The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-01-13

was never unarmed
Don't. Jebl" she screamed In
transport OF alarm as she braced her
self and summoned strength to seize
the hand that held the weapon.
Jeb shook her roughly of and
wheeled again to face the visitor with
the precaution of sidewise leap. He
had expected that the other boy would
use that moment OF interference to
draw his own weapon. but the young
McBriar was standing In the same at
titude. holding his hat in cne hand
while he reassured the girl.
Don't fret, Dawn; thar haint moth
in ter worry about" he said; then.
facing the brother, he went on in
voice of cold and almost scornful com
posure:
"Thet hain't ther first time ye've seed
me acrost the sights of gun. is II.
Jeb?"
What does ye mean?" The other
boys face went brick.red and he low.
cred his muzzle with a sense of sudden
shame.
"Oh. heered about how old Bob
McGreegor told ye passel Of lies
about me. an how ye come acrost ther
ridge one day reckon | kin guess
the rest"
well. what Of hit?" Jeb stood with
his pistol now hanging at his side,
but In his eyes still glowed the fire of
hatred.
Jest this" young McBriar vert on;
II amt got no gun on me. ! amt even
got a jackknife. lowed that ye
mought be right smart incensed at
my comm hyar an come without no
weapon on purpose. Ef ye hain't
skeered of me when I'm unarmed,
reckon ye kin put your own gun back
in ther holster"
Jeb McNash slowly followed the
suggestion, and then coming forward
until the two boys stood eye to eye
he said in deliberate accents: IL reck'
on ye don't low I'm skeered of ye."
81 reckon not" Young Milt's tone
Jest about as much skeered OF me es
am of you-an' that amt none"
What does ye want hyar?" persist
ed Jeb
'I wants first TO tell ye-an' hahn
never lied ter no feller yit-thet
don't know nothin' more about wht
kilt Fletch than you does II ! did
so help me God Almighty, I'd tell ye
| hain't tryin' ter shield no murder
ers."
There was ring of sincerity In th'
lads voice that carried weight evel
into the bitter skepticism OF Jeb'
heart-a skepticism which had refused
to believe that honor or truth dwell
east of the ridge.
81 reckon. ef that's true" sneeret
the older boy, "thars them in yor
Il house thet does know"
s At that insult It was Young Mil
whose face went first red and the
8 very white.
2 Tibet calls fer a fight, Jeb." he sal
u with forced calm. Il can't harken te
things like thet. But first wants te
say this: come over hyar ter telf y
e thet | knowed how ye felt, an tbet
h didn't see no reason why you an m
n had ter quarrel. ! come over hyar. te
d see Dawn. because ! promised
h wouldn't try ter see her whilst sh
h stayed down at the school-an' b'
e. cause ! wants ter see her-an' low
ter do hit. Now will ye lay aside yor
is gun an 90 out thar in ther road wha
II hit hain't on yore own ground. an Il
d. me tell ye thet ye lied when ye slurre
y my folks?'
IS The two boys stripped off the
y, coats in guaranty that neither ha
ic hidden a weapon. Then. while the CIR
IS who was really no longer girl. turne
10 back into the frelit cabin and thre
ID herself face downward on her featht
10 bed, they silently crossed the stile inI
Of the road and Milt turned to repeat
m "Jeb thet war lie ye spoke, an
a wants ye ter fight me far. fist a
rs skull, an when we gifts through. eff y
u feels like hit. wen shake hands. YC
er an me amt got no cause ter quarrel
re And so the boy in each of ther
which was the manlier part of eac
e. came to the surface. and into bitt'
~ and long-fought battle of fists al
IL wrestling, in which both of them role
m in the dust. and each of them obs
OF nately refused to say enough" the
is submitted their long-fostered hostili
10 to one fierce debate. At last, as Il
two lay painting and bloodied there
It, the road. 1t was Jeb who rose and he
ut out his hand.
so fur es the two Of US goes, Milt
au he said. unless ther war busts loo
er ergin, reckon we kin be friendly"
OF Together they rose and recross,
OF the stile and washed their grim'
at faces. Dawn looked from one to Il
II other. and Jeb said: "Milt. set yor
ID self a cheer. reckon yed better ST
OIL all night. It's most too fur ter ri,
rn back"
And SO. though they did not reali
1t. the two youths who were to stal
ng some day near the heads OF the "
-. 4 N,