Woman's World

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 267, 9 April 1914, Page 6

Woman's World

THE STORYTELLER J\' A LITTLE PATCH OF MOONLIGHT, i Fentress, llic engineer, finished his | talc and lighted a. cigarette. Betty did I , not lanirfi with the others who sat on I.', the piazza of the manager's house overlooking the milieu in the valley below. Instead, she stopped in her task of mixing juleps for the engineer, the super, anil the secretary, who came up to sit and chat in the summer evenings and ( looked soberly out of the vine-covered trellis in the garden. Across the pit- ' mouth hollow, on the first ridge, the moonlight made white dots of the cabins of the mining earn]) in the Cahaba hills of Alabama. Listening expectantly for the gallop of a horse on the road, the girl heard only the whipoorwill's note in the black gums. The story had concerned Stuart. Dandridge, a man much younger than the other men in the camp, and the only one .of the circle who was absent. Betty, without undue vanity, suspected Fentress,* the worldly wise of being jealous. She turned spoke with decision: "It was fine of him," she said, "and it's mean of you to laugh." "Fine, if you please," retorted Fentress; "it was not' the less funny. Grown-up men don't behave in that way. You think he's a man because hp's a good six-foot and pays yon compliments. But he's just a boy. He's not a man among men, though he may seem to be one anfong women." Betty gave an indignant sniff and deigned no reply, and talk- of the group on the piazza strayed of to other topics. The vonng woman payed scant attention The breeze was stirring the hydrangeas and hollyhocks and the morning-glory vines on the porch trellis, and she saj; half-turnc(J, toward the garden, leaning forward with her chin in her hand. Even the tip of her nose was perversely concealed from Fentress. She had an idea : that he was looking at her, and slie did did- not want him to see. _ He had no excuse for telling that stupid story. It had all happened years before, afiyway. when "Dandridge was fresh from the university in Virginia, and had come to Bannister to be rodman on) the engineer corps. He was much older now, and in his education Betty thought she had plaved some small part. ' When 'she gave her attention once more to the running fire of conversa- ' tion, Fentress was telling another story of Mil! mines, a fight between negro and Italiirti workers. ' Then she heard the gal Top of horse's hoofs, a familiar, gay j whistle sounded from the hill-side below the garden *vall, and presently the gatelatch clicked as Dandridge's smiling, face appeared over the hydrangea bushes. She nodded brightly at him. '•T was hoping you would come up." j she said as he settled himself on the steps at her feet. "I want to ask you a serious question, so put on your thinking «ty." i . •tferious?" asked the young man, Is it about-you?" "HUj not a bit about me." •''Then I can't get interested." *"T don't believe you like our julep," said Hetty, severely. "It's this: What do you mean when you say one is a man among women and / not' among men!" , ' There was an awkward silence. Betty saw, Fentress start slightly and was pleased. The young man on the steps seemed to, ponder the question carefully. . Then lie replied, smiling:' "I don't say it. There ain't no sich animal. And if there was he couldn't fool the kind of girl I'm thinking of. She'd see right through him." Having said so much he dropped his 'voice to a confidential key, and went on: "Xow if a girl named Betty, who lived on a hill in an Alabama coal camp and had brown eyes and mixed the best juleps in the Cahabas would only ?' Betty leaned down and carefully put a bite' of cake in his moutli to stop ; him. Then she began to chatter about ; some new saddle horses, and kept it going till the men said good night , and galloped off down the hill road to camp. From the hollow below, when the hoof beats died away, Betty heard the thumping of a banjo and the shouts of the dancers in the negro quarters. After.a ■ while there was a pistol shot and confused cries. Shootings were rather frequent in (lie camp, and Betty went to sleep, little concerned about the pistol shot, but still thinking about Dandridge and Fentress' story. Xext day she invited Dandridge to ride with her, over to the next mining camp. As they jogged along through the pines and along the creek road she kept I returning to her "serious" question. Dandridge would not be drawn. "Last night," he said, "you stopped my mouth with cake when I began to ask you a serious question. It was angel cake. To-day I shall block vour game with airv trifles of honied words. In short, I'll pay you a shameless compli- . mint every time you ask me a serious I question." , ' Fighting it out on that line took all the way going and most of the way com-

ing back. But, as they drew near home, . iiu young mini riding at Ike young \vo- | .nan's side showed .symptoms 01' return.ig Seriousness. it had grown ilii.sk and ' .vas turning moonlight. "After all, .you'd better let me ask my serious question." he said. "You've 110 ake now to stop my mouth with, you 'enow—and it's got to he asked sooner or later."

