Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1910-04-01

unu ielI Luke OouuaTu una DIS unuBn- /
ter alone in the mountain cabin.
Outside tine door Addison Dodge !
thrust his arms savagely into the
sleeves OF his heavy jacket. belted It
snugly about his whist and pulled
his cap down over his ears.
Then he strapped on the snowshoes
that he had left beside the door and,
throwing his gun over his shoulder,
strobe away up the steep mountalB
path.
Great pines heavy with snow leaned
above the narrow tran.
AS he crashed through the thin crust
with fercely placed steps light wind
sent the snow crystals In Icy sting
ing gusts against his face.
AS he plodded upward the crust was
thicker. and when he reached the top
of Bald Knob walking was difficult,
He paused and looked around at the
mountains OF snow gllstening with Icy
Saps in the bright sunshine.
Overhead was a sky OF deep blue.
Below nestled the village, with his
school In the center. and under the
shoulder of Bald Knob was Luke God
dard's comfortable home.
Addison could see the smoke pour
ing from the wide chimney. II crept
like blue mist up over the shoulder
and curled away into nothingness In
the light air.
The house was long and low. and II
was built so snugly under the noun
tain that the kitchen opened directly
into a great natural cave in the rocks,
and that cave was Luke Goddard's
woodshed.
Addison's strong arms had hewed
vigorously that long autumn to fill the
woodshed Every night after school
he had come up the mountain aud.
with Emily sitting near by to gladden.
his eyes. he had cheerlly reduced the
pile of cord wood to kindling.
In the spring he and Emily were TO
be married and come to live with Luke.
and their plans for the future had been
so long In making and so interviewer
with love and little self sacrifices that
now. standing alone ON the mountain
ton, with loveless future before him.
Addison Dodge was very miserable.
His was 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 concede one inch
In the controversy which had sepnrat-
"a hak ,I i,. Al.
the old schoolmastcr 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
| " between these two unrelpnting men
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 fathcr-n-law
Addison roampd over the mountain
! top all the afternoon. rejoicing in the
keen wind that arose and chilled him
| TO the bone.
His snowshoes glided 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 n dozen times, and his pride
sent him back again us many more.
At sunset. when the whole west was
glorious blaze of crimson and purple
and gold and the expanse Of frozen
snow was binding in the glare. Addi.
son sliirted 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 n point above the
cottage of his sweetheart he paused
and looked down the giittering SLOPE
TO where the blue smoke cured up
ward from the chimney.
While he gazed Emily ana her father
came ont Of the cottage and looked
toward the west. as was their custom
at sunset He could see the pinl
shawl about Emlly's head and in On,
clear air he heard Luke GcGdarda
sharp cough
In another second they would Sc,
him silhouetted against the sunset sky
and he turned abruptly away.
AS / said before. Providence inter
vencd. The mass OF snow upon which
he stood suddenly slipped forward. anC
before the young man could throw
himself from the little avalanche ht
was speeding downward, downward
with startling swiftness.
He heard Lulse's shout of dismay anC
Emlly's frightened scream as he sweep