The Elk Mountain pilot., 1920-12-23

you-and win" He gasped from t.
weakness. hut went on hrnvp.l, ~
never be able TO feel at peHcr Sum
bird. until I'm tested in the lire h..i.r-
your eyes. ! wani 10 show ynn ~.
things Cranston said of me ,,r. ne
true-that my courage Will stand ia
lest
1T wouldn't be the same. prrna'is.
with an Eastern girl. Otaer ih.n-,
matter In the valleys. But see nov
It is here that there is only ~,
standard for men and by that sissui
ard they rise or fall Things ~ ti.
mountains are down to the r>,.p.i.
tials"
He paused and struggled 70,
strength to continue. "And | krnN
what You said to him." he went uts
'Half-unconscious as was. re.icri
her every word. Each word iustr ser,.s-
to burn into me. Snowbirh. aud -i'r
make every one of them good Snn
said | am better man than he. and
sometime II would be proved--und lis
the TRUTH Maybe In monih mny''.
IN year. I'm not going to lie flr,ra
'his malady of mine now. Snowhird
I've got too much to live for-=rol
many debts to pay. In the end ri
prove your words TO him"
His eyes grew earnest and the hard
fire went out of them. ITS almost rs
If you were a queen. real queen of
some great kingdom." he told her
tremulous with great awe that WINS
stealing over him. as a mist steals over
water. "And because had kissed
gour fingers, for ever and ever | WAS
your subject, living only to fight your
fghts-maybe with dream in the
end to kiss your fingers again When
YOU bent and kissed me on that hHl-
side-for him to sect was the same
that l was sworn to you. and nothing
mattered in my life except the service
and love I could give you. And if's
more than you ever dream. Snowhirt
It's all yours. for your battles and
your happiness"
The great pines were silent above
them. shadowed and dark. Perhaps
they were listening to an age-old
story. those vows of service ana self.
gained worth by which the race has
uDWdTu HUN ilft 0ulNffF~S
"But kissed you-once before .
she reminded him. The voice was
Just whisper. hardly louder than the
stir of the leaves in the wind.
'But that kiss didn't count" he rold
her. at wasn't at all the same.
loved you then. I think. but it didn''
mean what 1t did today"
"And what" she leaned toward
him. her eyes full on his. "does II
mean now?"
"All that's worth while In life. all
that matters when everything is sa'd
that can be said and all is done that
can he done. And 1t means please
God. when the debts are paid. that |
may have such kiss again"
mot until then" she told him.
whispering.
Until then. 7 make oath that !
won't even ask il. or receive II II YOU
should give IT, 1t goes too deep. dear
est--and II means TOO much"
This was their pact Not until rho
debts were paid and her word mnde
good would those lips he his again.
There was no need for further words.
Both of them knew.
| In rhe skies fhe gray clouds were
gathering swiftly. as always in the
mountains The raindrops were fall
| ing one and one. over the forest. The
summer was done and fall had come
| in earnest.
The rains fell increasingly for seven
days: not downpour hut q constant
al. ii. - Ill
smoke. The parched earth seemed TO
smack its lips. and little rivulets he
gan To fall and tumble over the he.is
nf the dry streams. All danger Of for
| est fire was AT once removed. and
Snowhird was no longer needed ms n
| Inoknnf on old Bald mountain. She
went to her own home. her companion
hack oNthe valley: and now that his
sister had taken. his place as house
keeper. Rill had gone down 10 the
| lower foothills with a great part ot
the live stock. Dan spent these rain,
days in toll on the hillsides. building
himself physically so that he might
pay his debts. d.
II was no great pleasure. rhese
rainy days. He would have greatly
liked to have fingered In the square
mountain house. listening 70 the quiel
murmur Of the rain on the roof anr
watching Snowbird al her household
tasks She could. as her father had
said. make a biscuit. She could alsr
roll up sleeves over trim. brown arms
and with entire good humor do a
weeks laundry for three hard-work
Ing men. He would have liked to sill
with her. through the long afternoons
as she knitted beside the fireplace
to watch the play of her graceful fin
gers and perhaps. now and then. ia
touch her hands when he held rhe
skeins. But none of these things iran
spired. He drove himself FROM day
light till dark. developing his body for
the tests that were sure to come.
The first few days nearly killed him