Tombstone epitaph., 1917-01-14
-I haint nuver astonished.- retort-

looked around and then bent over and whispered a name. There was . short pause. after which the chief comment ed: Wall. reckon l don't need ter tell yer what ter do now"
 q reckon l knows" confessed Luke with a somewhat surly expression. But Milt McBriar was paying no attention. His face was darkening.
 "I wish I could afford ter git the real man!" he exclaimed abruptly. T wish l durst hev Anse Havey kilt"
 "Wall"-this time 1t was the un- derling who spoke casually-"I reck- on thought as well die fer a sheep as lamb. Shell I kill Anse Havey fer yer"
 The chieftain looked at him during long pause. then slowly shook his head.
 No. Luke" he said quietly. r haint quite ready ter die myself yit. I reckon if I he'd ye ter kill Bad Anse thet's bout what'd happen. Jest git ther lamb this trip an let ther old ram live a spell"
 So. one unspeakably sultry morning, a few days after that informal session. Good Anse Talbott arrived at the Widow Everson's house. As Juanita Holland appeared at the door to greet him he came at once to the point
 "F7etch McNash hes done been kilt" he said. Bout twilight last night. es he was a-comin' in from ther barn somebody shot one shoot from ther la'rel. reckon hit'd be right smart comfort ter his woman an little Dawn ef ye could ride over thar an help tend ter ther buryin'. Kin ye start now?"
 Go! Juanita would go if it were necessary to run a gantlet of all the combined forces of the Haveys and McBriars. Her heart ached for the widow and the boys. but for Dawn the ache was as deeply poignant as 1t could have been for little sister Of her own. So with set face and hot in- dignation Juanita mounted for the journey.
 At last they reached the McNash cabin and found gathered about it a score of figures with sullen and scowl- ing faces.
 From the barn came the screech of saw and rat-tat of hammer. where those whose knack ran into carpentry were fashioning the box which was to serve in lieu of casket
 There was no fire now, and the cabin was very dark. In . deeply shadowed corner lay F1etch McNash. made visible by the white sheet that covered him.
 Juanita had come in silently. and for a moment thought that no one else was there. The younger children had been sent away. and the neigh. bors remained outside with rough sense of consideration.
 There, in a squat chair near the cold hearth, sat Mrs. McNash. her back turned to the room. She was leaning forward and gazing ahead with unseeing eyes. Dawn was kneel, ing at her side with both arms about her mothers dropping shoulders. | Juanita bent and inpulsiyely kissed the withered face. but the woman only stirred little. like a half-wakeRed sleeper. and looked stolidly up. After while she spoke in the lifeless. far. away tone of utter lethargy.
 'Ef ye'd like ter see him, jest nf. up ther sheet He's a-layin' thar. Then once more she sank back into the coma of her staring at the hearth with its dead ashes.
 Then the door opened, letting in two men, and in them Juanita recognized Jeb McNash and Bad Anse Havey.
 At their coming Dawn looked up drawing away from the embrace Of the older girl. and retreated silently to a corner. as though ashamed oi having been discovered in tears. Fol few moments there was silence iI the room, complete except for the raI of Jeb's pipe when he knocked out Its ashes against the chimney.
 Bad Anse stood with folded arms ir the dim light and gave no sign that he had recognized the presence of the turin" woman.
 The boy ierked his head toward the hearth and said in a strained, hard voice: "Set ye a cheer. Anse." ana after that no one spoke. Jeb's thir but muscular chest rose and fell tc the swell of heavy breathing and hi! face was wrapped black in a scow that made his eyes smolder and bi' lips snari. Juanita had dropped bacl to one of the beds with Dawn's fact buried in her lap
 Then, as if rousing from a lont dream, Mrs. McNash looked up, ant for the first time appeared to realize that her son and his companion hat entered the place.
 The dead blankness left her pupils and into them leaped a hateful fire Her voice came in shrill and high pitched questioning: Wall. Jeb, he' , ye got him yit?~
 The boy only shook his head ant t glowered at the wall. while his moth + CTS voice rose almost to a scream.
 "Haint ye a goin' ter do nothin' s Thar lays yore pap what nuver harme, no man, shot down cold d-blooded Don b ye hear him a-callin' on yer ter settl d his blood score? Air ye skeered? The r spirit of him thet fathered yes [ + pleadin' with ye-an' ye sets still il n yore cheer,"
 t Juanita felt the slender figure in he e embrace shudder at the flashing inves