Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1915-12-16

NAASN AAo
rife.
Anse looked up and spoke slowly:
Il reckon it wouldn't profit We much
to harm us, Miit. We amt armed, an
it would bring on a heap of trouble"
Outside rose an angry chorus of
voices. The news that the Jail was
empty had gone through the crowd.
For a time the McBriar stood there
debating his next step. The town
seemed at his mercy. Seemed! That
word gave him pause. The way home
lay through Havey territory, which
might mean twenty miles of solid
ambush. Anse Havey sat too quietly
for Mllt's ease of mind. Was he bait
ing some fresh trap?
The old intriguer felt bafied and at
sea. He had grown accustomed to
weighing and calculating with guileful
elaboration. He baked at swift and
impulsive action. Moreover, if he de-
bated long, he might not be able to
control his men. He looked up-to
sec little Milt, who was fighting back
the crowd at the door and locking
them out. Beyond the panels could
be heard loud swearing and the impa-
tient shutting of many feet.
What shall we do, SOM" inquired
the older man of the younger. His
voice had a note of appeal and break
ing power.
When Young Milt had ridden out
of Peril no feudist in the hills had
borne a heart fuller of hatred and
hunger for vengeance, but that was
because of his father. Now his father
was free. For Luke Thixton he had
a profound contempt. He saw in the
situation only a game of wits in which
Anse Havey was winner.
WELL" he replied with a grin he
could not repress, hit looks right
smart ter me like thar hain't nothin'
to do but ride on back home an try
again next time"
That counsel in the end prevailed.
Outside there had been a short, sharp
struggle with a mutinous spirit. These
men had come for action and they did
not want to ride back foiled, but the
word of Old Milt had stood unchal-
lenged too long to fail now. Yet he
led back a grumbling following and
bore a discounted power. They could
not forget that a Havey had worsted
him.
So the spirit of the men who had
come to fight vented itself in the yell
and the random shots to which there
was no reply, and again a train Of
horsemen were on their way into the
hills.
When it was all over and Juanita
sat there in her empty school she was
realizing that, after all, the desperate
moment had only been deferred and
must come with absolute certainty.
Christmas was only two days off and
her gun-rack was empty. When she
had come home there had not been
a single weapon there.
There would be no Christmas tree
now! The beribboned packages lay in
a useless pile. Had school been in ses-
sion. she knew that the desks would
have been as empty as the gun-rack.
The whole turtlelike life had drawn in
its head and the countryside lay as
though besieged.
On Anse Havey's book-shelves were
new volumes, for Juanita was feeding
his scant supply, and a softer type of
poetry was being added to his frugal
and stern repertoire. A number of
men left the mountains and went into
exile elsewhere. These were the wit
esse who must testify against Luke
Thixton and whose lives would not
have been worth a nickel had they
stayed at home.
Then came Christmas day itself,
bleak and soggy with the thaw that
had set in and the moody dreariness
of the sky. The sun seemed to have
despaired and made its course spirit.
lessly from dawn to twilight, crawling
ulully dCIOob lib udlly dICs
Brother Anse Talbot came over to
| the school and found both women sit.
ting alphabetically by an untrimmed fiji
tree amid a litter of forgotten pack
ages. The children Of Tribulation
] were having the sort of Christmas
they had always had-a day of terror
and empty cheerlessness.
"Hit seems like a right smart pity
fer them children ter be plumb, tee
totally disappointed" unused the ole
preacher. "S'pose now ye put names
on them gewgaws an let me jest
sorter ride round an scatter EN-"
you dear old saint" cried Juanita
suddenly reused out of her apathy
But you'll freeze to death an ge
drowned In some ford"
"Thet's all right" the preacher an
swered briefly. Il reckon l kin g,
Their route"
1t took Good Anse Talbot tire,
days Of battle with quicksand an,
mire to finish that mission. At eacl
house he told them that Juanita Hol
land had sent him, and the girl wa
canonized afresh in hearts old an,
young. back in roadless coves and OF
bleak hillsides.
Every evening found Anse Have.
seated before Juanita's hearth, study
ing the flicker Of the freight on he
face. Every detail of her expression
became to him as something he ha,
always known and worshiped.
Some day Malcolm would come bacI