West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1899-05-11

the brook as IL IL were but a common
ditch, and gaining the pathway was
soon on the blue from whence she had
looked down at the cabin a quarter of
an hour before. Trembling in every
limb and painting for breath She stop
ped FOR a moment on the blutf and
looked down. EeS-thero was the
stranger whom Liz now knew for a
surety 20 - '>nuc o them burned Dep.
ties, lightning the girth of his saddle
and preparing TO mouat his horss
She could sec. TOO, nor father coming
from the little RAM shacllle stable, lead
ing morse. At this fresh evidence OF
her fathers intontjons, Liz's last hope
departed, and with u forewen glauce
at her old home, the valley aud the
moun tain opposite, she turned like
wild thing aud iarted into tho woods.
Bin Peters, after saying good night
To Liz on the knob. turned his steps
toward his own lonely cabin, nearly
two miles distant from the knob and
In direction exactly opposite from
that OF the Frieze cabin, placing the
two dwellings four and one-half miles
apart. Bill's big heart was sad and
his breast was full of fore boding fears.
Once, when he had gono half mile or
so, he stopped, turned and retraced his
steps for short distance, as ifIo re.
turn TO the knob, then hesitated, ling
cred under n tree for moment and
finally went on toward home. His
little cabin nestled in a deem valley or
gully, same as the Fi.ie2e dwelling.
but the surroundings were quite diff
fereut. Several small patches of
ground, recently robbed of their crops,
and nicely cleaned up, showed that the
owners OF the cabin had taste for
agricultural pursuits. The cabin too
was far better appearing than that OF
the Frieze's. Everything about the
exterior denoted cleanliness and
neatness. Bill had tried hard TO Der
shade Liz To be mistress of his heart
aud his little home, but Liz had long
beeo shy OF Bill and the house he
offered her, giving as her reason tho
nearness OF pap an nam an tn
kids" BIZ could not remember when
he had not loved Liz when they
were both children they had took TO
each other as ducks 10 wntcr," as Bill's
old mother said. Bill's mother had
been a woman OF dedication" so She
averred, before bringing her young
! son 90 the West Virginia mountains,
/ ana a very mysterious parsonage she
was. too. Having nothing whatever
to do with the natives Of the noun
tains, who resided Tar apart It is true,
yet who, nevertheless, found plenty of
time and excuse TO visit. she repealed
all advances OF the neighbors and
would have none OF them Regularly
once a moRth Bill's mother went TO
town" six miles distant, and pur-
| chased all that was necessary for their
| living. Bill meyer asked his mother
any questions about who she was,
where she came from or who was bis
father. Bill was we'll copteDt to roam
the forests, IA good gun on his shoulder.
and to eat the grub" which his moth.
er always had prepared for him. One
! morning Bill came down the ladder
from his attic couch 60 6nJ no well
coming voice and no warm breakf6s ST
| awaiting him. HIS mother lay on her
bed, cold and stiff Ia death. The boys
grief was wild at FIRST, but when the
woman's death became known among
the residents of the noun tains, and
when The cold form had been laid
away in green earth's mother breast" &"
IL was Iiz's small hand hand that had
sought his and Liz's voice that had
whispered bashfully in his ear:
"Doan ye cry, cause Liz likes We. &"
After this event it was inevitable chat
the strong, handsome boy should fail
In with the mon of tho mountains and
it wa8 inevitable that he should even
tually drift into their primo way OF
making an easy living manufac-
ture OF "moonshine' whiskey. OF
course, Bin had been taught enough
by bis mother TO know that the work
he engaged in was all wrong, but he
stifled his natural feelings OF honesty
AID promised himself that when he
was q man nc would take Liz and 20
far from his old home and his cronies
and make "a living Tor them both iu ~
different mauncr. rhs intention OH
tl,c part OF Bili had never Loen der.
initely formed until the death Of the
detective. Barnes, had opened bis eyes
to the real nnnrcf Of lifo he was liv-
ing. and, had ha been man of more
capacity OF thought ho would have
stood mot on The order Of going. but
gone at once" The onward march Of
civilization had rendered bis mode OF
existence very dangerous one. and
iiil was well aware that every mo.
msut be delayed lcafng the hills was
% risk 20 him ahd his liz 1871 thought
over oil this as he wcuded his way to
his cabin. Jut when no pusnod open
the door and entered he hcaved "a sigh
Of rest and contontmcnt that spoke
strongly Of q lingering love ~ hfs boy.
hoods home After preparing and
parts Sing Of "a frugal supper Bul went
To a corner OF the big stone nreplacc