Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-09-01
cOpyrIght. 1ssO. b. 1lttle. brown 3 G

Copyright. 1920. by Little. Brown & Co.
the mountain men are not saved by
their women without mourning Obliga-
ton. She attempted no barren de-
malls. She made no effort to pretend
he had not incurred tremendous debt
when she had come with her pistol. 1t
was an unavoidable fact A life for
a life is the code of the mountains.
1.-TWO things must do before l can
ever dare to die" he told her soberly.
zone of them is to pay you; the other
is to pay Cranston for the thing he
said. Maybe the chance will never
come for the first of the two; only I'll
pray that it will. Maybe it would be
kinder to you to pray that 1t wouldn't;
yet pray that 1t will! Maybe can
pay that debt only by being always
ready, always watching for chance
to save you from any danger, always
| trying to protect you. You didn't
come in time to see the fight made.
Besides-I lost, and little else mat
tiers. And that debt to you can't be
paid until sometime fight again-fOr
| yOu-and win" He gasped from his
weakness, but went on bravely. "Pll
never be able to feel at peace, Snow
bird, until I'm tested in the fire before
your eyes! want to show you the
things Cranston said of me are not
true-that my courage will stand the
test.
1T wouldn't be the same, perhaps,
with an Eastern girl Other things
matter in the valleys. But see how
1t is here; that there is only one
standard for men and by that stand
ard they rise or fall. Things in the
mountains are down to the essen
tails"
He paused and struggled for
strength to continue. "And l know
what you said to him." he went on.
"Half-unconsciOus as was, I remem-
Der every word. Each word just seems
to burn into me, Snowbird, and I'll
make every one of them good You
said am a better man than he and
sometime it would be prOved-and it's
the TRUTH Maybe in month, maybe
in year. I'm not going to die from
this malady of mine now, SnOwbird.
I've got too much to live fOr-tOO
many debts to pay. In the end, I'll
prove your words to him."
His eyes grew earnest, and the hard
fire went out of them. "It's almost as
If you were a queen, a real queen of
some great kingdom" he told her,
tremulous with great awe that was
stealing over him, as a mist steals over
water "And because I had kissed
your fingers, for ever and ever 1 was
your subject, living only to fight your
fights-maybe with a dream in the
end to kiss your fingers again. When
you bent and kissed me on that hill
side-for him to sect was the same
that I was sworn to you, and nothing
mattered in my life except the service
and love could give you. And it's
more than you ever dream, SnOwbird
It's all yours, for your battles and
your happiness"
The great pines were silent above
them, Swallowed and dark. Perhaps
they were listening to an age-old
story, those vows of service and self.
gained worth by which the race has
| SLEuRRIEu uDWdIu llOll IAAC AelA hAASN7os
"But l kissed you-once before '
she reminded him. The voice was
Just whisper. hardly louder than the
stir of the leaves in the wind.
'SBut that kiss didn't count" he tolt
her. "It wasn't at all the same.
loved you then, think, but it didn't
mean what 1t did today"
0And 1vhof-0 she leaned toward
, him, her eyes full on his, "does 4
, mean nowT"
"An that's worth while in life, al
that matters when everything is sait
that can be said, and all is done tina
, can be done. And it means, please
God, when the debts are paid, that
! may have such kiss again"
: "Not until then" she told him
: whispering.
'Until then, I make oath that
won't even ask It, or receive 1t if yOl
! should give 1t. 1t goes too deep, dear
, est-and 1t means too much"
j This was their pact. Not until tn
debts we're paid and her word mad
good would those lips be his again
There was no need for further words
Both Of them knew.
In the skies. the gray clouds wer
: gathering swiftly, as always in tn
mountains. The raindrops were fall
] ing one and one, over the forest. TIL
q summer was done, and fall had com
in earnest.
d CTo BE CoNTINUED)
=