Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1915-12-22

nalnt got no license ter stop ye," he
SAID curtly; but don't aim ter leave
'thout SEEM me, too"
Several shaggy retainers were loung-
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.
Ihen 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 gravely, 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
talns-a room dark at it's corners de-
spite shaft of sun that slanted
through window and fell on heavy
table in single band of light. On the
table lay litter of pipes, loose to-
Dacco, cartridges and several books.
Down the stripe of sunlight the dust
notes fioated 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. II
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 stifled 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,
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, would die first,
but it isn't that" She paused and
shook her head. "You told me that I
must fail unless l came to you. Well,
I've conceive come to humiliate my
self. 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 moment she
went on in very tired. yet very
eager voice.
"You are a man Of action, Mr.. Ha-
vey. 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. II you
take them away from me you Will
cmash my school. l don't underestl
mate your power now. Children are
just beginning to come to me, and II
you order these to leave, the others
will leave, too, and they won't come
back. 1t will kill my school. II that
your purpose, guess it's no use even
to plead. / know you can do 1t-ano
yet you told me you weren't making
war on me-"
& reckon" interrupted Brother Tai
bolt slowly, rye needn't have no feal
of thet, ma'am. Anse wouldn't &c
thet."
"But if you aren't doing that" went
on Juanita, II want 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 anC
humble my own pride, only, for Gods
sake, give them 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
in her eagerness:
IF you could see the way Dawn has
unfolded like flower, the thirsty in
telligence with which she has drunk
up what I have taught her; the way
it has opened new worlds to her;
don't think you could be willing to
plunge her back into drudgery and liz
| &C.