The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1915-12-04
'I hain't nuYer astonished." rotor

Il NAM nuVeF aSIOn1Sn60, 1SUOrL-
ed McBriar ''Who war he?"
Very cautiously the second man
looked around and then bent over and
whispered a name. There was a short
pause, after which the chief comment
ed: wall, 1 reckon I don't need ter
tell yer what ter do now"
81 reckon I knows" confessed Luke
with a somewhat surly expression.
But Milt McBriar was paying no
attention. His face was darkening.
Il wish / could afford ter git the
real mani" he exclaimed abruptly. Il
wish I burst hev Anse Havey kilt"
''Wall''-this time it was the I'M
derling who spoke CASUALTY Feck-
on mought as well die fer sheep as
lamb. Shell kill Anse Havey fer
YEP"
The chieftain looked at him during
long pause, then slowly shook his
head.
mo, Luke he said quietly. 81
hain't quite ready ter die myself yit.
I reckon if 1 he'd ye ter kill Bad Anse
thet's bout what'd happen. Jest git
Their lamb this trip an let ther old
ram live a SPELL
So, one unspeakably sultry morning,
few days after that informal session.
Good Anse Talbot arrived at the
Widow Everson's house. As Juanita
Holland appeared at the door to greet
him he came at once to the point.
"Fletch McNash hes done been
kilt" he said. Bout twilight last
night, es he was a-comin' in from Their
barn somebody shot one shoot from
Their la'rel. I reckon hit'd be right
smart comfort ter his woman an
little Dawn eff ye could ride over thar
an help tend ter Their buryin'. Kin
ye start now?"
Go! Juanita would go if it were
| necessary to run gantlet Of all the
combined forces of the Haveys and
| McBriars. Her heart ached for the
widow and the boys. but for Dawn the
| ache was as deeply poignant as it
could have been for a little sister of
her own. So with set face and hot in
dignation Juanita mounted for the
! journey.
At last they reached the McNash
cabin and found gathered about it a
score of figures with sullen and scowl-
| ing faces.
From the barn came the screech of
saw and rat-tat of hammer, where
those whose knack ran into carpentry
were fashioning the box which was to
serve in lieu of a casket.
There was no fire now, and the
cabin was very dark. In deeply
| Swallowed corner lay fetch McNash,
made visible by the white sheet that
covered him.
Juanita had come in silently, and
| for a moment thought that no one
else was there. The younger children
had been sent away, and the neigh
| bors remained outside with rough
sense of consideration.
There, in a squat chair near the
cold hearth, sat Mrs. McNash, her
back turned to the room. She was
leaning forward and gazing ahead
with unseeing eyes. Dawn was kneel-
| ing at her side with both arms about
her mothers dropping shoulders.
| Juanita bent and impulsively kissed
the withered face, but the woman only
stirred a little, like a half-wakened
sleeper, and looked stolidly up. After
a while she spoke in the lifeIess, far.
away tone of utter lethargy.
EFF ye'd like ter see him, jest lift
up Their sheet. He's a-layin' thar. .
Then once more she sank back into
the coma Of her staring at the hearth
with its dead ashes.
Then the door opened, letting in two
men, and in them Juanita recognized
Jeb McNash and Bad Anse Havey.
At their coming Dawn looked up
drawing away from the embrace OF
the older girl, and retreated silently
to a corner, as though ashamed OF
having been discovered in tears. Fol
a few moments there was silence IL
the room, complete except for the raj
Of jobs pipe when he knocked out its
ashes against tie chimney.
Bad Anse stood with folded arms il
the dim light and gave no sign that ht
had recognized the presence of the
"furrin" woman.
The boy ierked his head toward the
hearth and said in a strained, hare
voice: Set ye a cheer, Anse," ant
after that no one spoke. jobs thiI
but muscular chest rose and fell tt
the swell of heavy breathing and hi
face was wrapped black in a scoW
that made his eyes smolder and hi
lips snarl. Juanita had dropped bacl
to one of the beds with Dawn's fac
buried in her lap.
Then, as if rousing from a lon
dream, Mrs. McNash looked up, an
for the first time appeared to realiz
that her son and his companion ha
entered the place
The dead Darkness left her pupils
and into them 1eaped a hateful fire
Her voice came in shrill and high
pitched questioning: wall, Jeb, he
We got him yit?"
The boy only shook his head an
glowered at the wall, while his mott
: er's voice rose almost to a scream.
'tHain't ye a goin' ter do nothin'
} Thar lays yore pap what nuver harme
no man, shot down cold-blooded. Don
} We hear him a-callin' on yer ter settl
IL his blood score? Air ye skeered? The
T shirt of him thet fathered YES