The Fayette falcon. (Somerville, Tenn.) 190?-current, 1918-03-22

"Ao' my Soh w uulii lHey uEG CUur
PEELED to try, and upon this, her second
journey northward, the truth Of that
statement grew more patent with each
passing day.
So trailing north with old Llmpine
George, his fat klootch, and two half.
grown Slwash youths, Hazel bore
steadily across country. driving as
straight as the rolling land allowed,
for the cabin that snuggled in a woOdsy
basin close up to the peaks that guard
Pine River pass.
There came a day when brief uncer-
tainty became sure knowledge at sight
Of q L-shaped body Of water gllmmer-
ing through the flre-thinned spruce.
Her heart fiuttered for a minute. Like
a homing bird, by grace of the rude
map and Limping George. she had
come to the lake where the Indians
had camped In the winter, and she
could have gone blindfolded from the
lake to Roaring Bits cabin.
She urged her pony through the
light timber growth and across the
little meadows where the rank grass
and strange varicolored flowers were
sprlnging up under the urge of the
warm spring sun Twenty minutes
brought her to the clearing. Silk and
Satin and Niger, loaing at the sunny
end Of the stable, prlcked up their ears
at her approach, and she knew that
Roaring Bill was home again. She tied
her horse to a sapllng and drew nearer.
The cabin door stood wide.
A brief panic seized her. She felt a
sudden shrinking, a wild desire for
headlong flight. But It passed. She
knew that for good or III she would
never turn back.
On the soft turf her footsteps gave
forth nc sound. She gained the door
way as silently as a shadow. Roaring
Bill faced the end Of the long room, but
he did not see her, for he was slumped
In the big chair before the fireplace.
his chin sunk on his breast, staring
straight ahead with absent eyes.
In all the days she had been with
him she had eve seen him look like
that. That weary, hopeless expression,
the wry twist Of his lips, wrung her
heart and drew from her a yearning
little whisper.
"Billl"
He came out Of his chair like a PAN
ther. And when his eyes beheld her
In the doorway he stiffened In his
tracks, staring, seeing, yet reluctant to
believe the ~evidence-of his vision. His
brows wrinkled. He put up one hand
and absently ran 1t over his cheek.
II wonder II I've got to the point Of
seeing things" he said slowly. "Say,
little person, is 1t your astral body. or
is 1t really yOuf"
"0f course it's me-" she cried tremu-
lousy, and with fine disregard for
her habitual preciseness of speech.
He came up close to her and pinched
her arm with a gentle pressure, as II
he had to feel the material substance
of her before he could believe. And
then he put his hands on her shoul-
ders, as he had done on the steamer
that day at Bella Coda, and looked
long and earnestly at her-looked till
a crimson wave rose from her neck to
the roots Of her dark, glossy hair. And
with that Roaring Bill took her In his
arms, cuddled her up close to him, and
kissed her, not once but many times.
"You really and truly came back,
little person." he murmured. Lord,
Lord-and yet they say the day Of
miracles Is past"
"You didn't think I would. did your"
she asked, with her blushing face snug
gled against his sturdy breast. "Still,
you gave me a map so that I could
find the place."
shat vas Just taking a desperate
chance. No, l never expected to see
you again, unless by accident" he said
honestly. sand I've been crying the
hurt Of 1t to the stars all the way back
from the coast. I only got here yes
terday. ! pretty near passed up COM
ing back at all. I didn't see how I
could stay, with everything to remind
me of you. Say. but 1t looked like a
lonesome hole. I used to love this
place-but ! didn't love 1t last night.
1t seemed about the most cheerless
and depressing spot I could have
/ think / should have ended
up by touching a match to the whole
business and hitting the trail to some
new country. I don't know. I'm not
weak. But I don't think I could have
here long,"
They stood silent In the doorway for
a long interval, Bill holding her close
to him, and she blIssfully contented,
careless and unthinking of the future,
so filled was she with Joy Of the pres
ent.
do you love me much, little per-
sonT" Bill asked, after a little.
She nodded vigorous assent.
"WhyT' he desired to know.
"oh, juA because-because you're a
man, l suppose" she returned mischie-
'sThe worlds chuck-full of men,"
Bill observed.
Surely" she looked up at him. "But
not like you. Maybe it's bad
policy to start in Gathering you, but