The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-01-22

u0Idg- II VIII tdh6 d udg VI LWO " get
ready Let the case be docketed. as
might say-fOr Thursday"
Anse Havey had gone to Lexington.
Never again did he mean to hold
against himself the accusation Of the
unlit lamp and the ungirt loin-" He
knew that she loved him
In Lexington he had bought a ring
and at Peril he had got marriage Ii
/ cense. His camp-following days we're
over. He had one youth. and he knew
/ that IL his enemies succeeded in
/ their designs that might at any mo-
ment be snapped short with sudden
/ death 1t did not seem to him that one
1 of its golden hours should be wasted
/ AS he came out of the courthouse
with the invaluable piece Of paper in
| his pocket two men, seemingly IN
armed. rose from the doorway Of the
store across the street and Grifted to-
ward their hitched horses
/ Young Mi1t MeBriar had ridden over
| to Peril that day with several compan-
ions, and Anse Havey went back with
them. So it happened that quite acct
dentaIly he made this journey under
| escort. The men who rode little way
in his rear cursed their luck-and
! waited. And. though they Iurked in
hiding all that afternoon near Anse
| Havey's house. they saw nothing more
Of their intended victim
Anse was keenly alive to each days
impending threat. and when he
recognized the face Of Jim Fletcher in
Peril, as he came through, he had read
mischief in the eyes and recognized
that the menace had drawn closer.
So. when he was ready to cross the
ridge to the school. he obeyed an old
| sense of caution and left his horse
saddled at the front fence that it
might seem as If he were going out
but had not yet gone
He had sent a messenger for Good
Anse Talbot. and the preacher arrived
while he was at his supper.
Brother Anse," he said, I'm goin'
to need We some time betwixt now and
midnight l want ye to tarry here till
1 come back"
What's the nature of business We
needs me fer. AnseZ' demanded the
missionary. 'T hadn't hardly ought
ter wait Thar's a child aiiin' up the
top fork of little fork Of Turkey-Foot
creek"
But Bad Anse only shook hts head.
It's the best business We ever did"
he confidently assured the preacher.
But 1 can't tell ye yet Is the child
in any danger?''
Il reckon not; hits Jest aiIin'
but"
The brown-faced man sat obviously
shaking his head, and Anse's features
suddenly set and hardened.
Il needs ye," he said. Amt that
enough2 I'm goin' to need ye bad,
That's right strong reason. Anse.
but"
For an instant the old dominating
will which had not yet learned to
| brook mutiny leaped into Anse
Havey's eyes. His words came in a
harsher voice:
will you stay OF your own free
will because I'm goin' to need We.
| Brother Anse?'' he demanded Be
cause. by God. ye're goin' TO stay-one
way or another"
Does ye mean ye aims ter hold
me hyar by force?'' -sf
Not unless ye make me ! wouldn't
hardly like TO do that
For a moment the missionary de-
bated He did not resent the threat
of coercion He believed in Anse
Havey, and the form Of request con;
WINGED him Of Insurgency.
So he nodded his head I'll be hyar
when ye comes" he said
Anse left his house that night Meth
er by front nor back. but in the dark
shadows at one side. and his tails
man OF luck led his noiseless feet safe
~ between the scattered seatinels
who we're watching his dwelling 70
XIII him
To BE CoNTNUED1 49,