Licking Valley courier., 1921-09-22

was a cartrldge-belt, from which hung
q big and dependable looking revolver
In leathern holster
"Hello, Mister Dale ~ she mimicked.
He shook her hand, then he dropped
to a moss-covered log that lay beside
the narrow trail.
"Sit down here beside me-" he said;
and he added: "Tve been going hard
all day, and Pm pretty tired"
She let fall her bundle and her
shoes and stockings, and obeyed.
"Why did you come back, Babe?" he
asked as though he were displeased.
"Cause," she answered-and she
corrected herself quickly, 81 mean be-
cause"
"No reason whatever" smiled Dale.
"WeD." and her clear brown eyes
lOokOA at him squarely, 81 come back
because yOre mother she said | would
be a burden to Mis- McLaurln, that's
why"
"Nlrs. McLaurln," said Dale; mot
MIS- McLaurln.
"a burden to Mrs. McLaurin, and l
amt a-goin' to be burden to no
bOdyw vehemently. In softer voice,
she went on, Mrs. McLaurin and her
husband and her folks has done made
up friendly, Bill Dale. Mrs. McLau-
rims pap-I mean her father-he
brung 'em big lot o silver
things.
"Bill Dale, had big time Every
body liked me but yore own maw-l
mean yore mother My goodness
graci0us-they dress awful llne, don't
they? Why, silk amt nothin'. But
whar all o their money comes from, |
shore CANT see. Say, showed some
o. Pats friends how to dance our old
hill dances, and the whole town was
crazy about 'em when | left. Jimmy
Fayne Is awful goOd-lOOkin' and rich,
amt he, Bill? He liked me better'n
any of 'em, less it was Pat herself.
You know Jimmy, don't ye, BillT
Dale nodded, frowned, and turned
his sober gaze toward the toes of his
high laced boots Yes, he knew Jimmy
Fayne, and he held him in contempt
The pampered son of wealthy cotton
speculat0r, weak, devoted to high
nights, remarkably handsome to ro
mantle and unsOphisticated girls but
not to men and women who had cut
their wisdom -teeth-that was Jimmy
Fayne.
Babe Littleford was speaking again
81 clded to come back here, Bill
Dale, because ! thought they might
need me here as well as because was
afeard | would be burden to Pat
mean afraid l would be burden t
Pat. Seems like / CANT talk proper
at all I've tried and tried. I've spen
half O. my time jest a-tryin' to tall
proper. Pat, she'd put down words
mustn't say on a sheet o. paper, ant
I'd study 'em. Afeard, shore, pap
cause, amt, haln't-and all o. them
And she'd put down the right word
with 'em SOS I'd know.
"YOre mother was the last to com
to see me. Bill. so this she says t
PAT, is the barbarian princess
didn't know what that meant, but
spect It's somethin' bad. went int
the house, because | didn't want t
say anything, and her yore own moth
er. But | listened, and heard he
say the rest, and this Is 1t:
"What will you do when the ln-ir
innovation wears Off, Patriciay sh
says. Shell be burden to yOl
Patricia; yOu'll have half-savng
person tagging after you, like a lad
bearr
"Thats what II was she said, Bl
Dale. I'm shore they do nee
me here. and | aX ye this, Bill Dale
Are you sorry to see me come backi
"Perhnps they do need you" Dal
slowly stripped the tiny leaves from
fern. "But that Is not sufficient rel
son to warrant your staying here, {
course, I'm not sorry to see you, Bah
But you must 20 back to Patricia vcI
soon. If you had been burden
Patricia, she would have told YOU"
Babe put out foot and idly role
an acorn across the path with oI
bare big toe
"But IL don't think | want TO s
back" she protested. I'D rather stJ
,, here, heap rather"
"But you must go back" declar,
Dale, "You really must"
Ben Littlcford's daughter was
lent For moment she absent
watched the playful antics Of Il lit
+ boomer squirrel on the side Of Il neO
by hickory. Then she arose.
"Loob." she urged-lt was one
D the charming wiles Of hcr-"Look
my new dress. Me and Pat made
every stitch Of II. Don't you think 4
= nlceT
, Sure, It's nice" Dale agreed. "B
= any dress looks nice on you, Babe.
only you'd stick with Mrs. McI.aur
: and let her educate you! v
shouldn't have cared anything abo
what my mother said; my moth
, docsn't always see things In the tr
d., light, lou'll 20 back, won't your
= She bent toward him and ask
pOintedly;
"Blll Dale, what makes you 80 m
lOuS fo' me to gO?"
"BecGuse," readily, 81 want you
have az education"
"Whnt makes you want me to ha
education. Bill nale2"
because you'd be such a splent
woman, n you had an education"
d Babe l.ittlef0rd pursued With chi
" like eagereSg: "And whn; ma.
d yen want me TO be such u s.splent
s wummr
p Dale lifted his gray eyes and 1