Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1921-07-14

him In strange, deep ways in which
he had never been stirred before; II
left him exultant and, in deep wells of
his nature far below the usual cur
rents Of excitement, little excited
too.
Then both of them were startled
out of their reflections by the clear,
unmistakable sound of footsteps on
the ridge Both Of them turned, and
Lennox laughed softly in the dark
ness. my daughter" he said II
knew she wouldn't be afraid to come"
Dan could see only SnOwbird's out
line at first, just her shadow against
the mOonlit hillside. His glasses were
none too good at long range. And
possibly, when she came within range,
the first thing that he noticed about
her was her stride. The girls he
knew didn't walk in quite that free,
strong way. She took almost a man.
size step; and yet it was curious that
she did not seem ungraceful. Dan had
a distinct impression that she was
floating down to him on the moonlight.
She seemed to come with such unut-
terable smoOthness. And then he
heard her call lightly through the
darkness.
The sound gave him distinct sense
of surprise. Some way, he hadn't as
ISOLATED a voice like this with a noun
tain girl; he had supposed that there
would be so many harshening infiu-
ences in this wild place. Yet the tone
was as clear and full as trained
singers. 1t was not high voice; and
yet 1t seemed simply brimming, as
cup brims with wine, with the rap
ture of life. 1t was a self-confident
voice too, wholly unaffected and sin
cere and wholly without embarrass-
ment.
Then she came close. and Dan saw
the moonlight on her face. And so 1t
came about, whether in dreams or
wakefulness, he could see nothing else
for many hours to come.
The girl who stood in the moonlight
had health. She was simply vibrant
with health. 1t brought light to her
eyes, and a color to her cheeks, and
life and simmer to her moonlit hair.
1t brought curves to her body, and
strength and firmness to her limbs,
and the grace Of deer to her car
rage. Whether she had regular fea-
lures or not Dan would have been I'M
able to state. He didn't even notice
They weren't important when health
was present Yet there was nothing
of the coarse or bold or vOluptuOus
about her. She was just a slender
girl, perhaps twenty years of age and
weighing even less than the figure oc-
casionally to be read in the health
magazines for girls of her height. And
she. was fresh and cool beyond all
words to tell.
And Dan had no decisions about
her attitude toward him. For a long
instant she turned her keen, young
eyes to his white, thin face; and at
once 1t became abundantly evident
that beyond a few girlish speculations
she felt no interest in him. After a
single moment of rather strained, pO-
lite conversation with Dan-just
enough to satisfy her idea of the con-
/ NC1lliUlAb sic UCEbI a mining SilA
hood tale to her father. And she was
still telling it when they reached the
house.
Dan held a chair for her in front of
the fireplace, and she took 1t with en-
tire naturalness. He was careful to
put it where the freight was at IFS
height. He wanted to see its effect on
the flushed cheeks, the soft dark hair.
And then. standing in the shadows, he
simply watched her. With the eye of
an artist he delighted in her gestures,
her ripping enthusiasm, her utter ir-
repressible girlishness that all of time
had not years enough to kill.
Bill stood watching her, his hands
deep in his pockets evidently com
panion of the best. Her father gazed
at her with amused tolerance. And
Dan-he didn't know in just what way
he did look at her. And he didn't have
time to decide. In less than fifteen
minutes, and wholly without warming
she sprang up from her chair and
started toward the door.
"Good Lord 1" Dan breathed. "I1
you make such sudden motions as that
I'll have heart failure. Where are
you going now2"
"Back to my watch" she answered
her tone wholly lacking the personal
note which men have learned TO ex-
pect In the voices of women. And an
instant later the three nf them saw
her retreating shadow as she vanished
among the pines.
Dan had to be helped to bed. The
long ride had been too hard on his
shattered lungs; and nerves and body
collapsed an instant after the door
was closed behind the departing girl
He laughed weakly and begged thell
pardon; and the two men were really
very gentle. They told him. 1t was
their own fault for permitting him t
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