The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1915-02-17
CHAPTER vl-contInued.

CHAPTER vl-contInued. ..
Thar's a-goin' ter be q, dancin'
party over ter Vile McCager's mill
epme Saturday." he insinuatingly sug-
eested. Il reckon yen go over thar
Rtth me. won't ye, Sally?" ~
he waited for her usual delighted
assent. but Sally only told him absent:
lJ and without enthusiasm that she
would study about It," At last, how
ever. her restraint broke, and, looking
Emp. she abruptly demanded: .,
81 Air ye a-goin' away, Samson"
Who's been a-talkin' ter ye?" de-
nanded the boy, angrily. ..
For q moment, the girl sat silent.
Einally, she spoke in a grave voice:
Hit haint nothin' ter git mad about,
Samson. The artist man lowed as how
Eye had a right ter go down thar. an
git AN eddication." She made weary
h gesture toward the great beyond.
He hadn't ought to Of told ye,
Sally. II I'd been plumb sartin in my
mind, I'd a.told ye myself-not but
what knows" he hastily amended,
thet he meant hit friendly"
Air ye 'a-goin'
I'm studyin' about hit"
y He awaited objection, but none
eame. Then, with piquirg Of his
masculine vanity, he demanded:
'Hain't ye a-keerin', Sally, whether
j goes. or not?'
The girl grew rigid. Her fingers on
+ the crumbling plank Of the stiles top
tightened and gripped hard. Her face
did not betray her, nor her voice,
Though she had to gulp down rising
lump In her throat before she could
nswer calmly. =.
= think ye had ought to go. Sam
ton.s 81
The boy was astonished. He had
avoided the subject for fear Of her op-
Dosh hon land tears.
Is Then, slowly, she went on:
! N There hain't noth1n' in these here
Ailis fer ye, Samson. Down thar, yen
.see lots Of things thst's new-an' civil
1xed an beautiful! Yell see lots of
gals thet kin read an write, gals
dressed up in all kinds Of fancy fix
ms" Her glib words ran out and
ended IN a sort Of inward gasp.
Compliment came hardly and awk-
wardly to Samson's lips. He reached
h for the girls hand, and whispered:
ssef reckon won't see no gals thet's
rs purity as you be, Sally. reckon ye
j knows, whether goes or stays, we're
q s-goin' ter git married"
PsSs She drew her hand away, and
laughed, little bitterly. In the last
day. she had ceased to be a child, and
become woman with all the soul-ach-
;ing possibilities of a woman's intui-
q tions. ~
Samson" she said, II hain't askin'
re ter make me no promises. When
We sees them other gals-gals thet kin
read an write-I reckon mebby yell
{ think diff'rent. / can't hardly spell
out printin' in the fust, reader
Her lovers voice was scornful Of the
( IMAGINED dangers. as recruit may be
! of the battle terrors-before he has
been under fire. He slipped his arm
about her and drew her over to him.
Honey" ne said, "'ye needn't fret
about shet. Readin' an writin' can't
make no difference fer a woman.
& Hits mighty important fer man, but
you're-a gal"
.sY ou're a-goin' ter think diff'rent at.
Ter awhile" she insisted. when ye
/ Eoes, hain't a-goin' ter be expectin'
ye ter come back .. But"-the
resolution in her voice for a moment
/ K unayered as she added-"but God
Knows I'm a-goin' ter be hopin!"
II aSally!. The boy rose, and paced
! nm and down in the road. "Air ye
poi,, ter be ag'inst me, too? Don't We
3 see that Il wants ter have a chanst
b Can't ye trust me-? I'm jest a-tryin'
to amount to. something. I'm plumb
tired of bein' ornery an no count"
She nodded. ....,
.Tve done told ye," she said. wearily
rthet I thinks ye ought ter do hit"
Lescott and Samson discussed the
s natter frequently. At times the boy
was obstinate in his determination to
/ /; remain; at other times he gave way
essfo the yearnings for change and oppor
81 tunity.
81 The dance on Saturday was to be
81 something more portentous than @
mere frolic. It would be clan gath
s ering to which the South adherents
would come riding up and down Mis-
cry and its tributaries from nigh