The Green Forest tribune., 1915-01-22
CHAPTER VI-Continued.

'Thar's a-goin' ter be dancin' party over ter Vile McCager's mill come Saturday" he insinuatingly sug- Gested. T reckon yell go over thar with me, won't ye, Sally?" & He waited for her usual delighted assent, but Sally only told him absent ly and without enthusiasm that she would study about it." At last. how aver, her restraint broke and, looking up, she abruptly demanded
 Air ye a-goin' away, Samson?"
 "Whos been a-talkin' ter ye?" de- manded the boy, angrily.
 For moment, the girl sat silent. Finally, she spoke in grave voice:
 "Hit haint nothin' ter git mad about, Samson. The artist man lowed as how ye had right ter go down thar, an git an eddication." She made weary gesture toward the great beyond.
 @@He hadn't ought to of told ye, Sally. If I'd been plumb sartin in my mind, I'd a-told ye myself-not but what I knows," he hastily amended, s' ~thet he meant hit friendly"
 "Air ye a-goin'?"
 ''I'm studyin' about hit"
 He awaited objection, but none came. Then, with piquing of his masculine vanity, he demanded:
 'Hain't ye a-keerin', Sally, whether III goes, or not?"
 The girl grew rigid. Her fingers on the crumbling plank of the stiles top frightened and gripped hard Her face did not betray her, nor her voice. lump in her throat before she could answer calmly.
 T think ye had ought to go, Sam son.
 The boy was astonished. He had avoided the subject for fear of her op- position-and tears.
 Then, slowly, she went on:
 "There hain't nothin' in these here Z hills fer ye, Samson. Down thar, yell see lots of things thet's new-an' civil ized an beautiful! Yell see lots of gals thet kin read an write, gals dressed up in all kinds of fancy fix fn's." Her glib words ran out and ended in sort of inward gasp.
 Compliment came hardly and awk- wardly to Samson's lips. He reached for the girls hand, and whispered:
 T reckon I won't see no gals thet's as purity as you be, Sally. I reckon ye knows, whether I goes or stays, we're a-goin' ter git married"
 She drew her hand away, and laughed, little bitterly. In the last day, she had ceased to be a child, and become a woman with all the soul-ach- ing possibilities of a woman's intui- tions
 sSamson," she said, "I haint askin' ye ter make me no promises. When ye sees them other gals-gals thet kin read an write-I reckon mebby yell think diff'rent. I cant hardly spell out printin' in the fust reader
 Her lovers voice was scornful of the ; imagined dangers. as recruit may be of the battle terrors-before he has bean under fire. He slipped his arm about her and drew her over to him.
 Honey" he said. Eye needn't fret about thet. Readin' an writin' can't make no difference fer a woman. Hits mighty important fer man, but you're gal"
 " ou're a-goin' ter think diff'rent at- ter awhile,' she insisted. When ye goes, I hain't a-goin' ter be expectin' ye ter come back But"-the resolution in her voice for a moment quavered as she added-"but God knows I'm a-goin' ter be hopin'!"
 "Sally!" The boy rose, and paced up and down in the road Air ye goin' ter be ag'inst me, too? Don't ye see that I wants ter have a chanst? Can't ye trust me? I'm jest a-tryin' to amount to something. Pm plumb fired of bein' ornery an no count" \ She nodded.
 E. I've done told ye," she said, wearily,
 et thinks ye ought ter do hit"
 g# | Lescott and Samson discussed the stter frequently. At times the boy
 " obstinate in his determination to E Lnain; at other times he gave way
 the yearnings for change and oppor-
 ity.
 2 lhe dance on Saturday was to be
 nething more portentous than
 Ire frolio. It would be clan gath 58F1ng to which the South adherents &uld come riding up and down Mis-
 and it's tributaries from nigh