The Ordway new era., 1917-02-02


the hand that held the weapon
Jeb shook her roughly on ana
wheeled again to face the visitor win
the precaution Of a sidevtse leap nc
had expected that the other boy ~ouio
use that moment OF interference 10
draw his own weapon. but the young
McBriar was standing in the same Al
titude. holding his hat in one haho
while he reassured the girl
Don't fret. Dawn; thar haint no'h-
in ter worry about" he said; then
facing the brother. he went on in a
voice OF cold and almost scornfu! com
posure:
-Thet hain't ther first time we've seed
me acrost the sights Of gun, Is II
Jeb!"
What does ye mean" The other
boys face went brick-red and he low
cred his muzzle with sense OF sudden
shame.
"oh. l heered about how old Bob
McGreegor told ye a passel OF lies
about me, an how ye come acrost ther
ridge one day. l reckon kin guess
the rest"
Well, what Of hit?" Jeb stood with
lis pistol now hanging at his side,
| but In his eyes still glov q the IRE OF
hatred.
Jest this" young McBriar went on;
u amt got no gun on me amt even
got a tackknite- l lowed that ye
mought be right smart incensed at
. nv comm hyar an ! come without no
! weapon on purpose. Ef ye halh
skeered Of me when In unarmed. l
reckon sc 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 10 eye.
/ he said in deliberate accents; Il reck-
on We don't low I'm skeered OF ye."
u reckon not" Young Milt's tone
was almost cheerful. y reckon ye air
Jest about as much skeered Of me es
am of you-an' that amt none"
What does ye want hyar?" persist
ed Jeb
Il wants first to tell ye-an' ! hain't
never lied ter no feller y!t-thet
don't know nothin' more about who
| xii, F1etch than you does II l did,
so help me God Almighty, I'd tell ye.
| 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 Jeb's
heart-G skepticism which had refused
TO believe that honor OF truth dwelt
/ east Of the ridge.
y reckon. ef that's true" sneered
the older boy. 'thar's them in yore
house thet does know"
| At that insult It was Young Milt
whose face went first red and then
1 very white.
"Thet calls fer a fight, Jeb." he said
| with forced calm. I can't harken ter
things like thet But first wants ter
| gay this: | come over hyar ter tell ye
thet knowed how ye felt, an thet
| 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 school-an' be-
cauSe l wGnts ter see her-an' lows
ter do hit Now will ye lay aside yore
/ gun an go out thar in ther road whar
! ait hain't on yore own ground. an let
ne tell ye thet ye lied when ye slurred
my fGks?"
The two boys stripped of their
I ctats in guaranty that neither had
| hi den weapon. Then, while the girl,
wkJ was really no longer girl. turned
| bacA into the frelit 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 lie ye spoke. an
wants ye ter fight me far, fist an
| skull, an when We gifts through, ef ye
| feels like hit, well shake hands. You
an me ain't got no cause ter quarrel"
And so the boy in each OF them.
4 which was the manlier. part of each.
came TO the surface. and into bitter
and long-fought battle OF fists and
/ wrestling, in which both of them rolled
Z 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 the
two lay painting and bloodied there in
the road, 1t was Jeb who rose and held
| out his hand
SO fur es the two of US goes, Mill"
1 he said, unless ther war busts loose
ergin. reckon We kin be friendly"
Together they rose and recrossed
| the stile and washed their grimed
faces Dawn looked from one to the
other. and Jeb said; "Milt, set yore-
| self cheer. l reckon ye'd better stay
all night. It's most too fur ter ride
back"
And so. though they did not realize
1t, the two youths who were to stand
some day near the heads of the two
factions, had set a new precedent and
had fought without guns. as men had
fought before the feud began.