Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1915-11-27
CHAPTER II-continued.


IT'S Havey," he said slowly, but
hereabouts I've got another name
that's better known" He paused, then
added with a hardened timbre OF
voice, as though bent on making def
ant what would otherwise sound like
confession: Its Bad Anse."
The girl recoiIed, as though under
a physical shock. 1t seemed to her
that every way she turned she was to
meet staggering disappointments. She
had spoken almost pleadingly to the
man with whom she could make no
terms-the man whose arrogant power
and Iawless influence she must break
and paraIyze before her own regime
could find standing-room in these hills.
Yet. as she looked at him standing
there. and stiffened resolutely. she
could say nothing except "Oh!"
Into the monosylIable crept many
things: repulsion, defiance and cha
grin for her mistake. and in recogni-
ton of them all the bronzed features
of the man hardened little and into
the cool eyes snapped a sparkle of the
sleeping fires she had OWNED.
Il made my suggestion to the wrong
man." she said steadily. 81 misunder-
stood you. l thought you said you
wanted reace."
He swung himself to the saddle
again; then. as he gathered up his
reins. he turned. and in his utterance
was immovable steadiness and gla-
-ciai coldness. together with a ring
of contempt and restrained anger.
Il did say that, and by God AL
mighty. ] meant just what l said.
do want peace in these mountains
but L amt never found no way yet to
get peace without fightin' for it,
She saw him ride away into the
moonlight. with his shoulders very
straight and the battered felt hat very
high. and she looked neither to right
nor left as he went until the mists
had swallowed him.
For a long time while she sat there
ON the stile gazing across the steep
banks between which the waters of
'Tribuiation slipped along in tide of
earnished quicksilver and beyond
which rose the near ridges of blue
and the far. dim ridges of gray.
At her back she knew that the fam
lily and the missionary were sitting in
talk
about her updrawn knees as she used
to sit when some childhood grief had
weighed upon her.
She could not shake out of her mind
the humiliation of having shown her
weakest side to Bad Anse Havey. II
was some satisfaction to remember
tho offended stiffening of his shout
steES and the smoldering fire in his
eyes. She had heard much of the
strong. easily hurt pride of these
mountain men-a pride which made
them walk in strange surroundings
with upright heads and eyes, challeng
ing criticism of their uncouthness
She had first appealed to this man
out at least she had also stung him
with her scorn. Now they would be
open enemies.
She knew that this young man. In
n country where every man was poo
and no man 4 pauper, owned grea
tracts of land that yielded only spars,
crops with the most arduous coaxing
She knew that under his rocky acres
slept a great wealth of coal, and tina
above them grew noble and virgin
forests of hardwood. The coming O
railroads and development would
make him a rich man. Yet he stoo,
there. seemingly pricing above al
those magnificent certainties TIN
empty boast of feudal chieftainshir
Vet he was a man. With that though
came an unwelcome comparison. Sh
thought of someone whom she ha
toved-and sent away-and of thei
ie2Fe-taking. That man had had ever
gentle attribute which this ma
lacked. All that universities. traye
sed ancestry can give had shown GU
I'm his bearing. his manners, his yoic
and che expression of his eyes.
Fsere had been q time when sh
had wavered in her determination I
devote herself to the mission for whic
she had been educated She though
chat this man might be more impo,
%ssst than any mission; that a lift
with him might be full enough. The
slsd come the discovery. which at frs
she had rebellioasly denied, but vhic
GorceG itself hatefully upon her real
zasson- Despite his unchallengeaol
CHARM and gentility. he was, after al
mot quite a man When she had a,
united that beyond dispute. she ha
Gurned. sickened. from the life whic
sshe could not contemplate witho,
him. The man whom she thought sh
loved was empty and fine, like
s~oxdless sheath" Very well, sh
woaid turn TO the work of putting a
edge on the sturdier metal of "a