The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1920-05-27

yung Teller, Martin aire against tn Grays and
you aire Gray Mind you what l say"
As the days went by Molly caught glimpses,
mote and feeting of Martin dangerously far in,
on ground protected by an armed neutrality. Once
they CHANGED near enough for Martin call to her.
Were friends, Molly?"
"Ies-yes Martin. we're friends. this time"
They're done tn surveyin', Molly" Hannah
Hanks explained, when she reached home, IAN tn
stranger amt satisfied. 1t don't give him Rain
bow mountaing They're goin ter try it over
ergin, an they're all plumb hot long of it. Whomst
steps on Rainbow aire to be drapped in his tracks,
'thout no warnn'. Howsomere, I'm denim to
flower tn grave whenst tn day comes"
The evening before Decoration day Molly was
plucking white lilacs when the Squire came down
the path.
MY daughter" he said, in the mild slow tones
that always frightened her, ut hes come TO my
ears that tn young Teller, Martin, prows continual
on tn Rainbow. I've give in to a surveyin'.
But greed T. shoot whomsoever footed
Rainbow mountaing 1t has come to that it's
tn Teller defyin' of us. He aire comedy, proper
boy, but monstrous fool Ell seems like they don't
know Johnson Gray"
The lilacs dropped from Mollys hands She
knew Johnson Gray. Conflicting impulses stirred
her. From the chaos one conviction
preme-she had promise to keep 1t not
being friends with Martin to let him unwittingly
anger the Grays.
The young moon had long since vanished behind
the peaks but the stars cleaned in cloudess bril-
iancy. The peace and sublimity Of the mountains
seemed too infinite for evil design. And yet the
Squire and half q dozen Grays were lying noise
lessly in the brush along the dividing line. Every
mans finger the trigger, for some one had
broken the compact, some one was prowling on
the Rainbow.
Across the contested line, a hundred yards back
the dense underground hid the reflection of the
moon along other rifle barrels Grohsman and his
men were equally vigilant.
Family at first, but growing louder and louder
with each step, the scuffie Of advancing feet was
heard The watchers-on both sides-crouched In
readiness TO mete out the deserved retributlon
Then the traitors came into view. There going
boldly across the ceared-slope, were Molly and
Hannah Hanks. They were laden with gstening
clusters Of white flowers. They walked unafrad
along the sinuous path upward to the lone grave"
on the mountain top.
The rifles Of the Grays came to earth. The
Squire started forward and stopped. His face
white and drawn. Though he could not see them,
he knew that other eyes watched the self-same
slope OF the Rainbow-from the other side-that
other fingers Just as remorseless rested on other
weapons Would they be mercifu to this, his only
one? Would they
Across the line the bushes shook audibly and
n leveled rifle cleaned in the moonlight second,
but was lowered again. No shot rang out.
The women passed on-unharmed. Their as
cending footsteps grew Fainter ana dlcd away
But ere either side had opportunity to catch
its BREATH the sound of other footsteps ascending
the mountain resounded on the sharp night air.
A breathless walt, tense straining OF the eyes
through the openings in the brush along the path
way-and another traitor came into view. Martin
Grohsman walked boldly along, glancing neither
To the one side nor the other. He, too, was laden
with white flowers.
ON the Gray side OF the line the bushes shook
audIbly and leveled rifle cleaned in the moon
light. But no shot rang out