The Emmett index. [volume] (Emmett, Idaho) 1893-1925, 1915-03-11
THE CALL OF THE
CUMBERLANDS
Continued from Page s.

would she De changed? His heart
was hammering wildly now. Sally
had remained loyal 1t was mir
acle, but 1t was the one thing that
counted. He was going to her, and
nothing else mattered.
He lifted his head and sent out a
long, clear whippoorwill call, which
quavered on the night much like the
other calls In the black hills around
him. After a moment he went nearer,
in the shadow OF poplar and re-
peated the call
Then the cabin door opened. It's
jamb framed patch OF yellow candle
light, and, at the center, a slender
silbouetted figure, In f1uttering, eager
attitude of uncertainty. The figure
turned slightly to one side, and, as it
right hand the rifle, which had been
his mission, bequeathed to her in trust.
She hesitated, and the man, invisible
in the shadow, once more initiated the
bird note, but this time 1t was so low
and soft that it seemed the voice of a
whispering whippoorwill
Then, with a sudden glad little cry,
she came running with her old feet
grace down to the road.
Samson had vaulted the stile and
stood in the full moonlight. AS he
saw her coming he stretched out his
arms and his voice broke from his
throat in half-hoarse, passionate cry:
"Sallyp
It was the only word he could have
spoken Just then, but it was all that
was necessary. 1t told her everything.
1t was an outburst from a heart too
full Of emotion to grope after speech.
the cry of a man for the One Woman
who alone can call forth an infection
more eloquent than phrases and po-
etry. And, as she came into his out
stretched arms as straight and direct
as homing pigeon, they closed about
her in convulsive grip that held her
straining to him, almost crushing her
in the tempest of his emotion.
For time there was no speech, but
to each of them 1t seemed that their
tumultuous heartbeating must sound
above the night music, and the teleg-
raphy Of heartbeats tells enough.
Later they would talk, but now. with
a gloriously wild sense of being to-
gether, with mutual intoxication of
10y because all that they had dreamed
was true, and all that they had feared
was untrue, they stood there under
the skies clasping each other-with
the rifle between their breasts. Then
as he held her close, he wondered
that shadow of doubt could ever
have existed. He wondered if, except
in some nightmare of hallucination, it
had ever existed.
The autter of her heart was like
that of rapturous bird, and the play
of her breath on his face like the
fragrance of the elder blossoms.
These were their stars twinkling
overhead These were their hills, and
their moon was smiling on their tryst
He had gone and seen the world
that lured him; he had met its diff
culties and faced its puzzles. He b1d
even felt his feet wandering at the
last from the path that led back to
her, and now, with her 1.-THE figure
close held in his embrace, and ner
red-brown hair brushing his temples,
he marveled how such an instant OF
doubt could have existed. He knew
only that the silver of the moon ana
the kiss of the breeze and the clasp
of her soft arms about his neck were
all parts of one great miracle ana
she, who had waited and almost de-
SPARED, not taking count of what sne
had suffered, felt her knees grow
weak and her head grow dizzy WIN /
sheer happiness, and wondered II II
were not too marvellous to be true. |
And, looking very steadfastly into ms
eyes, she saw there the CLEAN that
once had frightened her; the gleam /
that spoke of something stronger ana /
more compelling than his love. IL no
longer frightened her, but made her
soul sing, though it was more intense
than it had ever been before, for now
she knew that it was she herself VINO
brought it to his pupiIs-and that
nothing would ever be stronger.
But they had much to. say to eacn
other, and, finally, Samson broke the
silence:
did We think l wasn't a-coming
back, Sally?" he questioned, softly. AT
that moment he had no realization
that his tongue had ever fashioned
smoother phrases. And she, too, VINO
had been making war on crude idioms,
forgot as she answered:
"Ye done said ye was comm" Then
she added a happy lie: Il knoWed
plumb shore ye'd do hit"
After a while she drew away and
said. slowly:
Samson, I'VE done kept the old
ready fer We. Ye said ye'd
need 1t bad when ye come back. an
I've took care of it."
She stood there holding It, and her
voice dropped almost to whisper as
she added:
Its been lot OF comfort to me
because it was yourn. !