Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1916-01-05
z OF DOD.D NEAD AM0 COlz94NY

NOeteA d1o We. Live cl6au 10 u
heart!"
And with lightning pass he slapped
Hampden square in the face, leaping
backward like a cat. In a fash the
two groups of men had mingled and
the silent woods rang with a conflict
that was delight to every heart in
the mixup. with the exception, perhaps
OF Hampden, who was too small aDd
mean OF nature to love anything for
its own sake.
Sandry on the outskirts beheld it
with CONSERVATION.
MEM" he shouted, jumping up on a
stump. "Hampdeul Harupden! Dailyi
Hampdenl"
A bare arm shot forward into a face
which crumpled and sank out of sight
and the owner OF the arm looked up
at him.
Come of your perch, Johnny" he
cried with the insolence OF indiffer-
ence, and even in the excitement of
the moment the thrust went home to
the young owner. His jaw frightened
and he marked the man, one of the
fallers, for future reckoning.
How the fight would have ended
Sandry, thinking it over afterward,
could never decide. They were evenly
matched in intent, the two factions,
and nearly so In numbers, though
Hampden's force was a trifie the
stronger.
Blows rained fast and furious.
Blood was flowing freely and the oaths
and laughter had given place to pant
ing silence.
"You low-down cheat" he heard
Daily say as he closed with Hampden.
"We'll-settle-a few things-now"
There was the scent of heated flesh
and Of warm blood in the close, moist
air, and the clump and swish and
crunch Of heavy boots threshing the
fern. From under the trampltng feet
he caught sight of a limp figure, crum-
pied on it's side.
Something in it's ghastly stiffness
caught at his heart and set a purpose
in its Mortified amaze.
He must stop this thing al any cost
Springing down he caught up a long
blacksnake whip lying coiled beside a
stump. 1t had evidently come with the
Yellow Pines outfit. for what purpose
he did not NOW. for there was not
such an article anywhere in camp.
Raising his arm he whirled It back
to send the long lash singing In among
the struggling mass, when a sound,
coming clearly out of the brooding
stiffness of the great pine woods, ar
rested him.
1t was the high, silvery note of a
flute. Shrill and clear, it cut into the
rush of the fight like flashing blade.
The men heard it, even through the
fight rage Here and there the furious
action halted moment, without voli-
ton, it seemed, and man drew quick
ly out on one side. In the moments
| hush that followed a whole cascade of
/ sparkling notes fell from the ridge
like handful of diamonds trucking
down, and sweet and tender came the
strains of Lead, Kindly Light"
Daily caught his antagonist by the
throat and hurled him backward,
opening up a space in the locked and
painting swelter.
THE Preacheri" he painted. 1.-THE
Preachers commit"
With common consent the two fac
lions fell apart, the Yellow Pines own
er getting to his FEET blind with the un.
caring anger of the bully.
So 1t was the Preacher who was COM
| ing thus with the herald of those sill
yer notes.-the Preacher whose worn
old Bible lay In the little south room
and whose name brought the light of
gladness into the somber face of
| Siletz.
Sandry, still holding the trailing
whip, waited expectant. What he be-
held, when at last the player came out
in watery bar of the slanting light,
astounded him beyond measure.
The stranger wore q garment of
some coarse brown fiber, buttoned
down from the throat to the feet and
beited at the waist with hempen rope
He carried his flute high with a mar.
tial air, as IL it told of victory and
conquest, anu Lbs luin iOTm Wdlkeu
| lightly and erect. White and fine and
delicately lined, the face above shone
radiantly from between heavy hair
which fell in long, loose curls, white
as the winter snow. Blue eyes, under
level brows, looked out with the half.
vacant innocence of the very young.
For him the world had stopped some
time ago. AS he emerged through the
fern, Sandry saw that the brown gar
ment was wet to the knees. the heavy
shoes upon his feet sodden with
earth.
"Ah. John NV SOM" ha said in q