Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-03-17
CHAPTER xx-contlnued.

ID
The little town itself lay dismal and
helpless, with its shacks scattered
owe its broken and uneven levels.
Dawn. perhaps, found it hardest;
for in this one day Dawn had grown
up. and tomorrow would bring the boy
whom she now confessed to loving.
though she confessed 1t with self-con-
tempt. leading a force to meet that Of
her own people. fighting to avenge her
father. Juanita, whose eyes could not
escape ironical reminders when she
glanced down at the Christmas pack.
ages. seemed to hear over and over
the voice of Anse Havey saying: I'm
doin' 1t because ye asks it."
' She had sought to avert an assassi-
nation, and 1t seemed that the effort
would precipitate a holocaust.
Anse was very busy. but he found
time to come to her that afternoon.
In the bare little hotel lobby the fire.
light glinted on many rifles as their
owners lounged about the hearth.
And in Anse she saw once more the
stern side. His face was unsmiling.
and in his eyes was that expression
which made her realize how infex-
IDLY he would set about the accom-.
plishment Of the thing he had under
taken. Then. as he spoke to her. q
sudden softness came into his eyes.
God knows I'm sorry" he said,
that this thing broke just now.
didn't aim that ye should be no eye.
Witness
Juanita smiled rather wanly. Old
Milt. he told her. would soon be re-
leased. I'VE amt even goin' to keep
him in the ~jailhouse no longer than
mornin'. We couldn't convict him, an
1t would only bring on more trouble"
why was he arrested?" she asked
blankly.
Just to keep him out of mischief
overnight" he smiled. Even the law
can be used for strategy"
What will happen when the Nc
Briars come back?" she demanded in
a shaken voice.
He shook his head. II can't hardly
say" he replied.
But the next morning Anse Havey
came again and cautioned the two
women not to leave their rooms and
not to keep their shutters open. All
that day the town lay like q turtle,
tight drawn into It's shell. Streets
were empty. Doors we're locked and
shutters barred. But toward evening
to the girls bewilderment. she saw
Haveys riding out Of town instead OF
into 1t. Soon there were no more
horses at the racks. BY night the
place which was to be assaulted to.
morrow seemed to have been aban.
doned by its defenders.
Old Milt McBriar had ridden out In
the morning. freed but wrathful. to
meet the men who were hurrying in.
The figure Of Bad Anse Havey she saw
often from her window, but for the
most part the force of Haveys had
evaporated.
Then followed another wretched
night, and with forenoon the snow
wrapped town settled down to the
empty silence of q cemetery, but with
early afternoon the new procession
began to come in. A long and con.
tinuous stream of McBriar horsemen.
each armed to the teeth, rode past the
hotel and went straight to the court.
house. Then she heard again the
sound she had heard on her first
night in the mountains. only now II
came from a hundred Threats.
It was the McBriar yell, and after
1t came a scattering Of rife and pistol
shots. The clan was going away again
and shooting up the town as they
went. but what had happened down
there at the courthouse?