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

ton and Winchester trading in cattle
and timber. made a journey through
the hills that spring. and was every
where received as home folks" For
him there were no bars of distrust.
and he was able for that reason to buy
land right and left. Though he had
paid for it a price above the average.
1t was price far below the value Of
the coal and timber it contained
and Jim had picked his land.
Anse Havey and his associates knew
that Jim Fletcher had been subsidized
that the money he spent so lavishly
was not his own money; and that he
came as stalking-horse, but they did
not know that he had been to Louis
vile and had conferred there with Mr.
Trevor. Neither did they know at
once that he had visited the cabins of
every malcontent among both the for
mer factions, and that he was a mis-
chiefmaker adroitly laying here in the
hills the foundations for a new feud
Jim had a bland tongue and a per
euasive manner, and he talked to the
mountain men in their own speech,
but he was none the less the advance
agent of the new enemy from down
below: the personal fulfillment Of
Juanita's prophecy to Roger Malcolm.
Juanita did not realize how much
she was leaning on the strength OF
Anse Havey, how she depended on
him for counsel and encouragement.
which he gave not in behalf of the
school, but because he was the school
ell he
hospital rise on the hill and thought
of what it would do. and she believed
that Anse Havey must be, in his heart
converted. even though his mountain
obstinacy would not let him say so.
Then, while the hillsides were Joy
Gus with spring, came a squad of lads
with transit and chain, who began
running a tentative line through the
land that Jim Fletcher had bought.
Anse Havey watched them grimly
with folded arms, but said no word
until they reached the boundary of his
own place.
There he met them at the border.
Boys" he said. we mustn't cross
that fence. This is my land. an l for
bids ye.''
I'VE only want to take the measure
ments necessary to complete our line,
Mr.. Havey. We won't work any in
jury"
Anse shook his head.
Come in, boys, an eat with me an
make yourselves at home" he told
them. but leave your tools outside"
Men from the house patrolled the
boundary with rifles and the young
men we're forced to turn back.
But later they drew near the house
of old Bob McGreegor, and he, steal
ing down to the place in the thicket of
rhododendron, saw them perilously
near the trickling stream which even
then bore on its surface little kernels
of yellow corn. Deeply and violently
old Bob swore as he drank from his
little blue key. and when one day he
saw them again he asked counsel OF
no man. He went down and crept
close through the laurel, and when his
old rife spoke a schoolboy from the
Blue Grass fell dead among the rocks
of the water course.
After that death, the first murder OF
an innocent outsider, the war which
Anse Havey had SO long foreseen
broke furiously and brought the or
ders of upland and loWIand to the
grip of bitter animosity.
Old McGreegor's victim had beer
young Roy Calvin. the son of Judge
Calvin of Lexington, and the name Of
Calvin in central Kentucky was one
associated with the states best ira
ditions.
1t had run in strong, bright thread
through the pattern of Kentucky
achievements. and when news of the
wanton assassination came home. the
state awoke to shock of horror. The
infamy of the hills was screamed il
echo to the mourning, and the name
Of Bad Anse Havey was once more
printed in large type.
The men whose capital sought tC
wrest profit from the hills. and whose
employee had been slain. were quick
to take advantage of this hue and CRY
of calumny.
They hurled themselves into the
fight for gaining possession of coveted
land and were not particular as tc
methods.
Jim Fletcher came and went con
stantly between the lowlands and
highlands. He was all things to al
men, and in the hills he cursed the
lowlander, but in the lowland be
cursed the hills. Milt and Jeb and
Anse rode constantly from cabin t.
cabin in their efforts to circumvent
the adroit schemes of the mountain
Judas who had sold his soul to the
lowland syndicate.
Fletcher sought a foothold for CAPT
tai to pierce fields acquired at thu
price of undeveloped land and theI
to take the profit of development
Anse sought to hold title until th'
sales could be on fairer basis. ant
SO the issue was made up.
Capitalists. like Malcolm. who sat II
directors rooms launching legiti
mate enterprise. had no actual knowl
Dates Ripened in Incubator.
An Arizona scientist has demon
strated that dates can be ripened il