The Kenna record. (Kenna, Roosevelt County, N.M.) 190?-1924, 1917-03-16
ELW OF PINEY KNOB
BY SYLVIA TURNER.

platform, and slipped dwny Into the
shadowy mountain distances.
Expecting anybody to meet. your
She turned With little startSat the
cheerful voice, and faced Hiram BOf-
fat, general fuctotum around the sta
ton.
mo, hardly" she answered, nerv-
ously. u can hire some sort Of con-
vcyance, presume"
"Well, don't know where, ma'am,"
said Hiram geniHlly, If not reassur
ihglS. Ben tathrob keeps a Horse,
hut he lives over the edge Of the
mountain, and the next best is old
Jnke's mule. II he's home and sober,
like as not he'd take you where you
want to so. Going very far?"
81 want to go to Mr.. Fallows' home;
Mr.. Jerrold FallOws."
The mule took its own time, and 1t
was nearly $3.50 before Jake pulled up
before a mountain shack, just as the
morning sun broke IN glory over the
crest of Piney Knob. At the two with
dows hung white scrlm curtains, with
a glimpse Of Towering gernniums along
the sill. And from the back came
full, girlish cOntraltO voice singing
jOyously.
"rhat's Elvy," said Jake. "GOt nice
singing pipes, dih't shef"
Then in the cool mountain morning
air Jerry Fallows' mother and the girl
he loved, Elvy of Piney Knob, met for
the first time. She was just a girl,
not more than eighteen, but with the
mountain spirit about her.
won't you step inside and sit by
the fire, where it's warm?"
Elvy's soft, rich, southern voice was
beautiful. UncOnsclously Mrs. Fail
lows breathed sigh of relief. Jerry
surely had a good e&cuse for FILLING
so ridlculously in love, at any rate.
"Jerry1l be awfuly glad to see YOU
when he comes home" Elvy knelt to
put ON some fresh, dry wood under
the big back log. HES Just gone up
to the wood lot after load"
81 am glad he Is not here" Mrs.
Fallows sat upright. 1t was, not a
pleasant task that had brought her to
the mountains. 81 think you are the
one to decide for him."
az" 1ueried Elvy, sitting down on
the round braided rug In surprise.
"Why?"
"YOu know, of course, Jerry would
never have Remained here In this will
derness II he had not met you. He was
sent down by his uncle's lumber inter
ests to look the ground over and re-
port on conditions. Later, he was put
in charge Of tile cutting out of timber
at his own request. The next VIZ
heard was that he was married"
"And you never even sent one little
word back to him." said Elvy, softly,
dreamlly almost, gazing Into the crack
ling fire. II don't see how you could
have done that to him."
"Don't your" the Older wOmah's face
hardened. "After you had raised
son, your only one, built all your hopes
and ambitions on his future, and then
at twenty-five, he married IA"
"Just a mountain girl like me?"
Eyes. Could you understand and
Forgive him?'
81 guess when you really love, you
can forgive most anything"
Possibly" with bitter little laugh.
81 could not. You have been married
now for a year. came down to Jerry
with his fathers word Of forgiveness.
He is willing to overlook all the past,
and take him back, give him an ds-
sured career, and make up to him for
this misspent year. But you must
stay behind him here, and If you really
do love him, you viii think of him
first. Give him a year or two back IN
his own world. If when he Is success
full and really a grown man, he
chooses to return to you, we will con-
sent TO IT,"
Evy rose slowly. Then without a
word, she went into the next room.
Mrs. Fallows waited. It had been
hard, but not as though Jerry himself
had ben there TO argue with. The girl
was proud. She would surely let him
go. And then behind her she heard
Elvy's football, and turned her head.
Proud and silent she stood there,
world OF love in her eyes, and in her
arms Jerry's frst-born.
Hes only month DID," she said,
gently. "But he's the reason why
couldn't ask Jerry to go away and
leave u.s."
II was a little past ten when Jerry
drove down the road with his load Of
wood. When he entered the kitchen
be stood amazed. With one Of EIyys