The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-29

It's tattered banners or ripened corn;
autumn had blaZed and flared into
high carnival
AS young Jeb had turned on his heel
and stalked away, even before the COM
ing OF the note she knew what would
happen, and what would happen not
only in this instance, but in others
like it. This would not he just losing
Dawn. bad as that was. 1t would be
paralysis and death t. the school; it
would mean the leaving Of every Ila-
vey boy and girl.
So she stood there, and afterward
said quietly: "Milt, l guess you'd bet
ter 60" and Milt had gone gravely and
unquestioningly, but with that in his
eye which did not argue brightly for
restoration of peace between his house
and that Of his enemy.
When the two girls had gone to-
gether into the cabin Dawn stood with
face that blanched as she began to
realize what it all meant, then slowly
she stiffened and her hands, too,
clenched and her eyes kindled.
She came across to the chair into
which the older girl had dropped list.
lessly and, falling to her knees, seized
both Juanita's hands. She seized them
tightly and flercely, and her eyes were
blazing and her voice broke from her
lips in turgid vehemence.
Il haint a-gOin' ter leave ye!" cried
Dawn. II hain't a-goin' ter do it."
No word had been spoken Of her
leaving, but in this life they both knew
that certain things bring certain re-
suits, and they were expecting a note
from Bad Anse.
II hope not, DEAR" said Juanita, but
without conviction.
Then the mountain girl sprang up
and became transformed. With her
rigid figure and blazing eyes she
seemed a torch burning with all the
pent-up heritage Of her past.
II tells ye l amt a-goin' ter leave
ye!" she protested, and her utterance
swelled to fiery determination. "Es
fer Milt McBriar, I wouldn't spit en-
him. hates him. 1 hates his MUIR
derin' breed. hates 'em like" she
paused a moment, then finished tn.
multuously like all hell. l reckon
I'm es good Havey as Jeb. l hain't
seen JeD do nothin' yit"
Again she paused, painting with pas
sionate rage, then swept on while Jua-
nita looked at her sudden metamor.
phosis into fury and shuddered
when I wasn't nothin' but a baby
fotched victuals ter my kinfolks
hidin' out from revenuers. l passed
right through men thet war a-trailin'
'em. I've done served my kinfolks
afore, an I'd do hit ergin, but l reckon
l hain't a-goin' ter let EN- take me
away from ye"
Juanita could think Of only one step
to take, so she sent Jerry Everson for
Brother Talbot, whom she had seen
riding toward the shack hamlet in the
valley.
Thar nain't but one thing thet We
kin do" said Good Anse slowly when
he and Juanita sat alone over the prob
lem with the note Of Havey command
lying between them. "An' hain't no.
ways sartain thet hit'll come ter
nothin'. Ye've got ter go over thar
an have speech with Anse."
Juanita drew back with a start Of
distaste and repulsion. Yet she had
known this all along.
"Ye see," she heard the missionary
saying, "thar's jest one way Anse kin
handle Jeb, an nobody else KANT
handle him at all. lie thinks he's
right. l reckon eff We kin persuade
Anse ter reason with him yell hcv ter
promise that Young Milt hain't a-s0in'
ter hang round hyar."
I'D promise almost anything. can't
give them up-I can't can't!"
EFF Anse didn't perfect little Dawn
from the McBriars, Jeb would, ter a
Gods certainty, kill Young Milt," went
on the preacher, and the girl nodded
miserably.
Il don't lev ter blame ye none," he
said slowly, almost apologetically, "but
! I've got ter say hit. Hits pity we've
seen fit ter say SO many bitter things
ter Anse. Mountain folks air mighty
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