"Xot till mine's answ-:rcd properly," said tin- girl. "'Afterwards—perhaps. 'Will you now?" ■ "Say it over again, carefully." "Xo, I'll put it another way. What do those other men mean when they km.!' <;on are just a hoy."

"Oh, that's it. Well, mavbe tli">* ] think —or maybe Fcntre-; thinks —that | if there was a row or anything-just be- | cause I've never been shot at—i might J bnlt or something. 1 might, but 1 hope I wouldn't. Or maybe Fentress jus! doesn't like my ways. Then T fancy I've caught him hinting snmifMmys that I was a carpel-knight sort— but that's just plain jealousy —because he's not enou'jh • of a bov lo have his mouth stopped willi anjrel cake by the loveliest, rosiest " "That will do, sir." said Betty, with severity. "My turn next." retorted Dandridie. But ii wasn't—quite. They had reached the fork of the road, and the camp's white-washed cabins lay silent belnw ill the light of the risinu inooji. "The compressor's stooped." cried Hetty. "Look over there bv the tipple, see! There's a crowd of men." Dandridw leaned forward and saw a rjnnrter-mile across the hollow by the tipple, a black mass, and (lames of minors' lamps, fifty or more, close together. Then a long, deep blast, from the whistle, used only in case of fire or accident, roared across,the valley, and after it was heard the baying of hounds." "Let's hurry." urged Bcttv. and tliey swung at a gallop around the road on the ridge "to the house on the hill. As they reined up at the gate a negro woman 1 ran out crying. 'To' Gawd, Miss Betty, d.cy' goin' to

ikjll Sam! Bey' goin' to kill my Sam. Somebody done kill de sto'keeper's ivit'e dis mawn'in', an' dey say's it's Sam. But San,i ain't done it, Miss Betty, no ma'am! Gawd's trufe, he ain't. De sto'keeper's wife, she done been kilt while he's at de spring gettin' water." "Where's Sam. LindyV Have tliey caught him?" '■No, ma'am. But dey's come lieah an' got dim to wluip him an' make him i tell. Sam run down to de'office to de company men. Dey ain't got him vit." And the woman collapsed and rolled on the ground in an agony of fnar. Betty turned to Dandridge.

'"Stuart, save him. Sam was lir>rt> all morning. I saw him. lie couldn't have done it."

Dandridge leaped from his horse and threw the bridle rein over a fence-post. Betty had already slipped to the ground. "You go into the house," he said, and plunged down the short-cut hill path to the office. It was a quarter mile through the shadows of the pines, and as he ran he could sen the lights from the miners' lamps across the tipple, moving up the hollow, and lie hoard the dot's coming nearer. He dashed across the porch and into the room. From under

the- drafting table he saw two black, bare feet protruding and a voice moaned. "Gawd's mercy, mister, doan't shoot nie. I aiji't done nutin'." 1 "Its Mr ( Dandridge, you fool. ' Xobodys going to shoot you. Lie still, ainl shut up. Who's left that door open?" "Mr. .Fentress, he done it. suh. He •go way up do hill, when he heard 'em coming, but I ain't done nuthiii', Mr. Dandridge, fo' Gawd's sub, 1 ain't." The negro's voice sank to a more animal whine of terror. Dandridge reached for the pistols hanging in the holsters by the timekeeper's window, shut and shot the bolt. The other door opened out on to a flight of steps facing the .hollow. The windows were barred for protection on pay day. Looking out. he saw that the men.

the' three in the lead, holding the dogs by the. leashes, were not fifty yarils away down the creek bed. Behind were a hundred more. When tliev were a stone's throw away. Dandridge opened the door, stood on the steps and pulled the door shut again, lie heard the

click of the spring lock back (if him. The dogs leaped at their leashes and howled. The three leaders stopped, and the crowd joined them. The men were masked. Dandridge held a pistol in "ai'li hand, lie heard gruff voices, and heavy boots in action. The dog's howls

changed to whines. "Give us the' nigger!" shouted a voice. There wcr±> growls of "Shut lip." and curses, and the crowd moved nearer out 'of the shadow of the pines. Another full two minutes of silence while Dand-

ridge stood, motionless on the steps. The wind soughed ill the pine trers. and the drifting clouds cast shadows oil the bare moonlit space in front of the office where-the menacing group was authored. One of the first spoke: "There's a nigL'cr in there, brother." he said in a gentle drawl, "lie's done

committed a crime and kilt a woman, and lie's got to die. I'll come in and git him." v

"This is company's property," said T).mdridi;e. "Who an- von?" As tic sjiokn ho swiiii" both pistol#- into sight. Iho front of the group surged forward. a dog was loosed, and sprang towards Dandridpe. A sharp report. nn«l the heast dropped. A smoking- pi«to! waved the crowd hack even before it started. From inside the office came a moan. "That's him! That's him!" cried a score of tongues. The knot of men moved nearer, and Dandridge cocked both pistols and held them co'vered. The click, click sounded a halt as cflVctiv;-Jv as a trumpet call. "There's only one inVsor in the nlTicr,'

