Tombstone epitaph., 1916-12-24

CHAPTER [.

The leaves of poplar and oak hung still and limp: no ghost of breeze found its way down there to stir them into movement or whisper. Banks or rhododendron. breaking into foam of bloom. gave the seeming of green and white capped waves arrested and SO liSified by some sudden paralysis Of nature Sound itself appeared dead. save for hushed minors that only ac- -entuated the stiffness of the Cumber- land forest.
 Now. as evening sent her warning with gathering shadows that began to Turk in the valleys, two mounted fig ures made no sound either. save when a hoof splashed on slippery surface or saddle-leather creaked under the patient scrambling of their animals. In front rode a battered mountain ger astride a rusty. brown mule.
 The second figure came some yards behind, carefully following in the others wake on a mule which limped. This second mule bore a woman. rid ing astride. She was a young woman. and if just now her slender shoulders also dropped a little, still even in their droop they hinted at gallant grace of carriage.
 The girl was very slender and. though conveyed by the drab mission ary. Good Anse" Talbott. riding astride 8 lame mount and accoutered with saddlebags and blanket-roll, her clothes were not Of mountain calico. but of good fabric. skillfully tailored. and she carried her head erect.
 Induhitably this was a further; woman from the other world of down below" But who was she and why had she come? As to that, word had gone ahead of her and been duly reported to the one man who knew things hereabout; who made it a point to know things. and whose name stood as a challenge to innovation in the mountains.
 When at morning she had started out from the shack town at the end Of the rails. Bad Anse" Havey's in formers had ridden not far behind her. Later they had pushed ahead and re layed their message to their chief
 She had often heard the name Of Bad Anse Hayey. The yellow press of the state. and even of the nation, was soHd Of using it. Whenever to the law less mountains came a fresh upblazirg of feudal hatred and blood was let. it was customary to say that the affair bore the earmarks of Bad Anse's in citement. Certain 1t was that in his
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 Like one of the untamable eagles that circled the windy crests of his mountains. he had watched with eyes that could gaze unblinking into the sun all men who came and went through the Highlands where his aerie perched- Those whom he hated. un- less they, too. were of the eagle breed. fierce and resourceful and strong of talon. could not remain there.
 This slender young woman, astride a mule. was coming as the avowed outrider of a new order. She meant to make war on the whole fabric of iIliteracy and squalid ignorance which lay intrenched here Consequently her
  vey.
 Once, when they had stopped by a wayside mill to let their mules pant at the water trough. she had caught a scrap of conversation that was not meant for her ears; a scrap laughingly tossed from bearded lip to bearded lip among the hicEory-shirted Ioiter- CTS at the mill door.
 Reckon thet thar's the fetched in woman what aims ter start a school over on the head of Tribulation, |" drawled one native 'I heard tell of her t'other day"
 With a somewhat derisive laugh an. other had contributed:
 ''Mebby she hain't talked thet pro jeck over with Bad Anse yit. Hi thought be right good idee fer thet she b1ongs at"
 The girl was thinking of all this now as she rode in the wake of her silent escort.
 In a moment of almost cringing de spair she wished indeed that she were back thar down below whar she
  b1onged at"
 Then, almost fercely. drawing back her aching shoulders. she cast her eyes about on the darkening scene and raised her voice ir anxious in quiry: How much farther do we have to go?"
 The man riding ahead did not turr his face. but flung his answer apa theticaIly backward over his shoulder We got to keep right on till we come, ter a dweilin'hous I'm aimin' fel old man Fletch McNash's cabin l, leet,e ther rise of a mile rum hyar low mebby he thought shelter ui till mornin'-"
 And # he doesnt?"
 "Ef he doesn't, we've got ter rid, on a spell further"
 The girl closed her eyes for a mo ment and pressed her lip between he teeth.
 At last q sudden turn in the roa, brought to view a wretched patch o bare clay. circied by dilapidsted pal
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