Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-01-21
CHAPTER I-Continued.

TITS Havey." he said slowly, but
hereabouts I've got another name
that's better known" He paused, then
added with a hardened timbre OF
voice, as though bent on making def
ant what would otherwise sound like
confession: Its Bad Anse."
The girl recoiled, as though under
a physical shock. 1t seemed to her
that every way she turned she vas to
meet staggering disappointments. She
had spoken almost ~pleadingly to the
nan with whom she could make no
terms-the man whose arrogant power
and lawless influence she must break
and paralyze before her own regime
could find standing-room in these hills.
Yet, as she looked at him standing
there, and stiffened resolutely, she
could say nothing except "Oh!"
Into the m~onosyllable crept many
things: repulsion, defiance and cha
grin for her mistake, and in ~recogni-
ton of them all the bronzed features
of the man hardened a little and into
the cool eyes snapped a sparkle Of the
sleeping fires she had OWNED.
Il made my suggestion to the wrong
man." she said steadily. II misunder-
stood you. l thought you said you
wanted peace"
He swung himself to the saddle
again; then, as he gathered up his
reins, he turned, and in his utterance
was immovable steadiness and gla'
cial GOODNESS, together with a ring
of contempt and restrained anger.
81 did say that, and by God AL
mighty, l meant just what l said.
do want peace in these mountains
but l amt never found no way yet to
get peace without flghtin' for It,"
She saw him ride away into the
moonlight, with his shoulders very
straight and the battered felt hat very
high, and she looked neither to righI
nor left as he went until the misti
had swallowed him.
For a long time while she sat there
on the stile gazing across the steer
banks between which the waters o
T%ribulation slipped along in a tide o
furnished quicksilver and beyond
which rose the near ridges Of blu'
and the far, dim ridges of gray.
At her back she knew that the fam
lily and the missionary were sitting IL
talk.
She sat there with her hands claspet
about her updrawn knees as she uset
to sit when some childhood grief hat
weighed upon her.
the humiliation Of having shown he
weakest side to Bad Anse Havey.
was some satisfaction to remembe
the offended s~tiffening Of his shouI
ders and the smoldering fire In hi
eyes. She had heard much of tn
strong, easily hurt pride Of thes
mountain men-a pride which mad
them walk in strange surrounding
with upright heads and eyes, challenl
ing criticism Of their uncouthnesl
She had first appealed to this mar
but at least she had also stung hir
with her scorn. Now they would b
open enemies.
She knew that this young man,
a country where every man was poo
and no man a pauper, owned grea
tracts of land that yielded only spars
crops with the most arduous coaxini
She knew that under his rocky acre
slept a great wealth Of coal, and ths
above them grew noble and virgil
forests of hardwood. The coming {
railroads and development woul
make him a rich man. Yet he stoo
there, seemingly pricing above q
those magnificent certainties th
empty boast of feudal chieftainshiI
Yet he was a nan With that though
came an unwelcome comparison. Sh
thought OF omeon whom she ha
loved-and sent away-and of the
leave-taking. That man had had ever
gentle attribute which this ma
lacked. All that universities, trav'
and ancestry can give had shown oil
in his bearing, his manners. his voiC
and the expression of his eyes.
There had been a time when 81
had wavered in her determination
devote herself to the mission for while
she had been educated. She though
that this man might be more impo
tant than any mission; that a III
with him might be full enough. The
had come the discovery. which at fir
she had rebelliously denied. but whiC
forced itself hatefully upon her rea
cation. Despite his unchallengeab
charm and gentility, he was, after a
not quite a man. When she had a
mitted that beyond dispute, she hi
turned, sickened, from the life Whit
she could not contemplate witho
aim. The man whom she thought 81
loved was empty and fine, like
swordless sheath" Very we'll. 81
would turn to the work OF putting
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