The Washington herald., 1906-12-28

! newcomer was a revenue spy, working
with the promise Of great reward He
had rehearsed his part for months before
playing it. He had counted on everything
/ but meeting Tilda. There had been ad-
| miratioR from the first, and love had soon
followed. Within two weeks there had
sprung up in his breast a conflict 'twixt
| love and duty. and IL was for this reason
/ he fingered. He was not what he claimed
to be, and yet he was the girls superior
in all ways Il was her righteousness
and innocence that appealed 10 him. He
had come TO betray, and yet he could not
DO it, He loved and yet he hesitated to
go further. More education and refine
ment-mOre contact with the world-and
she would be a woman TO be proud Of
and yet there was her ancestry--the i'm
possible in the environments that had
surrounded her for so many years and
must have their due effects
When a man trusts woman he has
limits. When a woman trusts q man she
has none. She is ready to give her whole
life TO him. Arthur GTiggs knew that he
had won the maIdens love, and il was
for him to make a choice. Should he re-
turn and betray the stills hidden away In
Laurel Cove, and then disappear and be
seen no more. or should ne report that
none existed and take away a mountain
bride and the good viii Of the lowly peo-
pie? Love carried the day. II was 10
the credit Of human sentiment that il
was so. But before this determination
was reached the young man walked alone
on the mountains. No one followed him
this day. 1t was Sunday, and the noun
taineers were smoking their pipes as they
rested. Their suspicious had been lulled.
They had kept their eyes open and wills
pered among Observation-Disclosures and
smiled. On this day, as he walked under
the giant chestnuts and made his way
through the laurels, young Griggs came
upon a man. The revenue force had
grown impatient with his dilatory tactics
and had sent an emissary 10 see and
question him. The two talked for half an
hour as they leaned against the trunk Of
a great tree at the edge OF thicket
When they separated the revenue man
knew that nothing further could be ex-
pected from the spy. He had shut his
eyes to all but the song of love. 1t had
been useless TO talk to him of duty. He
had come as spy, but had sold the gov
eminent out.
q
few rods and sat down on a rock from
which he could see far down the side
Of the grim old mountain He could
count the cabins of the mountaineers
scattered about, and he could look down
into Beaver Cove and Halfway Cove
and Halpin's Hamlet. 1t was a day of
peace, with the smoke ascending straight
as an arrow, and the birds singing and
the squirrels chattering about him. He
felt good. There was a burden off his
mind and joy in his heart, now that he
had made his decision. In the evening
he would see Tilda and tell her that he
loved her. IN the evening he would see
her father and ask for her hand in mar
riage. He was smiling as his eyes roved
over the landscape beneath him. when a
step caused him TO turn his head
'Tiida. you heTe.' he cried as he sprang
to his feet with the light of love in his
eyes and his arms outstretched.
She drew herself up and waved him
away.
But, Tilda. what is it?"
She was pale. and hard lines had come
into her face. The girl-loOk was searched
for in vain. There was suffering in the
eyes, but determination in the compressed
lips.
I was in the thicket when you talked
with that man-dad and T. she said at
last. Dad has gone for his rife to shoot
you like dog 1 am here to tell you
90 60"
But if you heard us talking you know
that l would not agree to what the man
wanted"
You came here as spy. If you hadn't
fallen in love with me you would have be-
trayed my own father. In love with me,
1 in love with a revenue spy! Co..
But listen. Tilda. If l came here IN
der false pTetenses L
we are poor and humble" she in
terrupted as she drew her skirts away
from him eve are plain and uneducated
We have nothing before us-nothing but
this to look forward to. You are learned
and you may be rich. You have the whole
world before you. and you know how 10
be happy. but the meanest lowest one
among our men is king beside youi Col
Co.
He paused for ten seconds in hopes to
see her face soften. but it was like stone
She motioned again and he went. In
five minutes he was out OF sight down
the mountain and rough old Abe Good
man was standing over his weeping
daughter. and saying to her in sympa-
thetic tones.
Thar. thar, little one, don't cry. The
Lawd made women to bar crosses and
TO stand trubble, and if you'll Jest look
up TO Him, He'll bring you into smooth
waters and send along Teller of a hus-
band with forty bosses and kerridges."