The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-11

An0 uoy Jclheu MS H6du toward the
hearth and said in strained, hard
voice: Set ye cheer, Anse," and
after that no one spoke Jeb's thin
but muscular chest rose and fell TO
the swell Of heavy breathing and his
face was wrapped black in a scowl
tnat made his eyes smolder and his
lips snarl. Juanita had dropped back
to one Of the beds with DaWn's face
buried i'll her lap.
Then, as if rousiDg from a long
dream, Mrs. McNash looked I'D, and
for the first time appeared to realize
that her son and his companion had
entered the place.
The dead blankness left her pupils,
and into them leaped a hateful fire.
Her voice came in shrill and high.
pitched questioning: "Wall, Jeb, hev
We got him yit?"
The boy only shook his head and
glowerod at the wall while his moth
e-s voice rose almost to a scream.
'Hain't We goin' ter do nothln'?
Thar lays yore pap what nuver harmed
no man, shot down cold-blooded. Don't
We hear him a-callin' on yer ter settle
his blood score? Air ye sheered? Their
spirit of him thet fathered yes a
pleadin' with ye-an' We sets still in
'yore cheer!"
Juanita felt the slender figure in her
embrace shudder at the lashing invec-
tive that fell from the mothers lips.
She saw the boys face whiten; saw
him rise and turn to Bad Anse Havey,
half in ferocity, half in pleading.
"Maws right, Anse," he doggedly
declared. Il KANT tarry hyar no
longer He b'longs ter me. I've got
ter go out an kill him. Thar hain't
| but one thing a-stoppin' me now," he
added helplessly. Il don't know who
did it; | hain't got no notion"
He stood before the clan chief, and
the latter rose and laid one hand on
the shoulder which had begun to trem-
Bile, Man and boy looked at each
other, eye to eye, then the elder of the
two began to speak.
"Jeb, l don't want We to think
don't feel for ye, but We don't know
who the feller is, an We can't hardly
so shootin' permiscuous. Ye've got
to bide your time"
But" interrupted the boy tensely,
you knows. You knows everything
hyarabouts. In heavens name, Anse,
l hain't askin' nothin' out of ye but
jest one word. Jest speak one name,
thet's all needs"
T The mother had dropped back into
her stupor again, and her son stood
there, his broganed feet wide apart
and his whole body rigid and tense
with passion.
Anse Havey once more shook his
head
mo, Jeb," he said quietly; 81 don't
know-not yet. The McBriars acted
on suspicion-an' they killed the
I wrong man. Ye amt seekin' to do
likewise, be ye? Ye amt quite twenty
one, Je5, an Pm the head of the fam
lily. / reckon ye'd better take counsel
Of me, boy. / amt bent on deludin'
ye, an We can trust me. Ye've got to
give me your hand, Jeb, that until
! ye're plumb, everlastingly sartain
who got your pa, we won't raise your
; gun against any man"
! The boy sank down into his chair
and bowed his head in his hands,
! while his finger-nails bit into his tenn
pies. Even Juanita Holland had felt
! the effect of Havey's wonderfully
Quieting voice. Finally Jeb McNash
raised his face.
An will ye give me yore hand,
Anse Havey, thet if We finds hit out
afore l do, yen tell me thet mans
name?"
Il amt never turned my back on
a kinsman yet, Jeb," said Anse grave
! ly.
The boy nodded his acquiescence
and hurriedly left the room. Juanita
gently lifted Dawn's head from her
lap and went forward to the hearth.
! She had listened in silence, out
ragged at this callous talk and this
private usurpation Of powers of life
and death. Now it seemed to her
that to remain silent longer was al
most to become an accomplice
Something in her grew rigid. She
sew the bent and lethargic figure of
the bereaved wife and the stark, sheet
ed body of the feud's last victim. Be-
fore her stood the man more than
anyone else responsible for such con-
ditions.
Mr. Hlvey," she said, as her voice
grew cCldly purposeful with the ring
OF challenge, Il have been told that
you did not mean to let me stay here;
that you did not intend to give these
poor children the chance to grow
straight ana decent"
She paused, because so much was
struggling Indignantly for utterance
! that she found compOsure very diff
cult. And as she paused she heard
! him inquire in an ironically quiet