Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-20

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Young Milt Went Back to His Housn
In the Cold MistA of Dawn.
was only strategy and was totally in.
sincere Yet in Young Milt he saw
possibilities. He was accus.omed to
rely on his own judgment. and he rec.
ognized clean and sterling strain In
the younger McBriar.
He hated the breed with hatred
that was flesh Of his flesh and bone of
his bone, but with an eye Of prophecy
he foresaw the day when disrupted
mountain community must fall asun
der unless native sons could unite
against the conquest of lowland greed.
He could never trust Old Milt. but he
hoped that he and Young Milt, who
would some day succeed to his "a
iher's authority. might stand together
in that inevitable crisis.
This idea had for a long time been
vaguely taking shape in his mind, and
when he met Young Milt in the woods
and proposed uniting to save Juanita's
school he was laying the cornerstone
for that future alliance.
At sunset Young Milt came. and he
came without having spoken of his
purpose at home. The night was sharp
and moonless, with no light save that
which. came from the coldly glittering
stars, and Anse and Young Milt
crouched for hours, knee to knee in the
dead thickets, keeping watch.
At last they both saw creeping fig
ure which was only a vague shadow
among shadows. and they
peered with straining eyes and raised
rifles. But tho shadow fell very still,
and since it was only by its movement
that they could detect 1t, they waited
in vain.
What hint Of being watched was
given out no one could say. The woods
were quiet, and the two kneeling fig
ures in the laurel made no sound. The
other men. waiting at their separated
posts. we're 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
hoon firod M fooo rooo0p{zod h,,t tho
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 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.
I don't take any credit. only did what
any other man would do. and young Milt
McBriar did as much as I did. Thank
him If you want to. 1t would only be
for me to come over there.
Respectfully. ANsE HAvEY.
Old Milt McBriar heard Of his sons
part in the watching Of the school anu
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 rife on one of, his
fathers hirelings bent on his fathers
work, for the oil-soaked kindling had
been laid at Old Mills command.
The thing did not tend to make the
leader Of the McBriars partial to the
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
q 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 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:
Can you not find It in your heart to be
touched by my devotion Not only happi-
ness, but peace dwells where you are,
and am coming to you.
Do not forbid me, for am coming any
way. am coming because must; be-,
cause love you.
She sat for long time gazing OF at
the distances and shivered q little in
The bite Of the raw air. Then she
looked up and saw . figure At her side.
It was Bad Anse Havey. -
He bowed and stripped OF his coat.
which. without asking permission, he
threw around her shfvering shoulders.
Il didn't aim to intrude ON ye." he
,aid slowly. II didn't know ye was up
here. Do ye come often?"
Every often" she answered, folding
he letter and putting 1t back into it,
envelope. when I first came to the
Widow Everson's discovered this
rec, and it seemed to beckon to mo to
ZONE up. Look!" She rose and point
ID or with q gauntleted hand. Fl can
Itand here and see the Notifications Of
ny two enemies. There il your place
md there il Milt McBriar's.',,