The Dolores star., 1921-06-24
The Voice of the Pack
BY EDISON MARSHALL.
RV EDISON MARSHALL
Copyright. 1870. BY Little. Brown . ,

'""u Ca "
the mountain men are not saved \, e
their women without incurring oblI,,
ton. She attempted no barren a. e
mails. She made no effort to pre,s,t n
he had not incurred a tremendou, A.. &
when she had come with her pIs,o + q
was an unavoidable fact. A lifs 4.
a life is the code of the mountains 4
"Two things I must do before n,
ever dare to die" he told her sober, n
zone OF them is to pay you; the 9TH, +
is to pay Cranston for the thing 4.
said. Maybe the chance will nev,
come for the first Of the two; only m
pray that 1t will. Maybe It would n il
kinder to you to pray that 1t wouldn't,
yet l pray that It Will! Maybe ca, d
pay that debt only by being alwsu
ready, always watching for chans
to save you from any danger, alwau
trying to protect you. You dldDt 4
come in time to see the fight mad.
Besides-I lost, and little else maj,
ters. And that debt to you cant h.
paid until sometime fight again-tr H
you-and win" He gasped from hs
weakness. but went on bravely. "I
never be able to feel at peace, Snow. Z
| bird, until I'm tested In the fire befor i
your eyes! I want to show you Ii.
things Cranston said OF me are pe
true-that my courage will stand Ii. {
test.
1T wouldn't be the same, perhan
with an Eastern girl Other thina
matter In the valleys. But | see hoz (
1t is here; that there is only ou
standard for men and by that stand
mountains are down to the essen
tials."
He paused and struggled 70 +
strength to continue. "And | kno7
what you said to him." he went o.
"Half-unconsclous as was, | remen
ber every word Each word Just seea
TO burn Into me, Snowbird. and n /
make every one of them good. YG
said am better man than he, ani
sometime It would be proved-and iti
|
In year. I'm not going to die frOu
this malady of mine now, Snowbli
I've got too much to live fOr--ioa
many debts to pay. In the end, III
prove your words to him"
His eyes grew earnest, and the har.
fire went out of them. ITS almost ~
II you were a queen, n real queen O
some great kingdom" he told her,
tremulous with great awe that wa'
stealing over him. as mist steals oys
water And because I had kissed
your fingers, for ever and ever | wai
your subject, living only to fight your
fights-maybe with a dream In tn.
end to kiss your fingers again. When
you bent and kissed me on that hill
side-for him to sect was the same:
that I was sworn TO you. and nothing
mattered In my life except the seryis
and love I could give you. And 10
more than you ever dream. Snowbird
It's NIL yours. for your battles an.
your happiness"
The great pines were silent above
them. shadowed and dark. perhaps
they were listening to an nge-oA
story. those vows of service and self
gained worth by which the race hs'
struggled upward from the darkness
But I kissed you--once before
she reminded him. The voice wal
just whisper, hardly louder than Tx
stir of the leaves in the wind.
But that kiss didn't count" he toll
her. "It wasn't at all the same.
loved you then. think. but 1t didn'
mean what 1t did today"
"And what" she leaned towar
him, her eyes full on his, "does
mean now?"
IAN that's worth while In life, al
that matters when everything is saR
that can be said. and all is done thu
can he done. And 1t means, pleas
God, when the debts are paid, that
may have such kiss again."
mot until then" she told hin
whispering.
Until then. make oath that
won't even ask 1t, or receive 1t II yo
should give 1t. 1t goes too deep, deaf
est-and 1t means too much"
This was their pact. Not until ID
debts were paid and her word mad
good would those lips be his agalr
There was no need for further words
Both Of them knew.
In the skies, the gray clouds wef
gathering swiftly, as always in h
mountains. The raindrops were fall
Ing one and one, over the forest. Tn
summer was done. and fall had com
In earnest.
CTo BE coNTINuED.)