Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-10-26


stood In his presence. not with a droop
but straight in the manly resolution
TO discharge the duties an adverse fate
had thrust upon him. In the belief
that IL would make him look more like
a slave. he now wore his coat turned
wrong side ont.
master. I salute you" he remarked
"All right" said Drnce. but turn
your coat ! want my slave. the grind
er of my mill. to appear respectfully
clad. You may sit down"
II thank you, sir"
you didn't last long"
mo. master. The tangled-haired
bag kicked me sidewise. like a cow.
In only two potsl But what can you
expect OF a man that has an ace-full
beatenf How long can a man preserve
his freedom at that ratef And a fell
low with a spindle chin and a nose
no bigger than the average wart beat
me with four jacks. Crushed me And
he would have crushed Julius Caesar
just the same. Well. after all. free
dom has many responsibilities. As q
slave I'll cultivate what virtues I can
get hold OF. and look toward old age
and a cabin on the hillside. And now.
as II Is natural for every man 10 hide
his degradation. will you permit me to
call you Virgil In the presence OF 9th
er people?"
81 thought you didn't believe in the
natural thlngi But all right: | grant
your request. And now / suppose I'd
better give you some pocket-change.
It isn't well for even a slave to be
broke
The slaves face frightened with
hope. 'You couldn't make it as much
as five dollars, could your"
mo. thirty cents"
Shottle took the money and sat
dropping. Drace gave him a cigar. and
they smoked for a time in silence. AT
last Shottle looked toward brace, his
face guiltless Of the whimsical humor
that had htthart@ possessed II.
Master" ne said. II don't want 10
be lnqulsitive. and II I'm prying into
what's none of my business. I won't
mind your saying SO. But | want TO
be a faithful slave. and I can serve
you best IL I know what-whnt are my
purposes in life. For exam.
pie. was there any special reason for
your learning 10 throw and tie that
wayf Is there anybody in particular
/ could help you to put the rope ont"
Drace made no answer for a mo-
ment. but bent a searching eye upon
his new servltor. Somehow the mans
soul seemed to shine transparent In
his face.
Liberty" he said. did you ever
of a man named Stepho Ia vittef
Liberty nodded. Yes. I've heard of
him they say he's an outlaw. a SNUG
and worse" said Drace. Hes the
nan who-Liberty. give me your
word. your oath. that you'll keep this
/ sacred secret !"
Liberty gave his word and his oath
With n certain quaint dignity, and
BRACE went on
Liberty. before the war my father,
Alfred Drace. was manager Of n limo
u steamboats, on the Ohio. In his enr
10y was the creole Stepho In yltte.
1fter n time II came to my fathers
knowledge that Stepho was not only
dishonest in ordinary dealings but had
cen guilty OF piracy along the Gulf
cast. And so my father dismissed
from n position which the Gre
les dishonesty had made lucrative {
nd valuable TO him. {
Just after that" Drace went on,
the war broke out. La Vitte became
guerrilla-one OF the men Of Guam I
ellis stamp. who kept out OF the army 1
Ut who gathered in bands and lived
: rapine along the border. I WINS only
little boy. Liberty. when La yftte's G
and Of guerrillas crossed the Ohio
EAR Cincinnati and raided the little
where we lived. But the horror n
that night still burns like q flame II
my brain. Liberty" s
Drace stopped. drew from a breast G
a card and handed II to Shot N
2. On II was written In bold black n,
Iarncters '.Stepho la Yitte, with the n
of Alfred Braces son 81
.rgil." h,
Shottle read the card, her looked b.
quiringy at Drace: tr
Liberty" the young man explained,
hose guerrillas under In vifte
our little town and killed near OF
every grown man in IL. For word VI
IS brought OF their coming. and the vi
sn-nearly all Of them married men be
oid-who had not gone 10 the war IN
Ized weapons and went out to de 40
I'd their houses. ial
They were massacred almost to n II
IN. And It was not plumber va
me that led them to choose our III. pl;
town for outrage, Liberty, but q nc
for revenge. For next morn.
my father was found hanging ~
rec. And on his breast was pinned VII
ard that read alfred Drace. with th'
compliments Of Stepho la yitte." no
liberty looked again atNhe card he 81
d In his hand. then handed II back ses
Drace. II reckon l understand now. art
he said. "You are huntin' ma