The Ordway new era., 1916-12-15
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CHAPTER I.


rhododendron. breaking into foam OF
bloom, gave the seeming of green and
white capped waves arrested and So
idif1ed by some sudden paralysis OF
nature. Sound itself appeared dead,
save for hushed minors that only ac-
centuated the stiffness of the Cumber-
land forest.
Now. as evening sent her warning
with gathering shadows that began to
lurk in the valleys. two mounted fig
ures made no sound either. save when
hoof splashed on slippery surface
or saddle-leather creaked under the
patient scrambling of their animals.
In front rode a battered mountain
eer astride rusty. brown mule.
The second figure came some yards
behind, carefully following in the
others wake on a mule which limped.
This second mule bore a woman, rid
ing astride. She was young woman,
and If just now her slender shoulders
also drooped little, still even in
their droop they hinted at gallant
grace of carriage.
The girl was very slender and,
though conveyed by the drab mission
ary. Good Anse" Talbot, riding
with saddlebags and blanket-roll, her
clothes were not of mountain calico.
but Of good fabric, skillfully tailored.
and she carried her head erect.
Indubitably this was a "furriner;"
a woman from the other world OF
down below" But who was she. and
why had she come? AS to that. word
had gone ahead of her and been duly
reported to the one man who knew
things hereabout; who made it a point
to know things. and whose name stood
as a challenge to innovation in the
mountains.
When at morning she had started
out from the shack town at the end
OF the rails, Bad Anse" Havey's in
formers had ridden not far behind her.
Later they had pushed ahead and re-
layed their message to their chief.
She had often heard the name of
Bad Anse Havey. The yellow press of
the state. and even of the nation, was
fond Of using it. Whenever to the law
less mountains came fresh upblazing
was customary to say that the affair
bore the earmarks Of Bad Anse's in
citement. Certain it was that in his
own territory this man was overlord
and dictator.
Like one of the untamable eagles
that circled the windy crests of his
mountains. he had watched with eyes
that could gaze unblinking into the
sun all men who came and went
through the highlands where his aerie
perched. Those whom he hated. un-
less they. too. were of the eagle breed.
fierce and resourceful and strong of
talon. could not remain. there.
This slender young woman. astride
mule. was coming as the avowed
outrider of new order. She meant
to make war on the whole fabric of
flliteracy and squalid ignorance which
lay intrenched here. Consequently her
arrival would interest Bad Anse Ha-
vey
Once. when they had stopped by
wayside mill to let their mules pant at
the water trough, she had caught a
scrap of conversation that was not
tossed from bearded lip to bearded
lip among the hickory-shirted loiter-
ers at the mill door.
Reckon thet thar's the fotched-in
woman what aims ter start a school
over on the head of Tribulation,"
drawled one native. 81 heard tell of
her t'other day"
With a somewhat derisive laugh an
other had contributed:
Mebby she hain't talked tibet pro-
5eck over with Bad Anse yit. Hit
mought be a right good idee fer thet
gal ter go on back down below, whar
she blongs at
The girl was thinking of all this
now as she rode in the wake of her
silent escort.
In moment of almost cringing de-
spair she wished indeed that she were
back thar down below whar she
b'longed at"
Then. almost fiercely. drawing back
her aching shoulders, she cast her
eyes about on the darkening scene
and raised her voice in anxious in.
quiry: How much farther do we have
70 got"
The man riding ahead did not turn
his face. but flung his answer apa-
thetically backward over his shoulder:
We got to keep right on till we comes
tar dweIlin%house. I'm amin fer
old man Fletch McNash's cabin a
lAetla ther rise Of mile frum hyar.
q Inv mebby he mought shelter us
~ ncfnins.-
knd II ~ doesn'tf-
~ doesn't. we've got ter ride
n NJ Nm eyes for mo-
Z y 4 +! !. q 1sr y lip bstwesn her