Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-11-01
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CHAPTER XXI.

That spring new buildings went up
ct the school and brave rows of dow.
ers appeared in the garden.
At first her college had been kin.
derss-:cn r. effect. b.. now az Juani.
Ia stood on the porch at recess she
wondered II any other schoolnistress
had ever drawn about her such
strange assortment Of pupils. There
we're little tots in bright calico, glory.
ing in big bows Of cotton hair-ribbon
but submitting grudgingly to the
combing of the hair they sought to
adorn. There were larger boys and
girls, too, and even . half-dozen men
just now pitching horseshoes and
smoking pipes-and they also were
learning to read and write.
In the afternoons women rode in on
mules and horses or came on foot. and
Juanita taught them not only letters
and figures, but lessons looking to
cleaner and more healthful cabins.
May came with smiles and songs in
the sky from sunrise to sunset. and in
the woods. where the moisture rose
and tender green's were sending out
their hopeful shoots, the wild flowers
unfolded themselves. Then Juanita
Holland and Anse Havey would 60 to-
gether up to the ridge and watch the
great awakening across the brown and
gray humps of the hills. and under
their feet was . carpet of glowing
petals.
Anse Havey had never had such .
companionship, and hidden things be-
gan to waken In him.
So when she stood there, with the
spring breeze caressing the curling
tendrils at her temples, and blowing
her Bingham skirt about her slim
ankles. and pointed OF, smiling. to his
house, he dropped his head in mock
shame.
"'Only tho castle moodily gloomed
to itself apart she quoted in accu-
sation, and the man laughed boyishly.
Il reckon ye haven't seen the castle
lately" he said. eye wouldn't hardly
know 1t. It's gettin' all cleaned up an
made civilized. The eagles nest Is
turin into sure-enough bird cage"
Who's changing now" she ban
tered. Am l civilizing you or''-her
eyes danced with badinage-"are you
preparing to get married."
His face flushed and then became
almost surly.
who'd marry me? he savagely de.
manded.
I'm sure don't know" she leased.
Whom have you asked?"
He bent . little forward and said
slowly:
"Once - told mo WAS wasting my
youth. Ye lowed ought to be- captain
Of my soul. II found woman that
wanted and she wouldn't have me-
what ought to do about it,"
There are two courses prescribed
In all the corr. apo. .dence schools. and
both are perfectly simple" she an
nounced with mock gravity. Zone is
simply to take the lady first and ask
her afterward. The other is even
easier; get another girl"
"Oh," he said. He was hurt because
she had either not seen or had pre-
tended not to see his meaning. She
had not grasped the presumptuous
dream and effrontery Of his heart.
His voice for . moment became
enigmatical as he added: Sometimes
I think we've played hell in these
mountains"
That spring silent forces were at
work in the hills; as silent and less
beneficent than the stirring sap and
the brewing Of showers.
t.
now fully convinced that what the
world needs the world will have, and
they were trying to ind solution to
the question which might make their
own people sharers in the gain. in.
stead Of victims. These three were
Anse and Milt and Jeb. and their first
step was tho effort to hold landowners
in check, and make them slow to sell
and guarded in their bargaining.
Jim Fletcher, mountain man who
had for years drifted between Tribula-
ton and Winchester trading in cattle
and timber, made Journey through
the hills that spring, and was every
where received as home folks" For
him there were no bars Of distrust.
and he was able for that reason to buy
land right and left. Though he had
paid for 1t . price above the average
Il was . price far below the value Of
the coal ana timber It contained
and Jim had picked his land.
Anse Havey and his associates knew
that Jim Fletcher had been subsidized:
hat the money he spent 30 lavish1y
Vas not his own money; and that oho
came % . stalking herse. but they did
not know that he had been to Louis.
ville and had conferred there with Mr..
Trevor. Neither did they know q
once that he had visited the cabins Of
every malcontent among both the for.
mer factions, and that he was mis-.
chiefmaker adroitly laying here In the
hills the foundations for new feud.
Jim had bland tongue and Per.
suasive manner, and he talked to the
mountain men In their own speech.
but he Was mono the less tho advance
agent Of the new enemy from down
below: the personal fulhllment Of
Juanita's prophecy to Roger Malcolm.
Juanita did not realize how much
she was leaning on the strength Of
Anse Havey. how, she depended on
him for counsel and encouragement.
which he gave not In behalf Of the
school, but because he was the school
teachers slave. She saw the little
hospital rise on the hill and thought
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