The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-02-10

Copyright. 1920. by Little. Brown & Co


the mountain men are not saved by
their women without mourning obliga-
ton. She attempted no barren de-
mails. She made no effort to pretend
he had not incurred a tremendous debt
when she had come with her pistol. It
was an Unavoidable fact. 4 life for
life is the code of the mountains.
''Two things I must do before I can
ever dare to die" he told her soberIy.
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 it wouldn't;
yet pray that it will! Maybe I can
pay that debt only by being always
ready, always watching for a 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. 'Tll
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.
ut wouldn't be the. same, perhaps,
with an Eastern girl. Other things
matter in the valleys. But I see hO.~
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 I know
what you said to him." he went on.
'Half-unconscious as I was; 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 a 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. cts almost as
if you were a queen, a real queen Of
some great kingdom" he told her,
tremulOus with a great awe that was
stealing over him, as mist steals over
water. "And because :: tad kissed
your fingers, for ever aGS ever I was
your subject, living only &c Aght your
fights-maybe with a tfrs.eIl in the
end to kiss your fingers 4tr'>f. When
you bent and kissed mt 19 that hill
side-for him to see-it MS :ie same:
that ] was sworn to you, a-s@ nothing
mattered in my life except to service
and love T could give you. and It's
more than you ever dream, ~ owtird.
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
struggled upward from the darkness.
"But I kissed you-once before"
she reminded him. The voice was
just a whisper, hardly louder than the
stir Of the leaves in the wind.
"But that kiss didn't count" he told
her. "Tt wasn't at all the same. ]
loved you then. think. but it didn't
mean what it did today"
"And what" she leaned toward
him, her eyes full on his, "does it
mean MOVE"
"AIl- that's worth while in life, all
that matters when everything is said
that can be said, and all Is Done that
can he done. And it means, please
God, when the debts are paid, that /
NAV have such kiss again"
"Not until them" she told him,
whispering.
until then, I make oath that !
won't even ask 1t, or receive it If you
should give 1t. 1t goes too deep, dear
est-and it means too much"
This was their pact. Not until the |
debts were paid-and her word made
good would those lips be his agaic
There was no. need for further wordA |
Both of them knew.
In the skies, the gray clouds were
gathering swiftly, as always in the |
mountains. The rAindrops were falt |
ing one and one, over the forest. This
summer was done, and fall had come |
in earnest.
CTO BE CONTINUED.>