The Ordway new era., 1917-03-02


shall always be around you"
But he shook his head and his hg-
ure sagged a little against her knees
Il know-when I'm done, ne sa'u
slowly. Its all right now-lve done
got here. That's enough loves ye'
For a time she wondered whether
he had lost consciousness. ana she
laid him down slowly and broush'
cushions with which to soften MS Po-
sition 1t was almost daybreak now.
She sat there beside him, and as her
heart beat close to him he seemed 10
draw from 1t some OF its abundant VI
tality. for he revived little' anu
though his eyes were closed and sne
had to bend down to catch his words'
his voice grew somewhat stronger.
Il amt never felt onesome-before'
But out there-dyin' by myself-the
last of my family had to come
Dyin' amt like livin'-l couldn't die
without ye."
You aren't dying" she argued des-
perately you sha'n't die"
1T amt that" His breath came
with great difficulty. They'll come
back here. They'll get me yet-an' I'd
ruther die first"
She laid his head very gently on the
pillows and rose to her feet. In the
instant she stood transtigured. Deep
in her violet eyes blazcd such blue
fire as that which burns at the hot
| test heart of fame. Around her lips
came the grim set Of fight and blood
lust.
The crushed flower on her bosom
rose and fell under violent tempest
OF passion. The skirt Of her evening
| gown had been torn in her effort TO
carry him Somehow one silk stock
| ing was snagged above her slipper
| His blood Redeemed her white arms
and bosom. She drew a deep breath
and clenChed her hands. The dis
Ciple of peace was gone, and there
stood there in its stead the hot
breathed incarnation OF some valkyr
lowering over the din Of battle and
urging on the fight.
Yet her voice was colder and stead
ier than he had ever heard it. She
pointed to the door.
Get you." she exclaimed scorn-
fully. No man but a lIavey crosses
that threshold while live. I'm Ha-
vey now and we live or die together.
Get you!" Her voice broke with
wild laugh. Let them comet
No bitterly bred daughter of the
hills was ever so completely the
mountain woman as this transformed
and reborn girl of the cultured East.
She moved about the place with
steady, indomitable energy. With
strength borrowed OF the need, she
upset the great oaken table and bar
ricaded the door. laughing as she
heard the clatter of pedagogic vol
umes on the floor. Fox's Book OF
Martyrs" fell at her feet. and she
kicked it viciously to one side.
She went and stood before her rack
of guns. and her lips curled as she
caught up a heavy-calibered repeater
with all the fierce desire of a drunkard
| for his drink. She stood there loading
rifles and setting them in an orderly
line against the wall. She devastated
her altar of peace with the untamed
Joy of a barbarian sacking a temple.
Then she turned and saw in the
mans eyes a wild glow of admiration
that burned above his fever and she
said to him once more. Now let 'em
| come"
He shook his head, but strangely
enough her love and awakened feroc-
ity had strengthened and quickened
him like brandy, and he pleaded:
Drag me over where l can get just
one shot"
Then Juanita blew out the lamp and
stood silent in the hush that comes
before dawn. She did not have to
wait long, for soon she heard hoof
beats in the road. and they stopped
just at the turn.
Hello. stranger!" she shouted, and
it took all her strength to command
her voice. Halt where you are"
There was an instant's silence in
the first misty gray that was bringing
the yelled sunrise.
A stihed murmur of voices came
from the road, and she caught the
words. Hes in thar all right" A
moment later someone called out sui
lenly from the shadows:
I'VE gives ye three minutes ter
leave thet house. We're a-comin' in.
an we'd rather not ter harm ye. Git
out quick"
aye can't save me, dearest. It's
too late. For Gods sake, go out"
pleaded Anse Havey tensely.
Her answer was to cry out into the
dawn in voice that could not be mis-.
understood, "Anse Havey's In here.
Come and get him." and for added EN-.
phasis she crouched behind the over.
turned table and fired random shot
out toward the voice that had offered
her amnesty.
| From the earlier happenings Of the