The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-12-25

given Out no one cQulO say. Inc WOODS
were quiet, and the two kneeling fig
ures In the laurel made no sound. The
| other men, waiting at their separated
posts, were equally invisible and noise
| less. but some intangible premonition
| had come to the shadow which had
| lost itself in the impenetrable black
ness and began its retreat with its OBJ
! ject unaccomplished
Young Milt went back to his house
in the cold mists of dawn No shot had
been fired, no face recognized, but the
Havey and the McBriar both knew
| that the school had been saved by
their joint vigilance.
Some days later the news of that
night watch leaked through to Jerry
Everson, who bore the tidings to Juan
| ita. and she wrote a note to Anse Ha-
vey asking him to come over and let
| her express her thanks in person.
The mail rider brought her a brief
reply penned in a hand of copybook
care.
1 don't take any credit I only did what
any other man would do and young MiIr
| McBr1ar did as much as I did. Thank
him If you want to. 1t would only be
| awkward for me to come over there
| Respectfully. ANSE HAVEY
Old Milt McBriar heard of his sons
part in the watching of the school and
brooded blackly as he gnawed at the
stem OF his pipe, but he said nothing
| The boy had been sent away to college
and had had every advantage. Now
he had unwittingly but none the less
surely, turned his rifle on one of his
fathers hirelings bent on his fathers
work, for the oiI-soaked kindling had
been laid at Old Mills command.
The thing did not tend to make the
leader of the McBriars partial to the
innovations from down below.
One day. when Juanita went down to
the post office, which nestled unob-
trusively behind the single counter of
the shack store at the gap. she found
a letter directed in hand which set
her heart beating and revived many
| old memories.
She climbed to the crest, sat down
under the poplar, and began to read
| the letter from the man she had sent
away.
He said that he had made a sincere
effort to reconcile himself to her deci-
sion which exiled him. The effort had
failed He had been to the Mediter-
ranean and the East His letter con-
cluded:
touched by my devotion Not only happi-
ness. but peace dweIls where you are.
| and 1 am coming to you
J Do not forbid me, for I am coming any
way l am coming because must; be-
/ cause love you.
She sat for long time gazing of at
the distances and shivered a little in
the bite of the raw air. Then she
looked up and saw figure at her side.
1t was Bad Anse Havey.
He bowed and stripped of his coat.
which, without asking permission, he
threw around her shivering shoulders
81 didn't aim to intrude on ye," he
said slowly. 81 didn't know ye was up
here Do ye come often?"
Very often" she answered, folding
the letter and putting it back into its
envelope. When l first came to the
Widow Everson's I discovered this
tree, and it seemed to beckon to me to
come up. LOokI" She rose and point
ed OF with gauntleted hand. Il can
stand here and see the Notifications of
NY NhO SnSLl4SSs mere Is 4OuE pldC6
| and there is Milt McBriar's."
She smiled with unconscious arch
ness. But I'm not going to let you be
my enemy any more" she went on.
I've decided that you have got to be
my friend, whether you want to be OF
not-and what decide upon must be-"
Bad Anse Havey stood looking into
her eyes with the disconcerting steadi-
ness of gaze that she always found it
difficult to sustain, but his only re-
Spouse was a sober I'm obIeeged to
ye."
Perhaps that letter. with its old re-
minders had brought back a little of
the old seIf's innocent coquetry. She
stood with her gloved hands in the
deep pockets of her sweater jacket
with his coat hanging from her Shout
ders. About her deep-violet eyes and
sensitive lips lurked a subtle appeal
for friendship perhaps, though she
did not know it-for love.
81 have behaved abominably to you,
Mr.. Havey. she confessed. It's nat
ural that you should refuse me forgive
ness" For moment her eyes danced
and she looked up. challengingly, into
his face. But it's natural, too. that
should refuse to let you refuse We
are going to be friends. / am going to
smash your old feud to splinters and
I'm going to beat you. and Just the
same we are going to be friends"
Again his reply was brief
Pm obleeged to ye."
You have been very good to me-"
she went on. and the note of banter
left her voice; land you refused to let
me thank you"
For a moment he was silent. then he
replied awkwardly: 81 reckon it's pref
ty easy to be good to you" After that
she heard him saying in a very soft
voice:
"One of the first things remembers
is being fetched up here by nanny
! when was a spindlin' little chap. She
used to bring me up here and tell me
Indian stories Sometimes my pappy
came with US. but mostly it was just
my nanny an me"
sEYOnr father coI6io-