Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1921-10-20
By Hapsburg Liebe

you that-that will make you think
almost nothing Of mer'
Young Dale frowned. "WhGt is it?"
I'D rather he'd tell you about it.
Bill Dale, don't think 1 could bear
to tell you myself"
She turned and was about to hasten
away, when he called to her:
swat !"-and she waiteu.
HAS it," he asked, anything to do
with your marriage to Jimmy FayneT'
Nor
He arose and put on his broad
trimmed hat. "Tll admit" he smiled,
that I'm worse than granny oman
for poking my nose into other peoples
affairs-when are you going to ma1-y
Jimmy, Babe?"
The answer came quickly: 'Never." !"
"Neverl"
"Never," repeated Elizabeth, very
quietly.
"Never?" pursued Dale.
"Neverl" cried Elizabeth, exasper-
ated.
"Goodness!" laughed Dale. you're
dramatic, or vehement, or both. May
1 walk home with you, Babe?"
Yes, sir,' promptly, "if you want
to-"
They set out across the snow-cov-
cred meadows, and neither spoke an
other word until they had reached
Ben Littleford's log house. The girl
looked at him Queerly as they en-
tered. After he knew
Old Dale still sat before the fire
and near him sat silent John More,
land. Old Dale motioned toward an
inside door.
"Please close it, Elizabeth" he re.
quested, and she Obeyed. Nov I
down. I've got something to tell the
three of you. And fancy it will in.
terest all of you"
The two who had just come in tool
chairs at the fireside. After a mo
ment, John K. Dale began:
you've often wondered, Bill, about
that savage streak-as you choose tC
call it-that is in you. You inherited
it. Much of that which we are, it i:
claimed, is inherited, and it must bt
correct; like begets like, of course
But there is no savage streak in you
Bill. You are hot-headed, that's all
Your virtues overbalance that. by far
l have never seen another man VIII,
had. a greater love for honesty anC
| fair play, or a greater hatred for al
that is hollow and false, or more cour
age to stick up for. that which seem
to be right, than you. Now I'll tel
you how you came by those fine quail
tiles and the hot-headedness-"
Elizabeth Lfttleford sat wide-eyed
tense, half breathless. If he meant t,
tell it, why didn't he tell it! Why dit
he beat about the bush like that?
"Bin, this is hard for me. 1t bring
back ia terrible thing. You know abou
David Moreland. ;. When l awok
that morning and found him lyin
dead at my crazed, drunken hands,
wished that l, too, were dead
That great and silent wilde zcs
smothered me. imagined that 1 coul
hear voices calling to me, saying
"'Cain! Cain!'
"They came from the laurel thickets
from the trees overhead, from tn
ground, from everywhere. You see,
wasn't all bad, even in my wildcat
days. Then l thought of the law, an
ran.
But the cry of child from th
cabin 1 was leaving halted me befor
l had gone thirty yards. David Mort
lands wife had left him with bah
only a few weeks old, which l didn
pay any particular attention to unit
that morning, that black morning. A
that time there was no other hous
for miles around. l couldn't leave tt
crild there to die of starvation, aftt
killing its father. So l went back an
got the baby, and all its clothing, an
took it away with me. l left it at
farmhouse down in the owland, an
went to another city, and started lii
afresh. :.
"But later 1 married, and short
after that 1 went to the farmer ar
persuaded him to let me adopt Il
child. 1 brought it up as my own, al
educated it, as a sort of compensate
And l came to love it. But it w,
years before my wife loved it. 81
didn't like children then. But she do
now. She is paying now, and l a
paying. Don't you understand, Bill
don't you understand"
There was choke in his voice [
= ward the last Bill Dale went to b
/. feet. His eyes were wide, but he d
h not seem unhappy; and for that Eliz
beth was grateful. John Moreland S
4 as still, with his bearded. viking ia
as expressionless as though he HI
known it all along.
"And so l really am in my oy
:. : country" cried Bill Dale. 81 am
! Moreland, and the Morelands real
are my own people"
y Eyes, you are in your own COUNT
and you are a Newfoundland yo
baby name was David" said John
Dale.
1t was then that John Morela
spoke.
# "Bill, when I fust seed .ou, y
N made me think O. my brother the d
1. he was married. / amt never fo's
~ that. 1 sartainly amt surprised no
4 at ALL We didn't know about
e. baby. Cherokee Joe told me the ba
2, had died."
is "And now, son." pleaded old Da
al his voice breaking, "say that you f
id give me-"
lie Bill Dale, David Moreland's b.
knelt beside the old sheepskin-lir
rocker, took the old coal kings ha
m in both his own and bent his he
lie over it.
is Its all right" he said thickly. 81
all right"
Id Elizabeth Littleford arose and st
rd blindly out of the house. Her fo
Id steps led her. quite without her re
d. izing where she was going, across
Id meadow and to the river above
he blOwn-down sycamore. And there