Licking Valley courier., 1921-11-17

"Ef 1t was any use TO ye to pray,
Carlyle" he said, and, his voice was
shaking and hoarse and choked, "rd
give ye time. But 1t amt no use at all.
Look up. Face 1t. Try to be man TO
one second In yore low-dOwn life"
Old Dale raised his head, saw David
Morelani's brother, and realized all
there was to realize. His eyes widened
q little; then look Of relief fitted
across his heavy cOuntenance.
"Shoot and even up the score" he
said bravely. and his head was high.
According to yeur code, 1t is 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 X. Carlyle say that which he had
just said. It had never entered his
mind that John X. Carlyle could be
serry.
Then the great and 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 figure carved In stone. Now she
sprang to her feet and went between
MOreland and his ancient enemy.
"Put at gun down-wait ontel 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:
ut wasn't Newton Wheatley at put
up the money to start yore coal mine
a-goln' 1t was this man here And the
Alexander Crayfield Coal corpration-
which has been a-payln' you two prices
10, yore cOal-that was this man here
Mr.. Hayes was his-hls ally through II
all. And he's sorry, John Moreland
this man is-so sorry that he wants to
die; and caln't ye see it, John More.
landT
She caught her breath again and
continued tearfully: "Oh, he don't
desarve to be killed, and eff he did
you're too good man to kill him
He's done pald-you don't know, like
| do, how he's paid. You mustn't
fo'get that. And you mustn't fo'get
Bill Dale, his son. Put down that gun
John Morelandl Yore people is saved
as David wanted 'em saved. Nov
d-d-don't 20 and s-s-spoil It all, 70
Gods sakeP
/ The big mountaineer's eyes wer'
wide with amazement, for Elizabetl
:. Littleford's every word had borne tn,
ring Of truth. He was too dazed t,
, understand her allusl0n to Bill Dal,
as his old enemy's son. The rifle cam
back from across the palings and 1t
steel-shod butt found a place in tn
, snow beside John Moreland's foot.
Slowly John X. Dale arose an,
drew close to him, and then fro1
John K. Dale's soul came pouring tn
!. pent.up anguish Of remorse that ha
. scared 1t through the years. The toI
a rent Of words flowed on, while tn
mountaineer stood rlgldly regardin
him with a strange light In his piert
ing eyes.
l. ~ can't ask you to forgive me,
y Dale finished brOkenly. II don't el
u pect forgiveness; my crime was to
! great But can't you. for the sake Q
y , the boy. let me. keep on trying
!. .. atone for ny sinT'
y John Moreland looked long an
searchingly into the face Of the pleat
:, ing man before him. The bite
:. struggle that was going on within hi
= was mlrrored on his rugged coul
tenance. But gradually the bitterness
10 faded; his huge frame trembled; /
put hand slowly down on the other
/. shoulder.
!. "The boy" he muttered-"Bin Dal,
D. IL he yore boyf Yore name was Ca
Il lyle then"
II my boy, yes-my boy. Bill Dal
N Carlyle is an old family name. n
father was at the head Of q big co
concern; be sent me down here I
cognito to get line on the MorelaI
81 vein. Maybe he thought the pri
would be high II II we're known thi
he wanted 1t; don't know. IL can
remember"
II Ben Littleford's daughter w
H watching closely. hoping against hop
II praying to heaven with all her hear
II and then she saw John X. Dale pl
IL bis right hand up 70 John MorelanA