The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1916-01-29
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 eroct on a
branch high above them with its tail
curled up behind 1t. He had stopped
her with touch on the arm; then,
with q smile Of amusement, he handed
her his rifle with much the same man.
ner that she might have handed him q
novel In Russian, and his eyes said
'banteringly: "See what you can do
with that"
But to his surprise she took the gun
and leveled It % one accustomed to it's
use. Bad Anse Havey forgot the squir-
rel and saw only the slim figure in it's
loose sweater; only the stray wisps
OF curling hair and the softness OF the
cheek that snuggled against the rife
stock Then. at the report, the sQuir.
rel dropped.
She turned with q matter-cf-fact nod
and handed back the gun.
I'm rather sorry I killed It," she
said, but you looked 40 full of scorn
that had to show you. You know,
they do have few rifles outside the
Cumberland mountains" ~
Where did you learn to shoot?" he
demanded. and she answered casually:
Il used to shoot q rife and pistol. too.
quite good bit"
He took the gun back, and uncon-
sciously his hand caressed the spot
vhhre her cheek had laid against its
lock. He had, fallen into q ,reverie out
ct which her voice called him. They
had crossed the ridge itself and were
overlooking his place. 'i
why are they clearing that space
behind your housef Are you going to
put Il In cornf" IS re
NO" he laughed shortly. "Corn
would be juat about AZ bad ~ laurel
He was Instantly sorry he had said
that. He had not meant. to, tell her Of
the plans he was making plans OF de-
Tense and. IL need be, OF offense. He
had not intended to mention his pre-
cautions TO 1Sevent assassination 1t
his own door or window. f'
+ But the girl understood, and her
voice was heavy with anxiety as she
demanded; do you think you're In
danger, Anse7"
There's never . day I'm not in
danger" " he replied casually. I've got
pretty well used to It"
s"Bnt some day" she broke out.
they'll get you.s
He shrugged his shoulders. May
be-" he said. ~ ..a
As Juanita's influence grew with Bad
Anse Havey. 80 1t was growing at the
school. She had. to turn away pupils
who had come across the mountains
on wearisome Journeys because as 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 q
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 as time went on they grudgingly
acquiesced, and at last. with sense
Of great victory, she persuaded three
shaggy fathers. who we're coming reg.
ularly with their children. to ride back
home unarmed.
Disarmament was her idea for the
great solution, and when Bad Anse
came overland he came every night
now-she led him with almost
breathless eagerness to the rack and
showed him two modern rifles and one
iantiquated squirrel gun.
| Whats the idea?" he asked with
his skeptical smile. He found it very
difficult to listen always to talk about
the school in which he felt no inter.
est and to regard his VOW of silence as
to herself whom he dumbly wor.
SHIPPED.
Look around you. Anse," she com.
manded. do you see any dirt or dust
anywhere? No; we are teaching
cleanliness and sanitation. but there
Is Just one place here where the spiders
are welcome to come and spin their
webs unmolested. It's that rack of
guns. Did you ever hear Of the shrine
at Lourdes?"
Il reckon not" he confessed uneas.
lily. OF late he had become a little
ashamed OF the things he did not
know.
We'll, this is going to be like it,
Anse. 1t IL told that when the lame
and halt and blind came to Lourdes to
pray they went away straight and
strong and clear Of vision. There
hang at the shrine there numberless
crutches and canes, discarded because
the men who were carried there went