The Bluffton news. [volume] (Bluffton, Ohio) 1875-current, 1942-07-02
CHAPTER vi

Morgan entered War Pass in first
darkness, putting up at Gentry's.
There would be supper for him at
Ann McGarrah's but for some rea-
son that wasn't very clear to him,
he went to the Long Grade saloon,
found Hack Breathitt, and took him
to the hotel for a meal.
When he got to Ann McGarrah's S
he found her kneeling before Janet,
adjusting the pleats of Janet's dress.
Ann McGarrah said: 'I'll get you
a meal, Clay"
NO" he said, 81 didn't want to
bother. / ate at the hotel"
She showed him a quick, family
hurt surprise, but covered it up at
once. 1--WE should be starting for
the school in little while"
''Am taking you to the dancer"
She said: "You hadn't asked"
$50 now I'll ask"
Morgan and Janet passed through
the store and sat on the porch steps,
watching the crowd roll along the
street.
Ann McGarrah presently came
out, dressed in a pearl-white gown I;
it made her eyes darker, it made
her black hair shine by contrast.
Standing before her, marveling at
the change, he reflected that she
was different from the women of
this town.
The gentle flow of the crowd car
ried them up the hill to the school. At
the door Janet left them and Morgan
found two seats near the front of a
newly made platform. Breathitt
stood in the rear of the room, crowd
ed between other townsmen. He
caught Breathitt's eye but Hack only
shook his head, unsmiling and clear
ly ruff1ed by something.
1t went by grades, some singing,
some dancing, some reciting. He
was nervous, not realizing it. When
Janet came forward to the edge of
the stage fine sweat broke across
his forehead and he pushed his legs
against the floor, trying to remem-
ber what the first line of her poem
was. Afterwards she made a quick
curtsy and her voice came over the
room, precise as it always was, and
quite sure. When she was through
he sat still, not looking around at
the other people. Ann said some
thing to him, turning him. She was
smiling with that brightness which
comes so close to tears. He muir
INJURED EYES," and was thinking OF
Lila who would have been happy to
have seen this. This was about all
he heard of the program, for it was
soon over.
Hack Breathitt went directly into
the Long Grade and saw a solid line
at the bar. Nearest him were a
group of Grant Crowfoot riders,
all of them his friends. Billy Nc
Quire said, "Step in here, Hack, "
but Breathitt shook his head and
balanced on his heels, his face cool
and smooth and tough. Herendeen's
men had gathered at the far end of
the bar, and these he watched SOL
emnly. Lizard Connor and Bones Nc
Geen were side-by-side at the bar,
turned from him, but he knew they
had him spotted in the back bar mir
ror. He pushed up his hat and
walked on, making a turn behind
these two. There wasn't any space
between them, but he came against
them and showed them aside.
He stared straight ahead, into the
mirror. Their faces came around
to him, with the reserve he had seen
many times before in moments OF
trouble. He knew what the express
sion meant. The barkeep came down
his way, waiting for his choice; ;
Breathitt said gently: "Not now,
Sam. When I drink, itll be in bet
ter company"
1t was a sound that Travelled
around him. The talk in the saloon
faded little and he saw, still watch
ing the mirror, mems hats and heads
swing. Lizard Connor pulled his
arm aside. Bones McGeen sudden
" grinned over his whisky glass.
In Hacks voice was the fiat mel
ody of a man on edge. Maybe il
was just an accident when you boys
bumped into me down by the hotel.
Maybe. If there's something in your
craw, you don't have to go to that
trouble. ! can hear English, if you
bullheads can talk it. / don't like
my feet stepped on. I'll be out on
that street all evenin'. Try it again. /"
He withdrew from the bar and
stepped to the door with the solid
silence of the crowd following him.
He batted the doors aside with his
shoulders. On the walk, he turned
quickly toward his horse, which was
near Gentry's. He seized his gun
belt from the saddle horn and buck
led it around him and pulled the
bottom of his coat over it. One
hand resting on the horse, he
watched the street, knowing that the
town was no longer safe for him.
None of the Herenoeen bunch
showed up at the Long Grade door,
though he realized they would be
moving his way soon enough. Sher-
iff Nckum came into the light OF
the hotel. People kept crossing to
the Odd Fellows Hall and the music
and the scrape of feet made quite
a racket, and
Suddenly Jesse Rusey slid