The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-09-24

over Hack Breathitt's face.
winds governing Charley had blown
him at last out of life.
Living or dead, the essential things
of man seemed to remain on his
face. It was SO with Hack. The
disbelieving, cheerful insolence was
still present. Born restless and full
of scornful courage, he had carried
these qualities with him; wherever
he was now, Morgan thought, he'd
be showing hell or heaven the same
half-gay and half-ironic expression.
Maybe, Morgan added, it was the
best way out. For during these lat
ter days he had seen faint disillu-
sionment in Hack, as though the
youthful freshness and the strong
appetites were wearing thin. Well,
it was a new trail for Hack now; he
could travel it with the same gusty
pleasure that once had been his.
Morgan replaced the hat and re-
turned the lamp to the other room.
On the street he felt the brush of
air on his cheek, and stood a mo-
ment in thought. These men had
been close to him. Their passing
left an empty place, reminding him
that his wish to keep his youth alive
was futile wish. Suddenly, this
part of the past was gone, leaving
him high and dry, and presently
other parts would go. 1t was mis-
take to look behind, to try to hang
on to what was over and done with.
For him it was strange thought
and a powerful one; it pulled at his
very roots and made him feel in
secure.
He turned toward his horse. Jesse
Rusey came from the shadows near
the hotel. He said, Zone Moment,
Clay :" But at the same time,
looking across the street, Morgan
found Ann McGarrah on the stores
porch. Her eyes were on him and,
silent as she was, he felt the pull of
her will or of her wish, and so he
walked toward her.
Rusey held his position by the ho-
tel, watching Morgan and Ann Nc
Garrah go into the store and close
the door behind them. A light came
through the window, reflected from
the back room of the store; in mo-
ment another door closed and this
light died. Rusey rubbed a hand
across his chin. Distant in him was
a faint envy at Clay Morgan's op-
portunities, and worldly mans
curiosity. For Rusey's philosophy
was a gray philosophy, wrung out
of his cool, perpetual watchfulness.
All people had wants. Some wants
were little and some were big ;Nsome
came cheap and some came high
but to all people sooner or later
came time when they placed their
pride and all that they believed in
against the one thing they most
wanted and made their decision.
Usually they sold out. For in the
world Jesse Rusey so closely
watched, wants always came first.
He knew what Ann McGarrah want
ed. He knew her pride and her
scorn of the ordinary follies and ap-
petites. Now he stood, rubbing his
chin, family amused that all these
qualities had bought her nothing,
and knowing she realized it; know
ing too she was close to her own
decision. He had his curiosity and
shrugged his shoulders and turned
up the street. But he stopped again,
still in the shadows.
At that moment Herendeen en-
tered town with the Ryder brothers.
Parr Gentry came from the stable
and for little while there was talk
between these men. Later, Heren-
deem went up the hill to Doc Pad
denis house. A few minutes after
wards he returned to the group,
shaking his head. Parr Gentry point
ed down the street and all of them
turned to stare at Clay Morgan's
horse still standing by the hotel.
Ann McGarrah followed Morgan
into the stores living room. She
came about and paused in front of
him, quick to see the rough usage
he had been through. Always, in
action or in trouble, his eyes had a
smoky coloring and this was pres
ent now.
"Sit down, Clay. If you're hum
cry, if you want anything"
mo, not right now. I've got to
get back to the ranch. I sent Pad
den ahead. Lige Whites been shot.
We had a brush with Ben in Govern
ment Valley"
What"
I'VE drove him back. But moth
ing's settled