedly along the
pike, fllling his lungs with the tonic
air. It had been . good growing sea-
son." His way took him between
fields Of clean young corn and barley
and oats and occasional o,ol, green
wood lots.
A farmer. driving pair Of heavy
farm horses doing duty at the tongue
of squeaky spring wagon, ratified up
behind him.
"Howdy, John! Want a liftT'
"Howdy. Ri! No, thank you. Just
taking little exercise and soaking in
all this"
Cranshawe refined in his team. John
stopped.
Little mite too smart fer 'em today,
weren't YER
'"They had been 80 bold. they made
It easier"
Cranshawe nodded. BE smarter next
time, I reckon-'f we give 'em chanel.
F we give 'em chanct," he repeated
refectively. Gus 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 at We already, has he?' Gran
shave asked shrewdly. He'll be at
We harder, before ye're through. Ye
got 'em scared. Mebby We'll fergit an
then mebby we won't But I guess
that's our lookout, not yours. So fur's
ye're concerned, all We got to do Is so
ahead an try to finish up the job we've
started. F we don't do our part, l
guess we won't have nobody to blame
but ourselves"
"The question is. nm I big enough
for the job:"
mo, that amt the question" Gran
shave contradicted quickly. "Be-
cause that can't be answered till ye've
tried. The question is, are We goin' to
be scared out by a Job because it's big,
or are We goin' to keep up what we've
started? F We don't, there amt any
body else to do it. An We'll soon be
back where we started"
John nodded slowly. Cranshawe did
not pursue the point.
II see Steve Hampden's back" he
remarked casually. THAT girl O. his
was at the trial. Came in late an had
to stand by the door where was
standin'. She was with some young
city Teller Seen her at the rally last
fall too. She seems" he grinned quiz
ideally, Ito take considerable intrust In
ye. SO long!'
Soon he was out Of sight around a
turn in the road.
John swung rapidly along for an hour
until the sweat oozed from every pore
of his body. Then he threw himself
under q tree by the roadside.
He pondered his problem. Yet he
knew that 1t was answered, not by Ri
Cranshawe's homely wisdom, but by
the inscrutable purpose of the force
! which had impelled him into the fight
He could not withdraw from the task
to which he had been set. Whittier:
was a question that he needed not to
answer, so long as straight piece Of
road lay ahead. He thought sadly of
his fathers displeasure. And he
thought Of katherine, whom, it up
peared, the winter had not taught to
forget him. He had not learned to for
get Work could dull, 1t could not
wholly stifle, the longing for her. And
yet he had not been unhappy. He
knew that he could not say no to that
! which was calling him into service.
He walked home through the calm of
shutdown. At the corner where stands
the Farmers bank he met Warren
| Blake and a companion. Warren
stopped him to introduce the stranger,
Haig, lanky, cadaverous individual
who was the author Of a much criti-
cised novel; 1.-THE Brethren"
II heard you twisting Murchell's tail
this afternoon" Haig drawled. 1T
you don't mind. I'd like to congratulate
you--on your nerve. I've been wonder
ing whether you are merely brave
man or n specimen of'that splendid
genus, the fool. Brother Blake inclines
to the latter notion"
Eyes. Warren would" John smiled.
Il do, said Warren solemnly. ~