Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1916-01-06

the moment the thrust went home 10
the young owner His jaw frightened
and he marked the man, one of the
fallers, for future reckoning.
How the fight would have ended
Sandry, thinking 1t over afterward
could never decide. They were evenly
matched in intent, the two factions,
and nearly so in numbers, though
Hampdens force was a trifle the
stronger.
Blows rained fast and furious.
Blood was flowing freely and the oaths
and laughter had given place to pant
ing silence.
you low-down cheat" he heard
Daily say as he closed with Hampden.
"Well-settle-a few things-now.
There was the scent of heated flesh
and Of warm blood in the close, moist
air. and the clump and swish and
crunch OF heavy boots threshing the
fern. From under the trampling feet
he caught sight of limp figure. crum-
pied on its side.
Something in its CHASTITY stiffness
caught at his heart and set purpose
in it's Mortified amaze.
He must stop this thing at any cost.
| Springing down he caught up long
blacksnake whip lying coiled beside a
stump 1t had evidently come with the
Yellow Pines outfit, for what purpose
he did not know, for there was not
such an article anywhere il lamp.
Raising his arm he whirled it back
to send the long lash singing in among
the struggling mass, when sound,
coming clearly out Of the brooding
stiffness of the great pine woods, ar
rested him.
1t was the high, silvery note of a
flute. Shrill and clear, it cut into the
rush of the fight like a flashing blade.
The men heard it, even through the
fight rage. Here and there the furious
action halted moment, without voli-
ton, it seemed, and man drew quick
ly out on one side In the moments
hush that followed whole cascade OF
sparkling notes fell from the ridge
like a handful of diamonds trickling
down, and sweet and tender came the
strains of Lead, Kindly Light"
Daily caught his antagonist by the
throat and hurled him backward
opening up space in the locked and
painting swelter.
THE Preacher" he painted. THE
Preachers commit"
With common consent the two fac.
lions fell apart, the Yellow Pines own
er getting to his feet blind with the un-
caring anger of the bully.
So it was the Preacher who was com
ing thus with the herald of those sill
yer notes.-the Preacher whose worn
old Bible lay in the little south room
and whose name brought the light of
gladness into the somber face of
Siletz.
Sandry, still holding the trailing
whip, waited eXpectant. What he be-
held, when at last the player came out
in a watery bar of the slanting light,
astounded him beyond measure.
The stranger wore q garment of
some coarse brown fiber. buttoned
down from the throat to the feet and
belted at the waist with hempen rope
He carried his flute high with a mar.
tial air, as if it told of victory and
conquest, and his thin form walked
lightly and erect. White and fine and
delicately lined, the face above shone
radiantly from between heavy hair
which fell in long, loose curls, white
as the winter snow. Blue eyes, under
level brows, looked out with the half
vacant innocence of the very young
For him the world had stopped some
time ago. AS he emerged through the
fern, Sandry saw that the brown gar
ment was wet to the knees, the heavy
i. shoes upon his feet sodden witt
, earth.
! "Ah, John. my SOM" he said in 1
voice as gentle as his eyes. 1T hat
been long since we met! l hav,
| wearied on the way for the faces o
friends!"
He held out hand, slim and shape
ly, yet which bore the look of one-tim
; strength. The foreman took it, afte
: wiping his own swiftly on his cordu
I roys.
I'VE ben waitin' for you lon
, time" he said, AN we're mighty gla
t you've come"
1 The stranger nodded and, turning t
. the shifting lumberjacks. went roun
Q among them with word for each an
. that same delicate handshake. Befor
! he reached Hampden, the owner OF tn
Yellow Pines. Strengthening his dishe'
1 eled clothes, swung out of the grouI
3 AS he passed Sandry he glsred int
0 his face.
III stop you before another twent!
t four hours" he said savagely. IAN
q don't you forget it. Your little dee
8 to the East Belt an this strip happen
to have been made by bogus owne
r who soaked old Frazer for pile al
cleared It's been filed on as HON,
Il stead an sold TO me, an I'll see 20
In hell but what I'll get it-all. wa
. keepin the belt as surprise party Il
=! you. but guess it's due right now!"
The vindictiVO triumph In his smA