Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1916-01-15
CHAPTER XIX.

Once. when Anse Havey had been
tramping all afternoon through the win
try woods with Juanita, he had point
ed out squirrel that sat erect on a
branch high above them with it's tail
"curled up behind it. He had stopped
her with touch on the arm; then,
with smile of amusement, he handed
her his rife with much the same man
sner that she might have handed him a
novel in Russian, and his eyes said
banteringly: See what you can do
with that
But to his surprise she took the gun
sand 1eveled it as one accustomed to it's
Tuse. Bad Anse Havey forgot the SPUR
rel and saw only the slim figure in it's
loose sweater; only the stray wisps
of curling hair and the softness of the
scheek that snuggled against the rife
stock. Then, at the report, the SPUR
rel dropped
She turned with a matter-of-fact nod
and handed back the gun.
I'm rather sorry killed it," she
said, but you looked SO full of scorn
that l had to show you. You know,
they do have a few rifles outside the
Cumberland mountains"
Where did you learn to shoot?" he
~ used to shoot a rifle and pistol, too,
quite good bit"
He took the gun back, and uncon-
sciously his hand caressed the spot
where her cheek had laid against it's
lock. He had fallen into a reverie out
OF which her voice called him. They
had crossed the ridge itself and were
overlooking his place.
why are they clearing that space
behind your house2 Are you going to
put 1t in corn?''
NO" he laughed shortly Corn
would be just about as bad as laurel"
He was instantly sorry he had said
that He had not meant to tell her of
the plans he was making-p1ans of de-
tense and, if need be. of offense- He
had not intended to mention his pre-
cautions to prevent assassination at
his own door or window.
But the girl understood, and her
voice was heavy with anxiety as she
demanded: do you think you're in
danger, Anse?"
There's never a day I'm not in
danger" he replied casually. I've got
pretty we'll used to it,
But some day." she broke out.
they'll get YOU"
He shrugged his shoulders. May
be-" he said.
As Juanita's influence grew with Bad
Anse Havey, so it was growing at the
school. She had to turn away pupils
who had conS across the mountains
on wearisome journeys because rs yet
she had only limited room and no
teachers save herself and Dawn TO care
for the youngest.
At the front of the hall which led
into the main school building was a
rack with notches for rifles and pegs
for pistols She told all who entered
that she made only one stipulation. and
that was that whoever crossed the
threshold must leave his armament at
the door.
At first some men turned away
again. taking their children with them.
but an time went on they grudgingly
.acquiesced. and at last, with a sense
of great victory. she persuaded three
shaggy fathers. who were coming reg
home unarmed.
Disarmament was her idea for the
crest solution. and when Bad Anse
CAME Overland he came every night
now-she led him with almost
bfeathless eagerness to the rack and
sEh0wed him two modern rifles and one
.nntiquated squirrel gum
whats the idea?" he asked with
lsta skeptical smile. He found it very
difficult, to listen always to talk about
Eas school In which he felt no inter