Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-01-28

Z so long III IDaklHS anu 80 lHtSfWOfch
4 with love and little self sacrifices that
now, standing alone Oh the mountain
top. with loveless future before him.
Addison Dodge was very miserable.
His was a nature that would never
yield to an unjust claim. Neither
would he lie to save his soul
Luke Goddard. in his own way. was
/ obdurate. He loved Addison Dodge
/ as his own son. and yet his domineer-
/ ing spirit would not coDcede one inch
/ in the controversy which had separat-
! ed them that morning and in which
! the old schoolmaster believed himself
( to be in the right.
! Genealogy was his hobby. That any
/ one should dispute him upon his be-
/ loved subject was unbearable.
/ Pretty Emily would have Jared hard
/ Iy between these two unrelenting men
1 she so dearly loved. but kind Provi-
/ dence Interviewed and made clear the
| descent Of Addison beyond all doubt
and quite to the satisfaction of his fu-
ture father-in-law.
Addison roamed over the mountain
| top all the afternoon, rejoicing in the
! keen wind that arose and chilled him
TO the bone.
His snowshoes giided over the frozen
crust and bore him along against the
bitter wind with startling swiftness.
He always remembered that day on
the mountain as one OF pain and self
torture.
His love for Emily sent him toward
the trail a dozen times, and his pride
sent him back again as many more.
At sunset. when the whole west was
q glorious blaze of crimson and purple
and gold and the expanse Of frozen
snow was binding in the glare, Addi-
son skirted the shoulder of Bald Knob.
seeking for a short cut to the village
below
He had made up his mind. He
would not take back what he had said
to Luke Goddard.
When he reached a point above the
cottage Of his sweetheart he paused
and looked down the glittering slope
to where the blue smoke curled up
ward from the chimney.
While he gazed Emily and her father
came out Of the cottage and looked
toward the west. as was their custom
at sunset. He could see the pink
shawl about Emily's head. and in the
clear air he heard Luke Goddard's
sharp cough.
In another second they would see
him silhouetted against the sunset sky,
and he turned abruptly away.
AS l said before. Providence inter-
vened. The mass of snow upon which
he stood suddenly slipped forward. and
before the young man could throw
himself from the little avalanche he
was speeding downward, downward
with startling swiftness.
He heard Luke's shout of dismay and
Emily's frightened scream as he swept
down toward them - toward a goal
which could be no other than the roof
Of their home.
1t was growing larger. larger now.
and the singing blue smoke of the
chimney smote his eyes, and then-the
avalanche Of snow struck the stout
roof and packed itself into high
plateau about the tail chimney.
Addison clambered out of the great
bank of snow to find Luke Goddard.
poised on a tall ladder. staring at him
over the caves OF the roof.
Boy, l thought you were killed"
said the old man hoarsely as he helped
Addison to descend to the ground.
Emily's arms We're around her lover.
Father and l came out to look for
you. Father made mistake"- She
looked at Luke with loving, sympathet-
ic eyes.
Luke smiled grimly. 81 looked up
that Dodge matter after you went out.
Addison, and-and as near as l can
make It out Over the Mountain Dodge
was a grabbed old bachelor that lived
and died hermit. So Ill have to
give in that you came from Exeter
after all" He held out his hand and
Addison grasped it warmly.
Were both wrong and both right"
asserted the young man as he stood be-
tween his sweetheart and her father
Il was wrong not to give in about an
insignificant matter. yet l am descend |
ed from Philemon Dodge OF Exeter. !
and II the same time l might be called !
over the Mountain Dodge" because I |
just came down that way"
You've established an Independent |
line OF descent" chuckled Luke from
the doorstep. and now you two can
watch the moonrise while 1 get that |
birthday supper ready"