Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-10-30

Gabe's face had darkened. He threw q
stick at an unoffending hound pup
that wandered within range.
Eyes, I like her, but don't stand
no sort of show. Ought to see the
look in her eyes when the preacher
comes around"
The preacher came riding down the
mountain the next week and stopped
to speak to Taylor, working along q |
ledge of rock.
Wont find any gold or silver there,
young man." he called genially. Taylor
turned and saw youthful prophet
type. hair that hung short cropped be- |
low his ears, eyes wide and dark. face
thin and fine featured, the face Of the
enthusiast and dreamer.
Later on the preacher would drop In |
at his cabin If it was late and talk
awhile with him over the fire. He was
a university man from Tennessee, |
eager to hear OF the north and of the
life in the great centers.
I'm going there some day." he said
staring into the open fire. FISHERS of
men. 1t is promise l am going some
day. Here the seed falls on stony
soil"
! Taylor went 70 Ouc vi LIS MOCSAASo
at night down In the valley. Mandy
stood on a soap box and sang In TIM
id high mezzo, slip of girlhood, with
the torchlight Pickering on her pretty
face and blue eyes that sought the face
of the young preacher, while Gabe
hung around the shadows and glover.
ed
Then came the last week In Tula,
Ill hi "a
place where he had complained OF en-
nui and loneliness. With Gabe's help
he struck a lead and followed 1t up
through the ledge Gabe told of caves
farther up in the mountains, caves that
glistened inside, and not with stalac-
tites either Taylor went with him
and found mica tracks of mica that lay
in great unbroken sheets, and he knew
a fortune lay close to Gabe's door.
When he told the big mountaineer, he
put back his head and laughed.
i Guess that'll get her, won't it? Wo-
men folks like money and pretty things
don't they? You go ahead and fix up
the deal and get yours out OF 1t. I'm
going courtin.'
! And the next night Harley stopped
on the way down toward Jed's. and
said he was going away. God had heard
his prayers and listened to the cry or
his soul. He was going north to preach
the word in the great cities. While ne
talked, Mandy came up with Taylor's
milk and bread and stood listening
with wide eyes that held fear and
woman's secret in their depths. But
Harley rambled on enthusiastically,
, and Taylor wanted to grip him and
make him turn and see the gift that
Law for him in the girls tender eyes.
Gabe came back along the road late
! that night and he pounded on the cabin
, door.
HAS the preacher gone up by here
, vet?" he called. Taylor said no, he had
} not seen him.
"I'm going to get him." said Gabe
grinly, and passed on.
TAYLOR rose and opened the door. A
t full moon rode high above the dark
mountains He dressed and went out
side, listening. And nearly an hour
later, he heard Harley coming up the
road singing in his full baritone one
. of the hymns he loved. He had meant
to warn him, but the singing stopped !:
and after a while, he judged he had
taken the other road around the lower
bend But he could not sleep, and
went down to meet Mandy at on her
wav up with the milk and fresh eggs
!. for his breakfast She looked radiant
and shy. Standing in her little pink
cotton dress. barefooted and tanned
:. she looked like some wild flower OF hel
= own mountain land, he thought.
: Pops awful mad she said softly
e Hes going to turn me away. 'Coun,
e of Gabe. Gabe asked him for me anc
l. non gave me to him, but | promised
n the preacher, and he's coming for me
d today. We're going down to Tula anc
g get married. If Gabe or pop don
l, shoot him. !,
e Shes aid 1t simply, Realistically. l
was quite possible, she knew. Taylol
It told her he would come down and g
r. with them, to be sure of fair play. Blu
the day wore on without any sign o
,r. Harley Pop had found the answer u
Ii his special problem in a large jug o
u cider and had retired from the scene
u of action. Mandy, with her few be
u longings and her mothers bible ant
t sunbonnet beside her, sat out on tn
II water bench in the shade waiting pa
# tiently the coming of the preacher. Blu
le the shadows heightened and IT Degal
ID to grow dark down in the valley. Inel
o. came the sound of hoofs on the road
and she laughed
,r 81 knew he'd come" she said. Taylo
1t was silent. 1t was Gabe Williams wh