Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1915-11-25
CHAPTER VII.

ways oh IuduSQudL0 ally. he Was DOtn
narrow and illiterate, but he was ear
nest
At last the girl rode resoluteIy up to
her escorts saddle-skirts and asked
Brother Talbot, hadn't you better tell
me what it all means?"
The missionary lifted a face that
was almost haggard.
Hit means" he said, with no idea
Of irreverence, tibet Satan's got both
underholts-an' God help this coun-
try"
Then he sketched for her the his.
tory of the feud and deduced conclu-
sions from what they had both seen
and heard.
She listened with a sickening heart
until he changed the subject and told
her that the Widow Everson, with
whom she was to stop, had stable
house where she would be comfortable.
At last the girl saw, still long way
off, fertile little valley, where the
corn seemed taller and richer than on
the scattered coves. There, like a tiny
matchbox, on high level near which
the wall of mountain broke into a
broad gateway, she could make out
house. 1t was not of logs, but of brick,
and stood in an Enclosure that looked
more like the Blue Grass than the
mountains.
Does We see yon- brick house nigh
Their gap? Thet's Bad Anse's place, an
over thar acrost Their ridge, three
mile away by crow-fight an a half
days ride by Their roads, is whar Milt
McBriar dwells. Ye KANT see hit
from hyar"
1t was almost shutdown when they
son, and at sight of the woman stand
ing at the fence to meet them Juani-
ta's heart took strength. This house!
was not of logs, but of undressed.
boards, with gayly painted window and
door frames of red and although two.
days ago she would have called it
mean, she had revised her views
enough to regard it now as almost
magnificent.
The widow dwelt here with her two
sons, and the trio, by virtue of great
diplomacy, had succeeded in maintain
ing neutrality throughout the strife.
The comforts of the place were such
as must serve to give contentment
where teaming is arduous and the
mail carrier comes twice a week, but
cleanliness dwelt there and homely
cheer of a-sort.
Before they had yet entered the
house the girl saw horseman ap-
preaching with an escort of several
men who carried rifles balanced across
their pommels. They came from the
east, and though Juanita did not know
who they were, she recognized the cen
trail rider, himself unarmed, to be a
person of consequence
He was tall, and under his faded
coat his rather lean figure fell into an
attitude of well-muscled strength de-
spite his fullness of years.
"Evenin', ma'am," said the new
conner. mo, hain't a-goin' ter light.
l Jest heered tibet Brother Talbot was
a-comfn' over hyar, an l wanted speech
with him"
The missionary nodded.
"All right, Milt," he said, and the
girl knew, as she had already suspect
ed, that here was a second Of her chief
enemies.
Il reckon ye all knows what hap
pened last night" she heard him say
ing slowly. Hit war a pity, an |
hears tibet Their Haveys are a-chargin'
hit up ergin me. Thet's nat'ral enough,
| reckon. They lows tibet I'd walk
plumb acrost hell on a rotten plank
ter do EN- injury. Eff they stopped ter
reason hit out a spell they'd recollect
tibet l went over thar ter Peril an let
a iedge tibet didn't own his own soul
an a jury they he'd done packed, clar
one OF their kiufolks fer KILN a
cousin o mine--an' tibet never raised
a hand. I reckon they didn't hardly
heV no call ter figger thet 1 was
skeered Of them. I done what L done
because | wanted peace. / was fer
lettin' Their law take hits co'se, even
when I knowed the cote war crooked
es q drunkard's elbow"
He paused, and no one spoke, so at
last he went on again.
But little Nash Watt war young an
hot-hearted. He could hardly see nit
in Their light of wisdom, and he didn't
come ter me fer counsel. So he lest
went hell-splittin' over thar with some
other boys that he overpersuaded-an
he didn't come back. I'm sorry. / was
right fond Of Little Nash, but | hatn't
complainin' none. He started trouble
an he got hit"
Again the dark giant paused: then
he came to his point His voice was
regretful, almost sad, but tinged with
resignation.
SO Little Nash is a-layin' dead down
thar, an no McBriar durstn't venture
down ter fotch his body home"
He waved hand toward the west,
and the faces or his escort lowered.
They seemed the faces OF men who
burst" go anywhere, but their chief
went on
I knowed, Brother Talbot, thet We
sarYes Almighty God, an thet thar
hain't no word We carries but what all
men will listen ter ye, so I've done
come ter We in behalf of Little Nash s
NAV, an his wimmenfolks. l lowed
I'd ask We eff ye'd ride down thar and
fotch home tner body?"
The missionary nodded, and though
he was travelstained and very tired,
he said: I'll start right now"
Then Milt McBriar continued: "An'
eff We sees fit, We kin tell Anse Havey
thet l hain't a SUN fer peace, but thet
[ hSin,f -hIarnir1, him r1n+hor. on it,