Show THE clintion FlIN TION CORNER THE RIFLE dy by DANIEL F LINDSAY i ONLY SO 30 11 the clerk smiled down at jud as he handed him the tha rifle ab 1110 jud jod hesitated hesitate 4 for a no ment OB as his hi trembling fingers angers ran along the dull barrel 1 I got that much sorry son eon ile he took it back juds jud wistful oyes eyes followed him in as n he tat sat win the rack and hurried down the tha counter thirty dollars dollar sl I 1 he had a sick feeling no as he i stumbled out of the store why hod hed never even had hi his handi shands on that much money As aa he walked down the street he ha swung tho the bag of 01 salt from hand to hand it if a rifle cost that much think how s yf much that house must have i cost 0 enough to buy all the rifles in the wor world ll reaching the edge of town he started up tho the twisted mountain rood road unconsciously his bare calloused feet avoided the blistering hot rocks any other day ho he would have walked close to the jagged cut formed by theroan the road today he care about the cool shade ills his mind was still back at the little tore store maybe his pa would get it anyway the thought made him hall half run As an he rounded the curve he could see his mother waiting for or him in tho the doorway you sure bure made a quick trip jud what you so excited about 1 I got to talk to pa lie ile handed bonded her the bag of salt call and went inside for a drink of water she followed him with amused eyes what about son jia Ile hung tho the cup backon its hook a end nd shook his head bead man talk mom oh I 1 see eee she ducked her head bead well hes hea but in the upper posture pasture ile he rushed outside again pa he shouted as ho be reached the dge of the tree ringed sold field 1 its down at the store i down donnat ai the store son con hla eyck were affectionate as he watched jud gallop toward him blin tha end odthe of the world done dona up jn hi bink ribbons f k N no 0 P pa nil ills young face was 1 serious ns as he slid to a stop my rifle tho the on one awant I 1 want 11 4 ah oh ta pa looked away uncomfortably fort ably yov you sure gure its the one you ou want how he had dreaded this day AU all winter long they had tallied of guns particularly tho the one ona jud would get some day ench each time they went to the store jud would wild rush eagerly over to ta the shiny oita BUH case caie but the they y never suited him gradually it had reached the maybe domed co meday ay tinge stage pa had been glad sure pa ila I 1 went down for a bag of salt and there it was ills eyes were shining you ought ought to see ce it how much did cud they say it was wa S A bont self Ven mentally he braced him well his big foce face fell a trifle it was waa 30 11 f 1 I 1 see pa took his hand we well 11 have to talk about it later right now I 1 want you to help me 1 mend some conces 91 slowly the afternoon passed for jud every minute seemed a year lie ile watched tits his fathers set face out of the corner of his eye by the time they started back down the tha path toward the house his heart was heavy whenever pa noted acted like this it meant they have the tha money silently he ate ids his sup per and went to bed it was several hours before he ha tell fell ns asleep loep lie he listened closely to the rise and fall of his fathers voice straining to make out the muffled words it was useless the walls of the old log cabin built for or eavesdropping after a 11 while he heard tho the sounds of their going to bed end and the ho house was silent lie he lay there starl staring ng miserably sox ct at tho the colling cel ling his mind filled ailed with the deep aching and despair that goes coes with wanting the unattainable tai finally his tired little brain could stand no more and he fell into a restless sleep tho rho early car ay morning sunlight streaming dreaming across his face woke him lie he started to jump up then ahen remembered tho the rifle and sank back tho the sounds of hungry animals edged around lils his consciousness ile ho could hear pete fete blackly blackie and joe his lame sheep bleating for or h him im at least he be shrugged rugged eh his shoulders ive got them s son on his mother camelin came in from the mo kitchen As soon as youre Su sure rePa pa I 1 went down for a eyes cyca were shining you ought to dressed your pa wants to talk to you all ali right ile he hurried into hla his P pants ants and shirt at least he would know for sure ills father smiled as 09 he ha entered Goodan good morning orning jiin morning pa ills eyes searched fits fathers face for a sign your mom and I 1 tallied talked about the rifle last night son jud just stood there and we dont think we can spare 0 money right now okay pa his faco face tell fell 30 Is a lot of money but hla his father continued we did think of a way you could get th the ring rifle it you wanted it bad enough ohi oh I 1 do pa his face was waa one broad smile 1 I want it atmore more than anything I 1 in the world enough to sell cell your sheep outside jud sat down at the table dw swallowing allowing the lump in his throat ills mother filled his plate with pancakes lie he even know they were there through the screen door he could hear his sheep being loaded into the battered old truck A rifle wag as better anyway when hit his father tooted the horn ho he got up solemn faced ani and kissed his mother AU all the way to town lie he kepthik kept kep this hla yes eyes away from the back of the truck just as they came to the tha slaughter aughter tl house he could stand it ro po longer pa he burst out they wont hurt long will they no son eon his fathers eyes shone kindly never know what happened all right ile he stared out of tho the window while hla his father sold them when the man took them away ho he swallowed hard then shook hla his head ills ilia father handed him the money and jhc thc they y drove off wantee Want fine me to come in too son pa smiled as they came to the tha store jud shook his head and hurried up the rickety steps halt half a minute later he came back out wearing a proud smile say jud that I 1 a some iron ills his vo 4 ra V ol 01 n ay iy 7 1 F c JUD jand UD pushed open the screen door and walked outside without answering ills mother and father exchanged glances and went on with their breakfast once away from the house jul jud hurried to tha little pen the sheep hobbled over to his side ile he slipped clipped one ona arm around petes neck tin and his mind went back to tho the day he ha had crawled down into the ravine in search of him ile he stood were there a long time while it a chain of memories pasted passed over him finally he wiped a tear on his shirt sleeve and went back inside the house 9 1 I want the rifle ra pa lie ho held field his sturdy little body stiff all right sonT Bo nUe tr up to you ills hl father gotto got to his feeland fee feets tand and went bag of salt halt and there it was ills his see ece it I 1 father put the box of shells on tho the seat between them why its even battern bet tern mine it sure Is a beamut pa he held it upright between his lessall legs leg sall all the way home t all afternoon they could hear the crack of the new now rifle echoing down tho the range then toward evening there was a long period perlo dof of silence when they called him for supper he ha pushed open the ahe screen door and shuffled inside his sigh was heavy pa looked up with an understanding der standing smile t regret egret 11 your bargain son eon no he be shook his head but I 1 miss my lame lama luns uns 1 I know son eon growing up Is tough yes pa he ran hl his fingers along the ae dun dull barrel he ha tried hard not to think about pete blockle and joe |