Show THE MEAN FICTION ION SEE WHAT I CORNER B By y R Richard IC h ar d H H. H Wilkinson I Inson E EXCEPT FOR the fact that Allen Bursley was a coward Maybelie's Maybelle's Maybelle's May- May belles belle's happiness was complete Being Being Be De- ing a even though the once vast properties of her forefathers forefathers forefathers fore fore- fathers had shriveled to a mere 20 acre farm on onS the outskirts of S Minute Stockbridge she tJ Fiction could not abide cowards Worst of all Allen Bursley didn't seem to think that being branded a coward was wasat wasat wasat at all important Why he asked should I 1 want to fight Steve Legge Ive I've nothing against him hirm Hes He's done nothing to offend me Why she stormed You ask rue rne why Isn't it enough to be told hes he's saying such dreadful things about you But suppose the stories arent aren't true And what if they are Allen Bursley Maybelle said tensely you listen to me When you came up here and bought the Thompson place and tried to make a go of farming everyone laughed But Dut you you fooled em You made the place pay by dint of hard work and then you made me fall faU in love with you and and I was tremendously tremendously tremendously tre tre- tre- tre happy and wanted to get married only only only- Only said Allen ADen everyone every one figured you yon were Steve Leg go's girl and when we became be became became be be- came engaged Steve began to threaten And now you ou wont won't marry me till Ive I've licked him I 1 wouldn't marry a coward said Maybelle scornfully The word spread like wildfire Maybelle had broken off oU her engagement with Allen Bursley Bursley Burs Burs- ley Icy because Allen had admitted 1 Allen withheld the tho apology that rose to his lips Ups being afraid of Steve Legge Steve became more swaggering He yearned for some excuse to bully the city man THE OPPORTUNITY came a 5 fortnight later in front of the village postoffice It was evening and more than half of the towns town's population was gathered there Allen Allen Allen Al Al- len Bursley came out onto the porch his attention concentrated on a letter in his hand He lIe did not see the foot of Steve Legge and fell feU over it saving himself himself himself him him- self by grasping a post Look where youre you're going you yon OU clumsy Idiot Kicking a man Inthe in inthe inthe the leg Allen withheld the apology that rose to his lips Ups and said instead Keep your our legs legs' under you if you dont don't want them kicked Say Who do you think youre you're talking to you up shriveled city sissy Allen hesitated carefully folded his letter letter- and ana tucked it into his pocket Legge he said I X dont don't want to quarrel with you you you- Steve let out a roar of con temp i laughter Afraid eh eb eM Well I we dont don't abide cowards cowards- But Dut finished Allen quietly Since you Insist let me advise you you ou brought it on yourself ourse Steve lunged and something struck him like a sledge-hammer sledge and set him back on his heels He lIe struck out blindly nying his blows with foul curses only to have the curses jammed between his teeth with the same sledge hammer Above him Allen heard beard a feminine cry from behind be be- hind and turned to see lee May 1 belle running toward him He lie heLl heU out his arms ame but bat she ahe stopped hand over ver mouth try try- ing In to get out oat the cry of 01 warn lag Ing and falling failing The club dub held In the hand band of 01 Steve Legge Lene descended crushingly on the ba back k of 01 Allen Allen's head bead When Allen opened his eyes his head was wal pillowed in the lap of Df Maybelle She was looking up at someone and talking Allen AUen licked him the she was saying laying lies Hei much stronger than he looks looks- I Allens Allen's eyes eye twinkled No Im I'm not he ha said unexpectedly it It wasn't because Im I'm strong strone u it was knowledge knowledge knowing knowing how to bandie bandie ban ban- die myself like knowing how to farm tarm arrn That's That the trouble with you folks folk a vp p here You dont don't know how to do things thine See what I J mean AU All J I ask Is U that you ta teach b me how bow make to you ou a good wit wife for ever and ever |