Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-08-19
ggg gDazEyL la--L,B
tIlI toward her home a cNw of men

cut from the neaTDy WoouS, shS a.
once recognized these men as More
lands and Littlefords, and she knew
it meant peace! They didn't recognize
her, because of the distance and the
clothing she wore, and because they
were too busy to pay any particular
attention to her.
Farther out toward Doe river an
other crew of men was at work clear
ing the way for the little narrow
gauge. She heard the sounds Of the
AK and the saw, the hammer and the
steel, and once there came TO her ears
the great dull roar Of exploding dyna-
mite as q cliff was blown clear Of its
foundations.
Miss Elizabeth Littleford smiled
happily. And she had not been happy
for long time. Patricia McLaurln,
with whom she ha dbeen staying, nae
been Kindness itself, but the mother
of Bill Dale, her Bill Dale, had
snubbed her-and besides the longing
for the old home hills was rlotous In
her blood. SO she had come back, run
away at less than q moments notice
as had Bill Dale before her, and how
good 1t seemed to be at home! She
would have gone to see the men, had
il not been that she feared she woulq
he bother.
There was another interesting sight
when she had reached the crest OF
David Moreland's mountain. In the
upper end Of the broad valley, mid
way between the settlement" and the
opening of the Moreland coal vein, two
large buildings were we'll along III
their course of construction.
She put down her bundle Of cloth
ing, shaded her eyes with her hand,
ind tried to find Bill Dale among the
builders. But the distance was too
great; a man down there was but u
mere speck. e. Before she went on.
she removed her shoes and stockings.
II was hard for Babe Littleford to be.
come accustomed to wearing useless
shoes and stockings in warm weather
When she had reached the foot OF
the mountain, she didn't take the by.
path her people had been wont TO use
in order that they might avoid con
tact with the Morelands. There was
no need of avoiding contact with the
Morelands now, thank goodness
Then q voice hailed her from the
laurels out at her right, the voice she
loved better than any other
Hello, Miss Llttleford!"
Babe stopped and faced him, and
she blushed furiously when she saw
him. He was coming rapidly toward
her with his hat in his hand, and his
brown hair was rumpled and damp
with perspiration. She saw that he
was In boots and corduroys, the cloth.
ing of timber-jack, and he looked
bigger In them; about his waist there
was a cartridge-belt, from which hung
q big and dependable looking revolver
in leathcrn holster.
Hello, Mister Dale!" she mimicked.
lie shook her hand, then he dropped
10 a moSS-covered log that lay beside
the narrow trail.
"Sit down here beside me-" he said
and he added: "Pve been going hard
all day, and I'm 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 displcased.
"Cause," she answercd-and she
corrected herself quickly, 81 mean be
cause"
"No reason whatever" smiled Dale.
well" and her clear brown eyes
looked at him squarely, Il come back
because yore mother she said | would
hc a burden to Mis- McLaurfn, that's
Why"
Mrs. Mcl.aurin," said Dale; mot
Mis- McIaurln."
"a burden to Mrs. McLaurin, and i
amt a1goin' to be burden to no
body" vehcncntly. In Il softer voice,
she went on, Mrs. Mcl.aurn and her
husband and her folks has done made
UP friendly, Bill Dale. Mr1 Mcl-au-
rims pap mean her father-he
brung 'em big lot o silver
bill Dale, l had a big time! Every
body liked me but yOre own maw--l
mean yOre mother. My goodness
gracious-thcy dress awful fine, don't
they? Why, silk amt nothin'. But
whar all O. their money comes from, l
shore CANT see. Say, | showed some
o. Pats friends how 10 dance our old
hill, dances, and the whole town was
crazy about 'cm when left. Jimmy
Fayne is awful goOdlookin' and rich,
ain't he, Bill? He liked me bctter'n
any of 'em, less it WAS Pat herself
You know Jimmy, don't ye, Bill:"
Dale nodded, frOwncd, and turned
his sober gaze toward the toes of his
high laced boots. Yes, lie knew Jimmy
Faync, and he held him in contempt.
The pampeNd son Of wealthy cotton
Spcculator, weak, devoted 10 high
nights, remarkably handsome to ro-
mantle and unsophiSticatcd girls but
not to men and women who had cut
their Observation-Disclosures was jimmy