The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-12-09

your old engine waiting1 There are
more important things than blowing"
"Aha I" said Harris, knowingly.
swell. guess It's just as well II hap
pened MS II did Jim was gettin' al
together too good nj runnln' at your
heels"
That's all the thanks he gets for
working late and early. like no other
hired man In the district. All right.
You and Allan can milk the cows to-
night for won't-seeT"
Harris was accustomed 10 his
daughters frankness. and as rule
paid little regard to II. He was willing
enough TO be nayed in moderation, by
her keen tongue; In fact. he took a
secret delight In her unrestrained sal
lies. but that was different from de-
fiance.
wen talk about that some other
time. too" he said. "And you'll milk
the cows tonight as usual"
Beulah opened her lips as though 10
answer, but closed them again. arose.
and walked out Of the kitchen. For
her the controversy was over; the die
was cast. Her nature admitted OF
any amount Of dlsputation up TO
certain point. but when the irresIst-
lille force crashed into the immovable
object she wasted no wind on words.
With her war was war.
Harris finished his meal with little
relish. His daughter was very, very
much to him, and an open rupture
with her was among the last things to
be imagined. Stll, she must
learn that the liberty Of speech he al
lowed her did not imply equal liberty
OF action. His wife, too. had
behaved most Incredibly. After all.
perhaps he had been hasty with Jim.
No doubt he would meet the boy In
Plalnvile or somewhere In the dis
trict before long, and he would then
have frank little talk with him.
And he would say nothing more Of the
incident 10 his wife. He was begin
ming 10 feel almost amlable again
when recollection of Beulah, and the
regard which she was evidently cult
vating toward Travers, engulfed his
returning spirits like a cold douche.
II must not come TO that, whatever
happened.
"You better go over TO Grants, Al
Ian, II you're goin'," he said as he left
the table. 1--WE some shears to
change that'll keep me busy until you
get back"
An hour later Allan returned, ac-
companied by George Grant. and oper-
atoms In the field were resumed. Fa-
Their and son were both anxious to
make up for lost time. and they work.
ed that night long after their usual
hour for quitting. 1t was quite dark
when the two men. tired and dusty.
came in at the close Of their long days
labor.
The table was set for two. "We
have had our supper" Mary explained.
Eve thought we wouldn't wait any
longer"
That's all right" said Harris, try
ing 10 be genial. But he found 1t hard
er than he had supposed. He was
very tired, and somewhat embarrassed
following the unpleasantness at noon.
He had no thought of apologizing,
either to wife or daughter; on the con-
trary, he intended to make II quite
clear to them that they had been at
fault in the matter, but he would take
his time about reopening the subject.
When supper was finished Allan
went 10 the stables TO give final atten-
ton TO the horses-a duty that had
always fallen to finland Harris, af-
ter few minutes quiet rest in his
chair. began to remove his boots.
THE cows are not MIXED, John"
said his wife. She tried TO speak In a
matter-of-fact way, but the tremor in
her voice betrayed the import of the
simple statement.
Harris paused with a boot half I'M
laced. While his recollection of Beu-
lah's defiance was clear enough, II
had not occurred to him that the girl
actually would stand by her guns. He
had told her that she would milk the
cows tonight as usual. and he had as
sumed. as a matter of course, that she
would do so. He was not accustomed
TO being disobeyed.
"Where's Beulah?" he demanded.
~ guess she's in her room"
Harris laced up his boot. Then he
started upstairs.
Don't be too hard on her, John,
urged his wife. with a little catch In
her voice.
81 won't be too hard on anybody,
he replied CURLY. Its a strange thinl
! you wouldn't see that she did as she
was told. suppose l have 10 plus
away in the field until dark and ther
come I'm and do another half-day's
work because my women folk are toe
lazy or stubborn 10 do II themselves
II this outburst was intended 4
crush Mary Harris II had very diff
ferent effect. She seemed to straighteI
up under the attack; the color CANT
back to her cheeks. and her eyes wer'
bright and defiant.
"John Harris" she said. "You know
better than to say that your womei
folk are either lazy or stubborn, bu
there's a point where imposition. ever