Tombstone epitaph., 1917-02-11

DOu '. Sco. ou0 bSIed"cu iu - transport of alarm. as she braced her. self and summoned strength to seize the hand that held the weapon. Jeb shook her roughly on and wheeled again to face the visitor with the precaution of sidewise leap. He had expected that the other boy would use chat moment of interference to draw his own weapon. but the young McBriar was standing in the same at titude. holding his hat in one hand while he treasured the girl
 Don't fret. Dawn; thar haint noth- in ter worry about" he said; then. facing the brother. he went on in a posture:
 "Thet hain't ther first time ye've seed me acrost the sights of Q gun. is 1t. Jebf"
 What does ye mean?" The other boys face went brick-red and he low cred his muzzle with a sense of sudden shame.
 McGreegor told ye a passel of lies about me. an how ye come acrost ther ridge one day. 1 reckon I kin guess the rest"
 Well. 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: 'T ain't got no gun on me. I ain't even got a jackknife. lowed that ye thought be right smart incensed at my comin' hyar an come without no weapon on purpose. Elf ye hain't skeered of me when I'm unarmed, reckon ys kin put your own gun back in ther holster"
 Jeb McNash slowly followed the suggestion. and then coming forward until the two boys stood eye to eye. he said in deliberate accents: "I reck. on ye don't low I'm skeered of ye."
 q reckon not" Young Milt's tone was almost cheerful. "i reckon ye air jest about as much skeered of me es I am of you-an' that ain't none"
 What does ye want hyar?" persist ed Jeb.
 "T wants first to tell ye-an' I hain't never lied ter no feller yit-thet don't know nothin' more about who kilt F1etch than you does. If l did so help me God Almighty, I'd tell ye I hain't tryin' ter shield no murder CTS"
 There was a ring of sincerity in the lads voice that carried weight even into the bitter skepticism of Jeb's heart-a skepticism which had refused to believe that honor or truth dwell east of the ridge.
 'T reckon. ef that's true" sneered the older boy. "thar's them in yore house thet does know"
 At that insult it was Young Mil, whose face went first red and then very white.
 "Thet calls fer fight. Jeb." he said with forced calm. q cant harken tel things like thet But first wants ter gay this: come over hyar ter tell ye thet l knowed how ye felt, an thet didn't see no reason why you an me had ter quarrel. I come over hyar ter see Dawn, because I promised wouldn't try ter see her whilst she stayed down at the school-an' be cau2o l wsnts ter see her-an' lows ter do hit. Now will ye lay aside yore gun an go out thar in ther road whai nit hain't on yore own ground. an lei me tell ye thet ye lied when ye slurreC my foIks?"
 The two boys stripped oil theil coats in guaranty that neither had hi ,den a weapon. Then. while the girl wt3 was really no longer a girl, turned bacx into the firelit cabin and threw herself face downward on her feather bed. they silently crossed the stile into the road and Milt turned to repeat; "Jeb. thet war a lie ye spoke, an wants ye ter fight me far, fist an skull. an when we gifts through. ef v feels like hit. we'll shake hands. YoI an me aint 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 bittel and long-fought battle of fists ant wrestling. in which both of them rolled in the dust. and each of them obsti nately refused to say enough" the, submitted their long-fostered hostility to one fierce debate. At last, as tn, two lay panting and bloodied there fl |. the road. 1t was Jeb who rose and helt out his hand
 50 fur es the two of us goes, Milt. he said, unless ther war busts loos, 1 ergin, reckon we kin be friendly" Together they rose and recrosse, the stile and washed their grime, 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, ? factions. had set a new precedent an, had fought without guns. as men ha, - fought before the feud began.
 Jeb kicked on his shoes and la, down, and before the flaming logs sa the Havey girl and the McBriar bo 1. talking.