American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1921-04-08

for n. | came TO your aid-end
Won must come 10 mime"
Her fingers no longer clasped his.
strength had come back to him, and
his fingers closed down until the blood
went out Of hers. hut she was wholly
unconscious of the pain. In reality,
she was conscious OF nothing except
the growing flame in his face. 1t held
her ewes In passionate fascination. His
pupils were contracting to little bright
dots In the gray ir.ses. The jaw was
setting, ms she had never e II be-
fore.
"Do you think, Snowbird, thai you'd
even have TO ask mel" he. demanded.
Don't you think I underestimate And
II won't be In your defense-oniy my
W duty"
"But he is so strong-and you are
so weak"
II won't be so weak forever, ] new
err really cared much about living be-
fore. I'll try now, and you'll see
oh. Suowhird, wait and trust me:
understand everything. It's my own
lght-when you kissed me, and he
cried down that word In anger and
jealousy. II put the whole thing on me.
No one else can make him answer; no
one else has the right. IT'S my honor.
no one else's, that stands or falls"
Tie lifted her hand to his lips n
kissed II again and again.
And for the FIRST time he saw the
tears gathering In her dark yes. But
YOU fought here. didn't you, Danf"
she asked with painful slowness. YOU
didn't put up your arms-or try to
run awayp | didn't come till he had
you done. so ! didn't see" She looked
M him ms II her whole Joy OF life hung
on his answer.
oFoughtl I would have fought TN
! | diedl But that isn't enough. SNOW
bird. II Isn't enough just TO hght, in
n case like this. A mans got 20 win
| would have died II you hadn't come.
And that's another debt that ! have
10 pay-only that debt I owe 10 you"
she nodded slowly. The lives OF
the mountain m~n are not sayed by
their women without mourning ohltAa-
ton. She attempted no barren de-
mails. She made no effort 10 pretend
he had not Incurred o tremendous debt
when she had come with her pistol. 1t
was nm unavoidable fact, A life for
n NE IL the code OF the mountains.
'rwo things | must do before ] can
ever dare 20 die" he told her soberiy,
"one Of them In 20 pay you the other
Is 20 pay Cranston for tho thing he
said. Maybe the chance will never
come for the iirsv OF the two; only III
pray that Il will. Maybe II would be
kinder to you to pray that II wouldn't
yet | pray that II viii Maybe chr
pay that debt only by being always
ready, always watching for a chanc'
10 n you from any danger, niwayl
' trying 10 protect you. You didn'
/, come In time TO see the fight ! made
a Besides--I lost, and little else mat
: ters. And that dobt 20 you a b.
, paid until sometime ! fight ngain--fo
|, you-and win" He gasped from hi
weakness, but went on Drnvely. TT
a never be able TO feel ut peace, Snow
! bird. until I'm tested In the fire befor
, your eyesl want 10 show you th
things Crnnston said of me are no
true-that my courage win stand IN
a test.
ut wouldn't be the same, perhaps
n with an Eastern girl. Other thing
mntter In the valleys. But ! see h0'
=, II IL here: that there IL only on
= standard for men and by that stanC
= ard they rise or fall. Things In th
mountains are down to the esseI
tails"
lie pnused and struggled n
~ strength 10 continue. And ! kno'
\, what you said to him." he went ~
" "Hnif-unconsclous ns ! was, ! relnen
>, Der every word. Each word Just seen
., TO burn into me. SnowOird. and J.
A make every one OF them good. 70
!. snid I am a better man than he, m
~ sometime II would be proved-and II
- the truth Maybe In Il month, mnyi
= In o year. I'm not going 10 die fro
10 this mhiHdy Of mine now, SnOwbir
N I've got too much 20 live for-t'
"a many debts 10 pay. In the end. 7
prove your words 10 him"
"A His eyes grew earnest, and the hal
fire went ont Of them. "Tt's almost
M II You were n queen, a rehi queen
some great Kingdom" he old he
tremulous with n great awe that VI
stealing over him, as n mist steals oy
he wnter. "And because ! had kiss
Iv your fingers, for ever and ever ] W
your subject, living only 10 fight 20
,Iv ~nRhts-mnybe with n dream In Z
cd end 10 Kiss your fingers again. WI
,is you bent and kissed me on hat hi
10 side-fOr him 20 see-it was the sam
nd that ! was sworn 10 you. and nothi
.rs mattered In my life except the servl
I'd md love I could give you. And
more than you eyer dream, snowbil
~. ffs all yours. for your battles a
No your happiness"
The great pines were silent abo
,v. them. shndowed and dark. Perhn
they we're listening TO an nge-'
- -. ,..sa - aaryfra and a.