Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1908-05-01

rect. lDer6 Calue WuiiiinS n"
twittering shower Of sweet notes, sou
wings beating almost-in their very
faces. distant shadow against the
sky, and~the woodcock was gone.
Quieting the astounded dog, gun
graded in the hollow of his left arm,
ne tur; Vi to the girl beside him. "That
yort o, :hing wins no cups" he said.
TT wins something else, Mr.. 81
,sard-lAy very warm regard for you"
"There is no choice between thatand
the Shotover cup" he admitted, con-
side ing her.
do you mean it?"
! L course DO
Then - .ucn nltM than l
.ioi,~ So. AL after e. II the
.,.. af Il cup is IL life of tnat brave
;;tie ,...d lad Gather shoot clay
ria ora. Now you VII scorn me,
suppose. Begin!'
my ideal woman IN never been
life taker," he sal oily. "Once
when / was boy .lt. was girl,
very lovely, my first 8 eetheart
saw her at the traps OF just after
she had killed her Sc, b pigeon
straight, pulling it down )m over
head, you know, very clev' The lit
tie thing was breathing OIL = grass,
and it made sounds He .lrugged
and walked on. "She killed her TWEEN
ty-irst bird straight. 1t was a hand
some cup too"
And after a silence, $50 you didn't
love her any more, MI. Siward'
mockingly sweet.
They laughed, and at the sound OF
laughter the tall stemmed alders echo-
ed with the rushing roar Of a cock
grouse laundering skyward. Crack!
Crack! Whirling over and over through
cloud Of floating feathers, heavy
weight struck the springy earth There
lay the big notified bird, spler. silky
ruffs spread, dead eyes closing ain
gle tiny crimson bead t 49, iir. Ike q
ruby ON the gaping 'eaG
"DeadT said S:a.'i the dog VINO
had droprei 70 4 Fetch And,
signaling - uehind, he relieved
the dog !. -, burden and tossed the
d.. at of ruff1ed plumase to-
We lin. Then he broke his gun,
:: as the empty shells few rafting
backward slipped In fresh cartridges,
locked the barrels and walked for
ward, the flush of excitement still
staining his sunburned face.
"You deal death mercifully," SAID
the girl in q low voice. Il wonder
what your ci-devant sweetheart would
think of YOU"
"a bungler had better stick to the
traps" he assented. .noring the badl'
mage.
81 am wondering said thougnt.
fully, what think m who KILL
He turned sharply, ted, shrug-
ged. "Wild things ht"s q brief al
best-fox or flying tick, nests OF
mink, owl, hawk, weasel o, u. But
the death man deals is the IT mer'
ciful. Besides" he added, ;: hing,
"ours is not case Of sweethes ="
"My argument is purely in IL alb
stract. Mr.. Siward. l am asking you
whether the death men deal Is more
justifable than woman's gift OF
DEATH"
ooh, well, life taking, the giving OF
life-there can be only one answer 10
the mystery, and don't know 1t" ne
replied, smiling.
81 do"
.Tell me, then, he said," still amused.
They had passed swale after swale
of silver birches, waist deep IN per-
fumed fern and brake. The big TIM
Der lay before them. She moved for-
ward, light gun swung easily across
her leather padded shoulder, and on
the woods sunny edge she seated her,
self, straight young back against a
giant pine, gun balanced across her
fattened knees.
"You are feeling the pace little"
he said, coming up and standing ID
front of her.
"The pace? No, Mr.. Siward."
She sat, bright head pillowed in her
arms, idly attentive to his low running
comment on beast and bird and tree,
ON forest stiffness and forest sounds,
on life. and the wild laws of life ana
death governing the great out world
'twixt sky and earth.
Somewhere in the woodland world
the crows were holding noisy ses'
sion. and she told him that was the
Jury debating the degree OF his guilt ID
killing the birds.
Because you're guilty, of course,
lie continued. II wonder what your
sentence is to bef"
"I'll leave it to yOu," he suggested
lazily.
Suppose sentenced you to STAY nc
moreT
"Oh, I'd appeal
mo use. am the tribunal OF last
resort"
Then l throw myself upon the mer
cy of the court"
"You do well, Mr.. Siward. This
court is very merciful. How much dc
YOU care for bird murder? Very much
Is there anything you care for more
Yes? And could this court grant 1t &c
you in compensation"
He said deliberately, reused by the
level challenge of her gaze, "The cour'
is incornr It to compensate the pris
oner or o my compromise"
"Why wardT
,care court herself Is already
co, ii her future engage
mel ..
But rs my engagement t.
do