Sioux County pioneer. (Fort Yates, Sioux County, N.D.) 1914-1929, 1915-03-05
CHAPTER W-continued.

CHAPTER vI-continued.
1har's a-goin' ter be dancin'
party over ter Vile McCagers mill
come Saturday," he insinuatingly sug-
gested. Il reckon yell go over thar
with me, won't We, Sally?"
Fig waited for her usual delighted
assent. but Sally only told him absent
" and without enthusiasm that she
would study about it." At last, how
ever, her restraint broke, and, looking
ap, she abruptly demanded:
AIR We a-goin' away, Samson?"
"Nho's been a-talkin' ter ye?" de-
manded the boy, angrily.
Fur moment, the girl sat silent
Finally, she spoke in grave voice:
"AIit hain't nothin' ter git mad about,
6anason. The artist man lowed as how
ye bad right ter go down thar, an
git IN eddication." She made weary
geature toward the great beyond.
"F[e hadn't ought to of told ye,
Sally. If I'd been plumb sartin in my
mind, I'd a-told We myself-not but
what knows" he hastily amended,
"thet he meant hit friendly"
"Air We a-goin'?"
"I'm studyin' about hit"
He awaited objection, but none
same. Then, with 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
uehtened and gripped hard. Her face
did not betray her, nor her voice.
though she had to gulp down rising
kmp in her throat before she could
answer calmly.
II think We had ought to go, Sam
SON."
The boy was astonished. He had
avoided the subject for fear of her op-
Dosition-and tears.
Then, slowly, she went on:
"There hain't nothin' in these here
hills fer We, Samson. Down thar, yen
SEQ lots of things thet's new-an' civil
he'd an beautiful! Yell see lots of
gals tibet kin read an write, gals
dressed up in all kinds of fancy fix
h'o." 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
Cor the girls hand, and whispered:
II reckon I won't see no gals thet's
- purity as you be. Sally. reckon ye
knows, whether l goes or stays. we're
s-Eoin' ter git married"
abe drew her hand away, and
hughed, a little bitterly. In the last
day, she had ceased to be a child, and
become woman with all the soul-ach-
ing possibilities of q woman's intui-
Mons.
Samson" she said, Il hain't askin'
70 ter make me no promises. When
70 sees them other gals-gals tibet kin
real an write-I reckon mebby yell
think dii'rent. can't hardly spell
out printin' in the fust reader
Her lovers voice was scornful Of the
imagined dangers, as recruit may be
Df the battle terrors-before he has
BEEN under fire. He slipped his arm
about her and drew her over to him.
Honey" be said, I'VE needn't fret
about tibet. Readin' an writin' can't
make no difference fer a woman.
Hits mighty important fer man. but
vou're gal"
"Ioure a,goin' ter think dift'rent at.
tsr awhile" she insisted. when ye
eces, 1 hain't a-goin' ter be expectin'
70 ter come back But"-the
resolution in her voice for a moment
auavered as she added-"but God
knows I'm a-goin' ter be hopin!"
SALLY" The boy rose. and paced
ap and down in the road. "Air ye
roin' ter be ag'inst me, too? Don't ye
pee that wants ter have chanst?
CANT ye trust me? I'm Jest a-tryin'
y amount to something. I'm plumb
tired Of bein' ornery an no count"
She nodded.
1--WE done told ye." she said. YEARLY.
'.tAet thinks We ought ter do hit"
Lescott and Samson discussed the
matter frequently. At times the boy
vas obstinate in his determination to
somain; at other times he gave way
. the yearnings for change and oppor-
tanity.
The dance on Saturday was to be
SDmething more portentous than q
tSere frolic. It would be clan gath.
sIing to which the South adherents
ssould come riding up and down Mis-
CIV and its tributaries from nigh