The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-09-01

snow 3mt Beyond the palinSS In frsnt
Of them. Elizabeth Lttleford looked
up to ses the giant figure Of, John
.Moreland. whose faee was white and
whose eyes were filled with tho frs ~
hate and anger, who held rifle In his
cold. bare hands. The rides hammer
came back. and the hne trigger caught
It with faint click.
Moreland took another step forward
and levsled the weapon across the
palings.
EFF 1t was any use f. ye to pray,
Carlyle" he said, and his voice was
shaking and hoarse and choked, "pd
give ye time. But 1t amt no use at all.
Look up. Face 1t. Try to be man TO-
one second In yore lew-down life"
Old Dale raised his head, saw David
Moreland's brother, and realized all
there was TO realize. His eyes widened
q little; then look Of relief fitted
across his heavy countsnance.
shoot and even up the score" he
said bravely, and his head was high.
According to your code, 1t IL Just. And
I'll be able to forget at last, at last. SO
shoot and settle the account"
Moreland WINGED perceptibly. The
big, crooked finger came way from the
hair-fine trigger. He had never expect
ed to hear the man whom he knew as
John e. Carlyle say that which he had
Just said. 1t had never entered his
mind that John X. Carlyle could be
sorry.
Then the great aud bitter desire for
revenge rushed into his brain again,
and his head went down. and his keen
right eye looked along the sights and
to the kneeling mans breast. His trig-
ger finger began slowly to crook
Until this instant Elizabeth Little
ford had been as one frozen, had been
as a figure carved In stone. Now she
sprang to her feet and went between
Moreland and his ancient enemy.
Put at gun down-wait ontel I tell
ye, John Moreland, what I've got to tell
vel" she cried tensely. lapsing into the
old dialect In her excitement. While
Moreland stared, she went on:
1T wasn't Newton Wheatley at put
up the money to start yore coal mine
a-goin'; 1t was this man here And the
Alexander Crayfeld Coal corp'ration-
which has been a-payin' you two prices
70, yore coal-that was this man here
Mr.. Hayes was his-his ally through 1t
all. And he's sorry, John Moreland,
this man is-so sorry that he wants to
die; and cain't ye see 1t, John More
land2"
! She caught her breath again and
continued tearfully: "Oh, he don't
desarve to be killed, and eff he did
| you're too good a man to kill him.
hes done Is:G-you don't know, like
do. how he's paid. Tou musttn' |.
fo'get that And you mustn't fo'get
Bill Dale, his son. Put down that gun,
John Moreland! Yore people is saved,
as David wanted 'em saved. Now
d-d-dont 60 and s-s-spou It all, TO-
Gods sakei"
The big mounta'neer's eyes were
| wide with amazement, for Elizabeth
Littleford's every word had borne the
ring Of truth. He was too dazed to
understand her alluslon to Bill Dale
as his oid enemy's son. The rife came
back from across the palings, and its
steel-shod butt found q place in the
snow beside John Moreland's foot.
=. Slowly John X. Dale arose and
drew close to him, and then from
John K. Dale's soul came pouring the
pent-up anguish Of remorse that had
scared 1t through the years. The tor
rent of words flowed on, while the
mountaineer stood rigidly regarding
him with a strange light In his pierc.
ing eyes.
II can't ask you to forgive me-"
Dale finished brokenly. II don't ex.
pect forgiveness; my crime was too
great. But can't you, for the sake OF
the boy, let me keep on trying te
atone for my sinr'
John Moreland looked long and
searchingly into the face Of the plead
ing man before him. The bitter
struggle that was going on within him
was mirrored on bis rugged coun
tenance. But gradually the bitterness
faded; his huge frame trembled; hs
put hand slowly down on the Others
shoulder.
'"The boy" he muttered-"BiII Dale
IL he yOre bOys Yore name was Car
lyle then"
my boy, yes-my boy, Bill Dale
Carlyle is an old family name. nj,
father was at the head Of a big Goa
concern; he sent me down here in
cognito to get line on the Morelant
vein. Maybe he thought the pric,
would he high II 1t were known tina,
he wanted 1t; don't know. IL cap't
remember"
Ben Littleford's daughter wal
watching closely. hoping against hope
praying to heaven with all her heart
and then she saw John X. Dale pu,
his right hand up to John Moreland's
| :. aAHll 1A.