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

- - W. NAAN GNAAaAslAA IA a
transport of alarm, as she braced her.
self and summoned strength to seize
the hand that held the weapon.
Jeb shook her roughly off and
wheeled again to face the visitor with
the %precaution Of a sidewise leap. He
had expected that the other boy would
use that moment Of interference to
draw hiS W weapon, but the young
acBriar was standing in the same at
utude, holding his hat in one hand
while he treasured the girl.
Don't fret. Dawn: thar hain't moth
in ter worry about" he said; then.
facing the brother, he went on In a
voice of cold and almost scornful COM
posure;
Tibet hain't Their first time we've seed
me acrost the sights Of a gun, is 1t,
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, l heered about how old Bob
McGreegor told We q passed. Of lies
about me, an how we come acrost Their
ridge one day. ! reckon | kin guess
the rest"
We'll, 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 went on:
Il amt got no gun On me. | amt ever
got a jackknife. lowed that ye
mought be right smart incensed at
my comm hyar an | come without no
weapon on purpose. Eff We hain't
skeered Of me when I'm unarmed, |
reckon ye kin put your own gun back
In Their 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."
Il reckon not" Young Milt's tone
was almost cheerful. Il reckon We air
jest about as much skeercd OF me es
| am of you-an' that amt none"
What does we want hyar?" persist
ed Jeb.
Il wants first to tell ye-an' I hain't
never lied ter no Teller yit-thet !
don't know nothin' more about who
kilt fetch than you does, II | did,
so help me God Almighty, I'd tell We.
| hain't tryin' ter shield no murder
ers."
There was a ring Of sincerity in the
lads voice that carried weight even
into the bitter skepticism Of jobs
heart-a skepticism which had refused
to believe that honor or truth dwelt
east of the ridge.
81 reckon, eff that's true" sneered
the older boy, "thar's them IN yore
house thet does know"
At that insult 1t was Young Milt
whose face went first red and then
"nnA5Si.s AZ, u nsus, ecu, ne oe.4
with forced calm. Il can't harken ter
things like tibet. But first | wants ter
say this. | come over hyar ter tell ye
tibet ! know'ed how ye felt, an tibet |
didn't see no reason why you an me
had ter quarrel. l come over hyar ter
see Dawn, because | promised |
wouldn't try ter see her whilst she
stayed down at the scholar be-
cause l wants ter see her-an' lows
ter do hit. Now will we lay aside yore
gun an 60 out thar in Their road whar
hit hain't on yore own ground, an let
me tell ye tibet ye lied when We slurred
my folks?'
The two boys stripped off their
coats in guaranty that neither had
hidden a weapon. Then, while the girl,
who was really no longer a girl, turned
back into the firelit cabin and threw
herself face downward on her feather
bed, they silently crossed the stile into
the road and Mllt turned to repeat:
"Jeb, tibet war a lie we spoke, an J
wants We ter fight me far, fist an
skull, an when we gifts through, eff ye
feels like hit, we'll shake hands. You
an me amt got no cause ter quarrel
And so the boy in each Of them,
which was the manlier part Of each
came to the surface, and into a bitter
and long-fought battle Of fists and
wrestling, In which both Of them rolled
in the dust, and each OF them obsti
nately refused to say enough" they
submitted their ~long.fostered hostility
to one fierce debate. At last, as thu
two lay painting and bloodied there IL
the road, 1t was Jeb who rose and hell
out his hand.
80 fur es the two Of US goes, Milt,
he said, unless Their war busts loos'
ergin, | reckon we kin be friendly"
Together they rose and recrosse'
the stile and washed their CRIME,
faces. Dawn looked from one to tn,
other, and Jeb said; "Milt, set yore
self a cheer. | reckon ye'd better sta,
all night. It's most too fur ter rid
! back"
And so, though they did not realiz
1t, the two youths who were to stan
: some day near the heads Of the tw
e factions, had set a new precedent an
had fought without guns, as men ha
. fought before the feud began.