The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-12-18

ud1n SOL liz AlCCuSC lOI Sup ySs nC
said CURLY; but don't aim ter leave
'thout SEEM me, too
Several shaggy retainers were Ioung
ing on the front porch. but as Good
Anse Talbot and Juanita turned in at
the gate these henchmen disappeared
inside They would all be there to wit
ness her humbling, thought the girl /
1t would please him to receive her |
with his jackal pack yelping derisively
about him.
Then she saw another figure emerge |
from the dark door to stand at the |
threshold, and the flush in her cheeks |
grew deeper Bad Anse Havey stood |
and waited, and when they reached the !
steps of the porch he came slowly for |
ward and said graveIy, Come inside"
He led the way, and they followed in
silence.
Juanita found herself in the largest
room she had yet seen in the noun
tains-a room dark at its corners de-
spite a shaft OF sun that sIanted
through a window and fell on a heavy
table in single band of light On the
table lay litter of pipes. loose to-
bacco. cartridges and several books.
Down the stripe of sunlight the dust
notes floated in pulverized gold, and
the radiance fell upon a book which
lay open, throwing it into relief. so
that as the girl stood uncertainty near
the table she read at the top of page
the caption, "Plutarch's Lives"
But she caught her breath in relief.
for the retainers had disappeared
Bad Anse stood just at the edge Of
the sun-shaft, with one side of his
| face lighted and the other dark
But if to the girl the whole picture
was one of somber composition and
| color, it presented a different aspect
| to Bad Anse himself as the young
mountaineer stood facing the door.
We've done come ter hev speech
with ye, Anse," Talbot began. Il
reckon We know what hits erbout"
The Havey leader only nodded. and
| his steady eyes and straight mouth
| line did not alter their sternness of ex-
preston.
He saw the stifed little gasp with
which the girl read the ultimatum of
his set face and the sudden mist of
| tears which, in spite of herself,
blurred her eyes. He pushed forward
a chair and graVely inquired: Hadn't
We better set down, ma'am?"
She shook her head and raised one
hand, which trembled little, to brush
the hair out of her eyes.
] Palpably she was trying to speak
I'and could not for the moment COM
mand her voice But at last she got
herself under control. and her words
came slowly and carefully.
'Mr. Havey, have very little reason
to expect consideration from you.
Even now, if it were a question of
pleading for myself, l would die first,
but it isn't that" She paused and
shook her head. you told me that
must fail unless came to you. Well
I've conceive come to humiliate my
self 1 guess I've come to surrender"
His face did not change and he did
not answer Evidently. thought the
girl bitterly, she had not sufficiently
abased herself After a moment she
went on in a very tired. yet a very
eager voice
You are a man of action. Mr. Ha-
veg. I make my appeal to your man
hood. l suppose you've never had a
dream that has. come to mean every
thing to you-but that's the sort of
dream I've had. That little girl. Dawn,
wants a chance. Her little brother
wants a chance. I've humbled myself
to come and plead for them. If you
take them away from me you will
smash my school / don't underesti-
mate your power now. Children are
just beginning to come to me, and If
| you order these to leave, the others
will leave, too, and they won't come
back. 1t will kill my school. If that's
your purpose. guess it's no use even
to plead. l know you can do it-and
yet you told me you weren't making
war on me-"
u reckon" interrupted Brother Tai
bolt slowly, we needn't have no fear
Of tibet, ma'am- Anse wouldn't dc
; thet'
But if you aren't doing that" went
on Juanita, 81 we-Lt to make my plea
just for the sake of these children OF
| your own people. I'm ready to accept
your terms I'm ready to abase and
/ humble my own pride. only. for Gods
sake, give them a chance to grow clear
! and straight and break the shackles
of illiteracy."
She waited for the man to reply. but
he neither spoke nor changed expires
: sion, so with an effort she went on
unconsciously bending little forward
l in her eageTness:
IF you could see the way Dawn has
unfolded like a flower. the thirsty in
; telligence with which she has DRUM
up what l have taught her; the way
: it has opened new worlds to her;
2 don't think you could be willing Il
! plunge her back into drudgery and ig
/ norance She is q woman, or sooI
I will be, Mr.. Havey- You don't neeC
! women in your feuds."
1 Again came the cautioning voice o
: the preacher in his effort to keep he
away from antagonizing lines.
? They hain't been called away fer NJ
i reason like thet, ma'am-" But Juanit;
continued, ignoring the warning:
;, The other boy is too young for yo'
' to use yet Let him at least chOo3'
e for himself Let him reach the agr
when he shall have enough knowledg'
|