The Southern herald., 1916-03-10

were quiet, ana the TWO kneelinB uB-
ures in the laurel made no sound The
other men, waiting at their separated
posts, we're equally invisible and noise
less, but some intangible premonition
had come to the shadow which had
lost itself in the impenetrable black
ness and began its retreat with its OBJ
iect unaccomplished.
Young Milt went back to his house |
in the cold mists of dawn. No shot had |
been fired, no face recognized, but the
Havey and the McBriar both knew
that the school had been saved by
their Joint vigilance.
Some days later the news Of that
night watch leaked through to Jerry
Eyerson, who bore the tidings to Juan
ita, and she wrote a note to Anse Ha-
vey asking him to come over and let
her express her thanks in person.
The mail rider brought her brief
reply penned in a hand of copybook
care.
don't take any credit. only did what
any other man would do and young Milt
| McBrlar did as much as l did. Thank
him If you want to. 1t would only be
awkward for me to come over there
Respectfully. ANSE HAVEY.
Old Milt McBriar heard of his sons
part in the watching Of the school and
brooded blackly as he gnawed at the
stem Of his pipe but he said nothing.
The boy had been sent away to college
and had had every advantage. Now
he had unwittingly but none the less
surely, turned his rifle on one of his
fathers hirelings bent on his fathers
work, for the oil-soaked kindling had
been laid at Old Milt's command.
The thing did not tend to make the
leader of the McBriars partial to the
innovations from down below.
One day, when Juanita went down to
the post office, which nestled unob-
trusively behind the single counter Of
the shack store at the gap, she found
letter directed in a hand which set
her heart beating and revived many
old memories.
She climbed to the crest, sat down
under the poplar, and began to read
the letter from the man she had sent
away.
He said that he had made sincere
effort to reconcile himself to her deci'
sion which exiled him. The effort had
failed He had been to the Mediter'
ranean and the East. His letter con.
cluded:
Can you not find 1t in your heart to be
touched by my devotion Not only happi-
ness, but peace dwells where you are,
t and l am coming to you
| Do not forbid me, for am coming any
way. l am coming because 1 must; be-
cause love you.
She sat for long time gazing off al
the distances and shivered little ir
the bite of the raw air. Then she
/, looked up and saw figure at her side
1t was Bad Anse Havey.
4. He bowed and stripped off his coat
\ which, without asking permission, hi
threw around her shivering shoulders
T didn't aim to intrude on ye," b,
said slowly. 'I didn't know ye was u
= here. Do ye come often?"
= "Very often," she answered, foldinI
y the letter and putting it back into it
envelope. when first came to tn
Widow Everson's 1 discovered thi
Il tree, and 1t seemed to beckon to me t.
: come up Look!" She rose and point
D ed off with a gauntleted hand. Il cal
u stand here and see the Notifications o
II my two enemies. There is your plac
. and there is Milt McBriar's."
. She smiled with unconscious arct
- !, ness. But I'm not going to let you b
my enemy any more" she went OF
Vt "rVe decided that you have got to b
Il my friend, whether you want to be o
not-and what decide upon must be.
a. Bad Anse Havey stood looking int
IL her eyes with the disconcerting stead
ness of gaze that she always found
difficult to sustain, but his only n
sponse was a sober I'm obleeged t
ye."
d. Perhaps that letter, with its old r'
Id minders had brought back little {
III the old selfs innocent coquetry. Sh
stood with her gloved hands in tn
ID deep pockets of her sweater JACKIE
Id with his coat hanging from her shou
III ders. About her deep-violet eyes an
er sensitive lips lurked subtle appel
IN for friendship-perhaps, though sh
a. did not know it-for love.
II have behaved abominably to yol
IL Mr. Havey," she confessed. TITS ma
e- ural that you should refuse me forgiv
ct ness" For a moment her eyes dance
n and she looked up. challengingly int
w his face. "But it's natural, too, that
to should refuse to let you refuse. "
&c are going to be friends. / am going
In smash your old teud to splinters an
I'm going to beat you, and Just Il
ed same we are going to be friends"
of Again his reply was brief.
cy 'T'm obleeged to ye."
ed 'You have been very good to me
In she went on. and the note Of bant,
Ito left her voice; "and you refused to /
ID. me thank you"
he For a moment he was silent, then
ho replied awkwardly: II reckon it's pre-