It was court day at the county-seat. A Honeycutt had shot down a Hawn
in the open street, had escaped, and a Hawn posse was after him. The
incident was really a far effect of the recent news that Jason Hawn was
soon coming back home--and coming back to live. Straightway the
professional sneaks and scandal-mongers of both factions got busy to
such purpose that the Honeycutts were ready to believe that the sole
purpose of Jason's return was to revive the feud and incidentally
square a personal account with little Aaron. Old Jason Hawn had started
home that afternoon almost apoplectic with rage, for word had been
brought him that little Aaron had openly said that it was high time
that Jason Hawn came home to look after his cousin and Gray Pendleton
went home to take care of his. It was a double insult, and to the old
man's mind subtly charged with a low meaning. Old as he was, he had
tried to find little Aaron, but the boy had left town.
Gray and Mavis were seated on the old man's porch when he came in sight
of his house, for it was Saturday, and Mavis started the moment she saw
her grandfather's face, and rose to meet him.
"What's the matter, grandpap?" The old man waved her back. "Git back
inter the house," he commanded shortly. "No--stay whar you air. When do
you two aim to git married?" Had a bolt of lightning flashed through
the narrow sunlit space between him and them, the pair could not have
been more startled, blinded. Mavis flushed angrily, paled, and wheeled
into the house. Gray rose in physical response to the physical threat
in the old man's tone and fearlessly met the eyes that were glaring at
him.
"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Hawn," he said respectfully. "I--"
"The hell you don't," broke in the old man furiously. "I'll give ye jes
two minutes to hit the road and git a license. I'll give ye an hour an'
a half to git back. An' if you don't come back I'll make Jason foller
you to the mouth o' the pit o' hell an' bring ye back alive or dead."
Again the boy tried to speak, but the old man would not listen.
"Git!" he cried, and, as the boy still made no move, old Jason hurried
on trembling legs into the house. Gray heard him cursing and searching
inside, and at the corner of the house appeared Mavis with both of the
old man's pistols and his Winchester.
"Go on, Gray," she said, and her face was still red with shame. "You'll
only make him worse, an' he'll kill you sure."