Marble Hill press., 1915-03-18


flushed. Il beg your pardon" she
said, quickly. ...,,.. ,,..,.s,
That's all right" reassured the
man. Il know whateys're saathsnktuss'
but haint takinsno offense. The high
sheriff sent me ever, I'm one Of his
deputies" "a 10
Were you"-she paused, and added
rather timidly-"were youin the court
house,"
He nodded, and with brown fore
finger traced the scar on his cheek.
Samson South done that thar with
his rifle-gun," he enlightened. He's a
funny sort of feller. is Samson South"
"How?" she asked.
Wall, he licked us, an licked ue 80
plumb damn hard we was skeered ter
fight ag'in, an then, 'stid of tramplin'
on US, he turned right round, an
made me a deputy. My brothers q
| corporal in this hyar new'fangled mi.
lishy. reckon this time the peace Is
goin' ter last HITS a mighty funny
way ter act, but pears like It works all
| right"
Then at the ridge, the girls heart
gave sudden bound, for there at the
| highest point, where the road went up
and dipped again, waited the mounted
| figure of Samson South. and, as they
! came into sight, he waved his felt hat
and rode down to meet them.
"Greetings." he shouted, Then. as
/ he leaned over and took Adrienne's
| hand, he added The Goops send you
| their welcome" His smile was un.
changed but the girl noted that his
| hair had again grown long.
! Finally, as the sun was setting. they
| reached roadside cabin, and the
mountaineer said briefly to the other
| men
You fellows ride on want Dren.
ME to stop with me a moment. Wen
| join you later.
Lescott nodded. He remembered the
| cabin of the Widow Miller. and Hor.
ton rode with him, albeit grudgingly,
Adrienne sprang lightly TO the
ground. laughingly rejecting Samson's
assistance, and came with him TO the
top of stle, trom which he pointed
to the log cabin, set back in it's small
yard. wherein geese and chickens
picked industriuusly about in the sandy
earth
A huge poplar and great OAK
-, 4.
the door. and over the walls a clam.
bering profusion Of honey snckle vine
contended with a mass of wild grape,
in Joint effort TO hide the white chink'
ing between the dark logs. From the
crude milkbenches TO the sweep Of
the we'll, every note was one Of neat
ness and rustic charm. slowly. he
said. looking straight into her eyes:
This Is ,Sally,s cabin. Drennie."
He watched her expression. and her
lips curved up in the same sweetness
of smile that had first captiyated and
heIped to mold him.
ITS lovely" she cried. with frank
delight. Its picture
Walt" he commanded Thea, turn
ing toward the house. he sent out the
long. peculiarly mourntul call OF the
whippoorwill. and, at the signal, the
door opened, and on the threshold
Adrienne saw a slender figure. She
had called the cabin with its shaded
dooryard a picture, but now she knew
she had been wrong, II was only a
background II was the girl herself
who made and completed the picture.
she stood there In the wild simplicity
that artists seek yainly TO reproduce
in posed figures. Her red calico dress
was patched. but fell in graceful lines
10 her slim bare ankles. though the
first faint frosts had already fallen.
Her red dbrown hair hung loose and
in masses about the oval of a face In
which the half-parted lips were dashes
of scarlet. and the eyes large violet
pools. She stood with her little chin
tilted in n half-wild attitude of recon-
noIter, as fawn might have stood,
One brown arm and hand rested on
the door frame and. as she saw the
0tnpr WOIlljU, sue tptoltN auei" "biE
Adrienne thought she had never
seen SO instinctiyely and unatfectedly
lovely a face or figure Then the girl
came down the steps and ran toward
them.
"DrennIe," said the man, this Is
Sally. want you two to love each
other" For an instant Adrienne Les
colt stood looking at the mountain
girl. and then she opened both her
arms.
Sally" she cried. you adorable
child, do love you,"
The girl in the calico dress raised
her face, and her eyes were glistening.
I'm obleeged ter ye." she faltered.
Then, with open and wondering ad.
miration she stood gazing at the first
fine lady" upon whom her glance had
ever fallen.
Samson went over and took Sally's
hand.
"Drennie." he said, softly. "is there
anything the matter with herr"
Adrienne Lescott shook her head.
Il understand" she said.
Il sent the others on" he went on