Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1916-03-10

snlPed.
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 is 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
away needing them no more. Some
day your old order of crippled things
here in the mountains is going to be-
come straight and strong. and these
guns will be the discarded crutches."
He looked at her, and II no response
was ELECTED to her prophecy, at least
he could not contemplate without a
stirring of enthusiasm the flushed face
and glowing eye with which she spoke.
1t was all worth while II It could bring
that sparkle of delight to her couhte-
nance.
It's right pretty, but it won't hardly
work" he said. These men will leave
them guns just so long al they don't
need 'em. I'm glad to see We pleased
but l don't want to see We disap-
pointed"
A little before Christmas old Milt
McBriar went to Lexington, and there
he met a heavily bearded man In rough
clothes who had arrived that morning
from the West. They conferred in a
cheap eating house which bears a rag
ged and unwholesome appearance and
is kept by an exile from the noun
tains.
Now tell me, Milt," suggested Luke
Thixton briefly, what air this thing We
wants me ter do. I'm done with these
hyar old fiat lands tibet they talks SO
much erbout."
But Milt McBriar's eyes had been
vacantly watching the door. 1t was a
glass door, with its lower portion paint.
ed red and bearing in black letters the
name of the proprietor.
"Damn!" he exclaimed violently, but
under his breath.
whats bitin' ye?" asked his COM
panion, as he bolted his food.
Il Jest seed Brock Havey pass by
that door," explained the chief. But
reckon he couldn't hardly recognize
you this fur back. l don't want no
word Of yore comm ter go ahead Of
ye."
What is 1t I'm a-goin' back ter do?"
insisted the exile ~doggedly.
"Oh," commented Milt McBriar,
we've got ter talk tibet over at some
length. Ye're a-goin' back ter git Anse
Havey. but ye hain't a-goin' list yit."
One morning as he sat over his
breakfast at the kitchen table. Anse's
cousin. Breck Havey. rode up in hot
haste to rouse him out of apathy and
remind him that he must not shirk his
role as leader of the clan.
The Havey from Peril came quickly
to the point while the Havey of the
backwoods listened.
Il was down ter Lexin'ton yesterday,
an as I was passin' Jim Freeman's
deadfall happened ter look in. Thar
war old Milt McBriar an Luke Thix-
ton. thar heads as close tergether as a
pair Of thieves. Luke hes come back
from the West. an reckon ye kin fig
ger out what tibet means"
Anse grew suddenly rigid and his
face blackened. So his destiny was
crowding him!
What air ye goin' ter do?" demand
ed Brock with a tone of anxious and
impotent pleading. Anse shook his
head.
Il don't know-quite yet" he said.
Let's see, is the high cote in ses-
sion?"
Brock Havey nodded his head in per.
D1a~aA occanf He WnndoRoA uyhok Akn
court had to do with this exigency.
"All right. Tell Sidering to have
the grand jury indict Luke for the Nc.
Nash murder an Milt McBriar as &C.
cessory-"
Good God, Anse!" burst out the
other Havey. Does We realize what
hell ye turns loose when we tries ter
drag Old Milt ter cote in Peril?"
Yes, l know that" The answer was
calm. I'll give We a list of witnesses.
Tell Sidering to keep these true bills
secret. I'll ride over and testify my
self, an I'll tend to keepin' the wit
nesses quiet. l don't know whether
wen ever try these cases. but it's just
as we'll to be ready along every line"
Rreck Havey stood gazing down at
the hearth with a troubled face. At
last he hazarded a remonstrance.
"Anse," he said, Il hain't never ques-
toned ye. I've always took yore coun-
sci. Ye're the head of the Haveys, but
next to you I'm the man they harkens
to most. II any man has got ter dis
pute yer, | reckon ye'd take it most
willin'ly from me-"