The state herald., 1914-09-11
CHAPTER XXI.
RenunclatIon.

henuhclauoh.
The grim posse that gathered in
haste that afternoon did not ride far.
Its work had been singularly well
done. II brought back to Damory
court, however, q white bulldog whose
broken leg made his would.be joyful
bark trail into . sad whimper as his
owner took him into welcoming arms.
Next day the major was carried to
his final rest in the myrtled shadow of
St Andrews. At the service the old
church was crowded to its doors.
Valiant occupied a humble place at
one side-the others. he knew. were
older friends than he. The light of the
late afternoon came dimly In through
the stAined.glAss windows and seemed
to clothe with subtle colors the voice
OF the rector as he read the solemn
service. The responses came broken
ly. and their were tears on many faces.
Valiant could see the sideface OF
the doctor. Its saturnine grimness
strangely moved. and beyond him.
Shirley and her mother. Many glanced
at them. for the majors will had been
opened that morning and few there
had been surprised to learn that. save
for life-annuity for old Jereboam.
he had left everything he possessed
to Shirley. Miss Matte Sue was be-
side them. and between. wan with
weeping. sat Hickey Snyder. shirley's
arm lay shelteringly about the small
shoulders as II It would stay the pas
sion OF grief that from time to time
shook them.
Tho evening before had been further
darkened by the child's disappearance
and Miss Matte Sue had sat through
half the night In fearful anxiety. II
was Valiant who had solved the riddle.
In her hrst wild compunction. Hickey
had gnsped out the story OF her meet
ing with Greet King. his threat and
her own terroriked silence. and when
he heard OF this he had guessed her
whereabouts. He had found her n,
the Dome. in the deserted cabin from
which on snowy night six years ago
Shirley had rescued her. She had Ned
there in her shabbiest dress. her toys
and trinkets left behind. taking with
her only string OF blue glass beads
that had been Shiriey's last Christmas
present
Let mo stay" she had walled. I'm
not NJ to live down therel It's all my
fault that It happened. I was a coward
! ought to stay here In Hell's.Haif. Acr.
forever and ever'" Valiant had car
ricd her back In his arms down the
mountain-shc had been too spent ts
walk.
He thought OF this now as he saw
that -rm about the child In that pro
toctiye. almost mothcrly gesture. !,
made his own heartacho NOR. unbcar
able. Such u little time ago he hat
felt that arm about himl
He leaned his hot head against tn.
cool plastcred wall. trying TO keep hi
mind on tho solemn reading. But Shir
lcy's voice and laugh seemed to b.
running @crily through the chanting
lines. and her face shut out pulpit ant
lectern. II swept over him suddeni,
that each nbominnblc hour could bu
make tho situation moro impossible
for tham both. He had soon hcr nj
she entered tho church. had though
her sven paicr than in tho wood. ths
blush shadows deeper undcr her eyes
Those dclicats charms were In eclipse
And II was ho who was To blams'
Il csmc to him with a stab OF en-
iishtenmsnt Ho had been thinking
only Of himself all tho while. But fol
her. II was his presence that had nov
become tho unbearablo thing. A cole
sweat broke on his forehead. e.
for am q stranger with thee. and {
sojourner: A. all my fathers werc. {
spare me = little. that may recover
my strength before 70 hence. :
The intoninE voice fell duly on hi,
cars.
To 20 nwayi To phhH out of h.l