Mexico Missouri message., 1914-12-31
CHAPTER VI-contlnued.


party over ter Vile McCager's mill
come Saturday" he insinuatingiy sug-
gested. Il reckon yen go over thar
with me. won't ye, Sally?"
He waited for her usual delighted
assent, but Sally only told him absent
ly and without enthusiasm that she
would study about It," At last, how
ever, her restraint broke, and, looking
up, she abruptly demanded:
Air ye a-goin' away, Samson?"
Who's been a-talkin' ter yer" de-
manded the boy, angrlly.
For a moment, the girl sat silent.
Finally, she spoke in grave voice:
'Hit hain,t nothin' ter git mad about,
Samson. The artist man lowed as how
ye had right ter go down thar. an
git an eddication." She made a weary
gesture toward the great beyond.
He hadn't ought to of told ye,
Sally. II I'd been plumb sartin in my
mind. I'd atold we myself-not but
what | knows" he hastily amended,
tibet he meant hit friendly"
Air We a-goin'?"
I'm studyin' about hit"
He awaited objection, but none
came. Then, with a piquing of his
masculine vanity. he demanded:
"Hain't we a-keerin', Sally, whether
] goes. or not?"
The girl grew rigid. Her fingers on
the crumbling plank of the stiles top
frightened and gripped hard. Her face
did Ret betray her. nor her voice.
though she had to gulp down rising
lump in her throat before she could
answer calmly.
Il think ye had ought to go, Sam
son"
The boy was astonished. He had
svoided the subject for fear OF her OPP
position-and tears.
Then. slowly. she went on:
There hain't nothin' in these here
hills fer ye. Samson. Down thar. yen
see lots of things thet's new-an' civil
aZed an beautiful! Yell see lots OF
gals tibet kin read an write, gals
dressed up in all kinds OF fancy fix
FMS" Her glib words ran out and
ended in a sort OF inward gasp.
Compliment came hardly and awk-
wardly to Samson's lips. He reached
for the girls hand, ana whispered:
Il reckon won't see no gafs thet's
as purity as you be. Sally. / reckon ye
knows. whether goes or stays, we're
a-goin' ter git married"
She drew her hand away, and
laughed. little bitterly. In the last
day. she had ceased to be a child, and
become a woman with all the souI-ach-
ing, possibilities of Woman's intui-
tions.
Samson" she said, Il hain't askiu'
ye ter make me no promises When
ye sees them other gals-gals tibet kin
read an write-I reckon mebby yell
think different. ] can't hardly spell
out printin in the fust reader
J Her lovers voice was scornful of the
Imagined dangers, as recruit may be
of the battle terrors-before he has
been under FIRE. He slipped his arm
about her and drew her over TO him.
Honey" he said. 'ye needn't fret
about tibet. Readin' an writin' can't
make no difference fer woman
Hits mighty important fer a man, but
you're gal"
You're a-goin' ter think diff'rent at
ter awhile" she insisted. when ye
goes. hain't a-goin' ter be expectin
ye ter come back But"-ths
resolution in her voice for a moment
quavered as she added-"but Goo
knows I'm a.goin' ter be hopin'!"
Sally" The boy rose, and paced
up and down in the road Air y,
goin' ter be ag'inst me, too? Don't y,
see that | wants ter have a chanst
Can't sc trust me? I'm jest a-tryin
20 amount TO something. I'm pluml
tired of bein' ornery an no count"
She nodded.
I've done told ye," she said, YEARLY
"thet thinks ye ought ter do hit"
Lescott and Samson discussed tn,
matter frequently. At times the boz
was obstinate in his determination /,
remain: at other times he gave wa,
90 the yearnings for change and oppor
tunity.
ii'Se dance on Saturday was to o.
something more portentous than 1
mere irolic. II would be a clan gath
ering TO which the South adherenti
would come riding up and down Mis-
sry and its tributaries from .nixi