The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1931-08-07
CHAPTER IX-Continued

-13-
81 but here in this land, Sabra,
my girl, the women, they've been the
real hewers Of wood and drawers of
water. You'll want to remember that"
Sabra remembered 1t now, well
enough.
Slowly the crowd began to dispense.
The men had their business; the wom-
en- their homework. Wives linked
their arms through those of husbands,
and the gesture was one of perhaps
not entirely unconscious cruelty, ac-
companied as it was by darting
glance at Sabra.
Rough Rider uniform, sack of gold,
golden voice, and melting eye" that
glance seemed to say. You're well
come to all the happiness you can get
from those. Security, permanence,
home, husband-I wouldn't change
places with you"
"Come on, Yanceyr' shouted Strap
Buckner. "Over to the Sunny South
west and have a drink. We got a
terrible lot of drinking to do, amt
we, boys? Come on, you old longhorn.
We got to drink to you because you're
back and because you're going away
sand to the WARP yelled Bixler.
''And the Rough Riders"
Sand Alaska !"
Their boots clattered across the
board floor of the newspaper Office.
They swept the towering figure in it's
khaki uniform with them. He turned,
waved his hat at her. Back in min
ute, honey" They were gone.
Sabra turned to the children. Gin
and Donna, flushed, both, with the I'M
wonted excitement; out of hand. Her
face set itself with that look of quiet
resolve. "Half the mornings gone
But want you to go along to school,
anyway. Now, none Of that! It's no
use your staying around here. The
paper must be got out. Jesse'll be no
good to me the rest Of the day. It's
easy to see that. I'll write a note to
your teachers. Run along now
1 must 60 to court"
She pinned on her hat, saw that her
handbag contained pencil and paper,
hurried into the back room that was
printing shop. composing room, press
room combined. She had been right
about Jesse Hickey. That consistently
irresponsible one was even now lean
ing familiar elbow on the polished
surface of the Sunny Southwest bar
as he helped toast the returned wan
derer or the departing hero or the war
In the semi-tropics, or the SHOWS Of
Alaska "--0r God knows what!" con-
cluded Sabra. in her mind.
Cliff Means, the ink-smeared print
er's devil who, at fifteen, served as
Jesse Rickey's sole assistant in the
mechanical end of the Wigwam Office,
looked up from his case rack as Sabra
entered. :.
Its all right. Mis- Cravat. I got
the head all set up like you said
@Vice Gets Death Blow. Reign Of
Scarlet Woman Ends. Judge Issues
Ban Even If Jesse don't-even If he
ain't-why. you and me can set up
the story this afternoon so we can
start the press goin' for Thursday.
We amt been late with the paper yet.
have WEI"
''Out on time every Thursday for
five years. Sabra said, almost de-
family.
Suddenly, sharp and clear, Yancey's
voice calling her from the office porch,
from the front office, from the print
shop doorway; urgent, perturbed.
"Sabra! Sabral Sabra!"
He strobe into the back shop. She
faced him. Instinctively she knew.
whats this about Dixie Lee?" His
news-trained eye leaped to the form.
He read the set-up head, upside down,
expertly. "When's this case come up?"
''Now."
''Who's defending herr"
Nobody in town would touch the
case. They say she got lawyer
from Denver. He didn't show up. He
knew better than to take her money"
"Prosecuting?"
Pat Leary."
Without word he turned. She
caught him at the door. gripped his
arm. where are you going?"
Court"
'What for? What fort" But she
knew. She actually interposed her
body between him and the street door
then, as though physically to prevent
him from going. Her face was white.
Her eyes stared. enormous.
sYou can't take the case Of tina.
woman"