Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1915-10-01

It was 70 such children Of the hills
40 this that Juanita Holland was tc
bring the new teachings. But even o.
she smiled the child-for she seemed
to be only fifteen or sixteen-surren
dered to her shyness and, thrusfinl
the taper into her mothers hand
shrank out Of sight in some shad
owed corner Of tho place.
Then Juanita's eyes occupied them
selves with what fragmentary details
the faint light revealed. The barrel
Of ride caught the weak flare and
slittered. Tho uncarpeted floor OF
rude puncheon slabs lay thing OF
gaping cracks, and overhead there was
q vague feeling OF low rafters. from
which hung strings Of ancient and
shriveled peppers and few crinkled
hands" Of natural leaf"
Dawn" commanded the woman
take yore foot In your hand an light
out ter Their barn an see Of 70 kin
find some aigs."
Az Juanita watched the door she
caught . glimpse Of q slight figure
that vanished with the same quick
noiselessness with which . beaver
slips into the water.
Il reckon 70 kin Jest lay thar q
SPELL" added tho woman. whilst ]
goes out an sees what victuals kin
skeer up"
Left alone. the girl from Philadel.
phia nan over the events Of the day
events which seemed to smother her
under weight Of squalor and fore
bodinE.
At length from the road came loud
shouts of drunken laughter, broken
by the evident Temonstranccs OF q
companion who sought to enjoin quiet,
and BY these tokens the "furrin'
woman knew that the lord Of the
squalid manor was returning. and that
he was coming under convoy. She
shrank from . meeting with Fetch
McNash; but II she went out by the
only door she knew she would have
to confront him. 90 she lay still.
fetch was deposited In ono Of the
split.bottom chairs by the doorstep.
II Jest went over thar ter borry .
hoe" he proclaimed. AN met up
with some fellers and thar was all
manner Of free ticker. They had white
ticker an bottled.in.bond ticker. an
none Of hit didn't cost nothin'. Them
fellers Jest wouldn't hardly suffer me
ter come away"
AN whilst 70 war a-soalkin' up thet
thar free ticker them pertater sets was
a-dryin' up waitin' ter be sot out. =
came the stern wilely reminder.
Between the etrident voices came
every now and then the softly modu-
lated tones OF the stranger whose
words Juanita lost. Yet, somehow,
Whenever she heard them she felt
soothed. and after each Of these ut
tersnces the woman outside also
spoke In softer tones.
Whoever the stranger was. he car
ried in his voice reassuring quality.
so that without having seen him the
girl felt that IN his presence there was
an element Of strength and safeguard
ing.
At last from one Of the beds she
heard . scuning sound, and . moment
later Q childish form opened q door ut
the back Of the cabin and slipped out
into the darkness. :
That revealed IN avenue Of escape.
1uanita had not known that these win
dowless cabins are usually supplied
with two doors, and that the one into
which the wind does not drive the
weather stands open for light on win
try days. Now she. too, rose noise
lessly and went out of the close and
musty room. It was quite dark out
there and she could feel. rather than
see, tho densely foliaged side Of the
mountain that doomed upward 1t the
back.
In her brooding she lost account Of
time. At last she heard voice sing
out from the stile:
I'm Jim White. an I'm a.comin'
in"
A thick welcome from Fletch Nc
Nash followed, and then again silence
settled.
After while. % she sat there on
the rock. with her chin disconsolately
in her hand and her elbows on her
knees, Juanits became conscious Of
footsteps and knew that someone was
coming toward her. Then she caught
the calm voice which had already i'm.
pressed her-the voice Of the stranger
who had brought home the half-help-
less householder.
Il reckon we're out Of earshot now,