The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1915-01-28
CHAPTER vI-continued.

"Thar's a.goln' ter be n dancin'
party over ter VILE McCager's mill
come Saturday" he i~nsinuatingly sug.
Sested. 81 reckon yen 20 over thar
with me. wont ye. Sally?"
He waited for her usual delighted
assent, but Sally only told him absent.
ly and without enthusiasm that she
would study about it," At last, how.
ever. her restraint broke, and. looking
up, she abruptly demanded:
- Air ye a-goin' away. Samson"
who's been a.talkin' ter ye?" de-
manded the boy, angrily.
For a moment. the girl sat silent.
> FINALLY, she spoke In n grave voice:
~ Hit hain't nothin' ter git mad about.
Samson. The artist man lowed AS how
ye had n right ter go down thar. an
cit an e%ddication." She made a weary
gesture toward the great beyond.
He hadn't ought to of told ye,
Sally. II I'd been plumb sartin In my
mind, Id a.told ye myself-not but
what ] knows" he hastily amended.
tibet he meant hit friendly"
Air ye a.goin'?"
I'm studyin' about hit"
He awaited objection. but none
came. Then. with n piquing Of HE
masculine vanity. he demanded:
- "Hain't ye a.keerin'. Sally. whether
] goes. or not?"
The girl grew rigid. Her fingers on
the crumbling plank OF the stiles top
Heightened and gripped hard. Her face
sdld not betfay her. nor her voice,
vthough she had to gulp down a rising
lump In her throat before she could
answer calmly.
II think we had ought to go. Sam.
son"
The boy was astonished. He had
avoided the subject for fear of her op.
position-and tears.
Then, slowly. she went on:
There hain't nothin' In these here
hills fer ye. Samson. Down thar, yen
see lots OF things thet's new-an' civil.
ICED an beautiful! Yen see lots OF
gals thet kin read an write, gals
dressed up In all kinds of fancy tx.
ms" Her glib words ran out and
ended In IA sort Of inward gasp.
Compliment came hardly and awk.
yardly to Samson's lips. He reached
Nor the girls hand. and whispered:
II reckon ! won't see no gals thet's
as purity AS YOU be. Sally. | reckon ye
Knows. whether | goes or stays, we're
4Rgoin' ter git married."
She drew her hand away. and
laughed, a little bitterly. In the last
day, she had ceased to be a child, and
become a woman with all the soul.ach.
ing possibilities OF a woman's intui.
lions.
Samson" she said. Il hain't askin'
We ter make me no promises. When
ye sees them othar gals-gals tibet kin
read an write-l reckon mebby yen
think different. ! can't hardly spell
out println' In the fust reader
Her lovers voice was stornful OF the
imagined dangers, as a recruit may be
OF the battle terrors-before he has
beer under fire. lie slipped his arm
about her and drew her over To him.
y Honey" he said, "ye needn't fret
about thet. Readin' an writin' can't
make no difference fer IA woman.
lilt WlBntS lHlpOItdul leT u Hlul, out
you're "a gal"
You're a-goin' ter think diff'rent AT.
ter awhile" she insisted. when We
goes, ! hain't a'goin' ter be expectin'
Sa ter come back But"-tha
resolution in her voice for n moment
quavered as che added--"but God
knows I'm a-goin' ter be hopin'!"
SALLY" The boy rose. aud paced
up and down in the road. Air We
goin' ter be ag'inst me, too? Don't We
see that I wants ter have a chanst ?
Can't ye trust me? I'm Jest a.tryin'
10 amount TO something, I'm plumb
tired OF bein' ornery an no count"
She nodded.
"Ive done told ye." she said. YEARLY,
"thet ! thinks ye ought ter do hit"
Lescott and Samson discussed the
matter frequently, Al times the boy
was obstinate In his determination to
r. !Rnin; nj other times he gave way
tusshe yearnings for change and oppor.
tunity.
The dance on Saturday was to De
something portentous than a
mere frolic. II would be a clan gath.
erAg to which the South adherents
would come riding up and down Mis-
cry and It's tributaries from nigh