Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1921-03-24
CHAPTER III-Continued.


knowledge of life itself that the noun
tninccr has. simply because he does
not see IL ia the raw. And he has not
half the intimate knowledge of death,
an absolute requisite of sclf-com-
pn>ure. The mountainccr knows life
In lis simple phases with little tradi-
tion or convention Ia blur the vision.
Death is n very intimate acquaintance
that may hr met in any Snuwdrift, on
any rocky trail; and these conditions
are very deadly 10 any decisions that
he has in regard To himself. lie ac-
quircS nm ability Ia see just where he
stands. and of course that means self
possession. This quality had something
Ia do with the remarkable record that
IN" mountain men, such aS that ma=-
niiicent warrior from Tennessee. made
In the late war.
CrauSton knew exactly what Snow
bird would do. Although of n higher
order she WAS mountain creature,
even aS himself. She meant exactly
what She said Ii he hadn't climbed
from Dams prone body, she would
have shot quickly and very straight. If
hc tried 10 attack either of them now.
her finger would press back before he
could blink an eye, and she wouldn't
weep any hysterical tears over his
dead body. If he kept his distance.
she wouldn't shoot at all. lie meant
Ia keep his distance. But he did know
that he could insult her without dam
ger la himself. And by now his lips
had acquired their old curl of Scorn
'I'n 90. Snowhird." he said. iii
leave you with your Sissy But | guess
you saw what | did 10 HMM two
minutes"
"a saw. But you must remember
he's sick. Now 20"
If he's sick. let him stay in bed
aid have Wet nurse. Maybe you can
be that"
The lids dropped halfway over her
gray eyes. and the slim finger curlrd
more tightly about the trigger. ooh.
I wish | could shoot you. Bert :" she
said. She didn't whisper it. or hiss il.
or hurl if. or do any of the things most
people are supposed Ia do in moments
of violent emotion. She simply said
il. and her meaning was all the
clearer
but you can't. And I'll pound that
milk-snp of yours Ia jelly every time
see him. Id think. Snowbird. that
you'd want n man."
lie started up the trail: and then
she did strange thing. Hes more If
a man than You are right n,w. Bert &c
she told him. Hell prove il some
day" Then her arm went about Dan :
neck and lifted his head upon her
breast; and in Cranston'S plain sight.
she bent and kissed him, softly, on
the lips.
CranSton's answer was an oath. /;
dripped from his lips. more poisonous.
more malicious than the venom of a,
snake. His features SaeRcSi to ~
en-. the dark lips drew ava
teeth. No words could has;
him such an effective answer 49,,
little action of hers. And as he turned
up the trail. he called down to l,sr
a name-that most dreadful epithet
that foul tongues have always used
to women held i'm greatest scOrn.
Dan struggled IN her arms. The
kiss on his lips. the instant before.
had not called him out Of his half
consciousness. II had scarcely seemed
s,,as f.,a In, -
full dream. But the word called down
the trail shot out clear and vivid from
the silence, just as n physicians face
viii often leap from the darkness af-
ter tie aneStheSia. Something infinite
~ warm and tender was holding him,
pressing him back against a holy place
that thrOhhed and gave him life and
strength; hut he knew that this word
had 10 be answered. And only actions,
not other words, could be its payment.
All the voices of his body called TO
him TO lie still, hut the voices of the
spirit. those higher. nobler prOmptings
from which no man. To the glory Of
the breed from which he sprung can
ever quite escape. were stronger yet.
lie tugced upward, straining. But he
didn't even have the strength to break
the hold that the soft arm had about
his neck.
"Oh, If I could only pull the trig-
GER" she was crying. IF could
only kill him"
let me- he pleaded. "Give me
the pistol. I'll kill him"
And he would. There was no finch
ing I'm the gray eyes that looked IN
10 her. She leaned forward. as If 10
put the weapon in his hands, but at
once drew IL back. And then a single
sob caught AT her throat. An instant
later they heard Cranston's laughter
as he vanished around the turn of the
trail.
For long minutes the two of them
were still. The girl still held the mans
head upon her breast. The pistol had
fallen in the pine needles. and her
nervous hand plucked strangely al the
leaves Of a mountain flower. To Dams
eyes. there was something tranceIike.
n hint of paralysis and insenSIbility
about her posture. He had never seen
her eyes like this. The light that he
had always beheld in them had van
ished. Their utter darkness startled
him.
He sat up straight, and her arm that
had been about his neck felt at her
side. He took her hand firmly in his.
and their ewes met
I'VE must go home. SnOwbird." he
told her simply. I'm not so badly
hurt but that I can make IT,"
She nodded; but otherwise scarcely
seemed 10 hear. Her eyes still flowed
with darkness And then, before his
own eyes. their dark pupils began to
contract. The hand he held filled and
throbbed with life and the fingers
closed around his. She leaned toward
him.