The Spectator., 1915-12-07

Ou call me an OuLiaW-WeIl, I've QOne made laws an I've done broke them an I've seen just about as much crookedness an lawlessness at one end of the game as at the other"
 But schools?" demanded Juanita. Why wouldn't they help your dream toward fulfllment?"
 T aint against no school that can begin at the right end. I'm against every school that can only onsettle an teach dissatisfaction with humble Twin where folks has got to live humble"
 He paused and paced the room. He was no longer the man who had seemed the immovable stoic. His eyes were far away, looking beyond the horizon into the future.
 It's took your people two centuries to get where they're standin' today" he broke out abruptly, an fer them two hundred years we've been stand in still or goin' back. Now ye come down here an seeks to jerk my people up to where ye stands in the blinkin' of an eye. Ye comes lookin' down on 'em an pityin' 'em because they won't eat outen your hand They'd rather be eagles than song-birds in a cage, even if eagles are wild an lawless. Ye comes here an straightway tells 'em that their leaders are infamous. Do ye offer em beser leaders? Ye refuses the aid of men that know em-- men of their blood-an' SC your own ignorant way. Do ye see any reason why should countenance ye? Don't ye see ye're just a-scatterin my sheep before they knows how to herd them selves?"
 I'm afraid" said the girl very slow ly and humbly. that I've been fool.''
 "Ye says the boy Jeb wears my trademark in the hate that's on his face" continued Anse Havey passion ately. Hes been here with me con sortin with them fellers in Plutarch and Shakespeare. If I can curb him an keep him out of mischief he's goin' down to Frankfort some day an learn his lessons ill the legislature. He airt goin to no college, because aims to fit him for his work right here. seek to have fellers like him guide these folks forward. l don't aim to have them civilized by bein' wiped out an trod to death"
 He paused, and Juanita Holland re- peated helplessly. I've been a fool!"
 "I reckon ye don't know that young Jeb McNash thinks little Milt kilt Fletch, an that one day he laid out in the la'rel to kill little Milt." Bad Anse pursued "Ye don't know that the only reason he stayed his hand was that I'd got his promise ter bide his time. But l reckon ye do know that if Milt was killed by a Havey all that's tran spired in ten years wouldn't make a patch on the hell-raisin' that'd go su hereabouts i'll a week. Do ye think it's strange thet Jeb don't want his sister consortin with the boy that he thinks murdered his father?"
 Juanita rose from her chair, feeling like a pert and cocksure interloper who had been 6isdanfully looking down on one with vision immeasur- ably wider and surer than her own. At last she found herself asking: But surely Young Milt didn't kill Fetch. Surely you don't believe that?"
 No. l know he didn't: but there's just one way l can persuade young Jeb to believe it-an' that's to tell him who did
 His eyes met hers and for a moment lighted with irony. If did that. reckon Jeb would be willin to let ye keep Dawn an Jesse-an', of course, he'd kill the other man. Do ye want me to do it?
 He moved to the closed door and paused with his hand on the knob.
 No, stop!" she almost screamed l Tt would mean murder Merciful God. it's so hard to decide some l things,"
 Anse Havey turned back to the room.
 T just thought I'd let ye see that for yourself" he said quietly. "Ye amt hardly been able ter see why it's hard for us people to decide 'em"
 Suddenly a new thought struck he& and it brought from her sudden question. But you know who the murderer is. and you have spared him?"
 The man laughed.
 Don't fret yourself, maam. The man that killed Fetch has left the mountains an right now he's out of reach. But he'll be back some day. an when he comes reckon the first news yell hear of him will be that he's dead" Once more it was the i'm placable avenger that spoke.
 The girl could only murmur in per plexity: Yet you have kept Jeb in | ignorance I don't understand" I've got other plans fer Jeb." said Bad Anse Havey. 'I don't low to let him be a feud killer There's others that can attend to that"
 He flung the door open and called Jeb, and a moment later the boy. black of countenance, came i'll and stood