Tnswered J):ui.lri<]n';. j n tone. "He's Ifr. Vernon's Sam. a.iW lie's done nothing. J know he'> done nothing. TTe vjas.at Sir. Vernon's lioiiso al! niornine." T.i Yens (lie lilac!; scoundrel. yon—" howled ;t drunken follower from the rear, wiili a vile epithet to finish oIT with, ami (he crack of 1 ni-dol ran" out The bullet zipped through the '"trees. Hide was a scuffle and curses, and the rioter was downed. WSndndKe did not H.'nee Then a figure separated itself troll) the group and walked to the side ••'"it to tro around the Wilding. T>nd-'"'l.cre-s arm went, up and the barrel of th" nisiol marked the stnurgler, _ Don t lie said, and the man rejoined the crowd. The leaders whispered toget lier. One of them stepped forward. "That's (he nigger that killed the s(u'- |; i'i !>!•)• s Wife," aid. -'\v„ don'i, aim " :ll 'n'! lie li'iUM- down to kill liiai'. Vou ,-,'ive lis Ihe kev to the office." Dandridge interrupted liim. •\iiy man m (lie crowd that jjoes anv Wi }.V gets shot." lie >aid. "J-his office is company property. ;Ul|l I ve lint the only kev.. 'if inn .ret in. vou 11 have to break in. and the man wiio tries (hat, frets shot. I'm i" slay here all iii-ht. Yo„ h;,d tfttc'r go home."

The men looked steadily at (lie single hfiurc in the moonlight. A half-dozen shouted angry curses, and the leaders once more talked earnestly together Damlridge heard an order to the men to scatter hack into the woods, moke a detour. and riddle the wooden walls of the | oiIICC from the shelter of the trees. A ! step on the ground, ami the'men t„. " r ne<i

gun-, i-nix-d, to set Band ridge walking to wards* them.

"Slop!" cried one, hoarsely. "By God, Wf'll noL slaud for this r'oolisli ness!"

Dandridge walked on. Ten feet Ironi the crowd he mounted a stump. l''roni there he could, see over the heads of the group. "[ reckon, Done of you hstd better go ground the li<*u'se," he said, quietly. ' I'll shoot the first man who leaves the crowd."

Half a hundred guns were pointed at Dandridge. The barrels glinted m 'he moonlight against the black masks and lulls. Tho miners' lamps had all been snuffed. A Voice spoke frcjin the rear.

''We'll' Oount three, bovs. At three , if lie ain't ready to give up. lie's a dead man." "One!" A rattle ofj clicks. Damlridge half smiled. „ i "Two!" > " • ' Tt was deadly still! Dandladge did not even move. . Then a clatter of hoofs on the hillside road, and a horseman rode , into the space. ITe was eovqred instantly- by a score of weapons. But lie wa's masked I and the guns were lowered. The leaders (advanced ainl held a parley, and then one shouted: "The sto'koepcr's run away. boys.. He done it himself. His "trial ; liyvs to'a'ds the ttutlcdge crossing." The horseman dug his spurs in and dashed down the. creek bed. Without so much as a glance back at the figure on i the stump, the men followed. Another ' pistol shot, and more howling of dogs, and again the mournful whistle sounding across the valley. Dandj-idge heard the crowd making its wav through the pine woods down the creek road to the crossing,. and finally all was still, except that ur> on the hillside a screech-owl hooted. The young man walked to the steps and sat down, scarcel- understanding that it •was all over. He had expected something* to happen, and now it was donewith and nothin? had happened. Rising, he thrust the pistols in his pockets. The' , lock turned and the door behind him ! opened. A lisht band rented on h's arm. TTe saw a snsion ill 'lie white and I.ettvV fac in the moonlisrht looked bis. "How did yon .come here in Heaven's nai»c?" he whispered.

"I followed you. When T found you'd bolted the door. T called Sam verv Softly and .made him let me in. ITe almost died of fri«ht but. lie did it." "But whr ?"

"I iust had to come. Hadn't T sent von down here to hj" shot at? T've bee" nooning at the vmdow and I've heard evem- ivon' And if-v«n don't ask f[nf question of yours ri"ht nl'll "n----swer it b-fo"- it's nskod. T'll not sto'v von month with cake, either—not even i an "el cake." • T ust, tb<>'i a disernn 1 - let of e'nud bitted out Hi" moon.—v. Vui'kettß in Xew York "Evening Post."