The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1915-11-18
CHAPTER VIII.
The Half Opened Bud.

the precipice," Lahoma con
tinued after she had told
about the wonderful window. But II
me 1t tired him walking this far twice
q day. morning and night, so at last
Brick and Bill decided to cut some
cedars from the mountain and make
me a cabin. They took the dugout to
sleep In. There are two rooms in the
cabin-one. the kitchen, where we eat,
and the other. my parlor, where !
sleep. Some time you shall visit me
In the cabin II Brick and Bill are will
ing. They made Il for me. so ! couldn't
ask anybody In unless they said So"
I'VE aren't far enough along" OBJ
served Bill, ito be shut up together
under a roof"
I'D like to have you visit my par
lor," Lahoma said somewhat wistfully.
I'D like to show you all my books.
They were Bills when we first met
him. but since then he's given me ev-
erything he's got, haven't you. old
BillT Lahoma leaned over and patted
the unyielding shoulder.
She resumed, her face glowing with
sudden rapture: There are six books
half a dozen! Maybe you've heard Of
some of them. Bills read 'em over
lots OF times. He begins with the first
on the shelf. and when he's through
the row he just takes 'em up all over
again. I like to read parts of them
the interesting parts. This is the way
they stand on the shelf: The Children
of the Abbey'-that's Bills favorite:
The Scottish Chiefs David Copper
field The Talisman.' The Prairie,
The Last of the Mohicans.'
"And so your cabin was built" VIII.
fred prompted her. land the men took
the dugout."
Eyes, and then-oh! The most won
derful thing happened. A family set
tied in the arm of the mountain at the
west end-a family that had woman
and a baby In It.. For three years l
had the mother and her baby to show
me how to be a woman. Then came
the soldiers. Brick thinks a big cattle
king stood In with congress. and he got
the soldiers sent here to drive out all
the settlers because they were begin
ming to farm the land instead Of letting
II grow wild for the cattle. Anyway
all the settlers were driven out Of the
country. and it's been four years since
l lost my only friends in the world
except Brick and Bill. What makes
me and Brick and Bill mad is that the |
soldiers didn't have any right to drive |
out the settlers. because Texas claims |
this country. and so does the United |
States, but it's never been settled"
But they didn't drive you out"
"You see." Brick explained simply, |
1--WE didn't want to CO."
1T nearly broke Mrs. Featherby's |
heart to bave to leave" Lahoma added,
'for they'd got good stand of wheat, |
and think she liked me most as well |
as liked her But Mr.. Featherby
came from Ohio, and he had respect to
the government, so when the soldiers
said go he pulled up stakes"
I'VE amt got no respect 10 nothing"
Brick explained, that stands In the
way of doing what we're mind to.
The soldiers come to force us out, but
changed their minds. We will stay
here at anchor till Lahoma steams out
into the big world with sails spread.
Nothing amt more sheltering than
knowing you have a moral right and
dependable gun"
$50 that's about ALL" Lahoma went
m ssVhasa mast four vaa - ua,va tuat
been to ourselves, with long Journey
once year to the settlements. And
I've tried TO do like Mrs. Featherby
used to do and be like she was. She'd
been to Europe. too, and she'd taught
school I'm New England. She was like
copyright out Of the big world. She
came out here because the family was
awful poor. Is that why you left the
big wOrldT
Wilfred shook his head. I'm poor
enough" he said. but It wasn't that
IL was girl"
Brick Wilcox explained: Hes got
sweetheart. He's been carrying her
letters for about two years He's
done spoke for Lahoma, staked out,
as fellow might say. and squatted
on"
Lahoma looked at him In GREATNESS
interest. "A girl out In the big wOrldf
Completely civilized, | reckon! Was
she as old as | ann"
"She II nineteen years old and so
thoroughly civilized that she thinks
this part OF the world is still overrun
with Indians and buffaloes. She
wouldn't live out here for a fortune,
and she wouldn't marry a man back
east without one. That's why I'm
here. didn't have the fortune"
Does she love you. wilfredr Her
voice was so soft, her eyes were so
big, that Bill uttered a smothered
groan, and even Brick sat up.
"She did the last time ! saw her"
He spoke lightly; but, gazing into the
wonderful depths OF Lahoma's eyes