Licking Valley courier., 1921-11-17
CHAPTER XIX.
A Perfect Gross.

On the floor of the richly.furnlshed
library Of the Dale home, near q west
window, Miss Elizabeth Littleford sat
reading by the fast fading light Of an
early March afternoon. Somehow she
liked to sit on the floor. and always she
liked to read; for one thing, books
helped her to forget that she was
lonely.
There were footsteps behind her.
soft footsteps because Of the thick vel.
vet carpet; then low voice inquired:
Aren't you afraid you will injure
your eyes, Elizabeth Better have Q
light, hadn't you. dearT The old coal
king turned toward the switch on the
wall.
"Nop she answered quickly. "rm
through reading for tsday. and like
this twilight"
Her improvement In speech and In
manners had gone on at a surprisingly
rapid rate. She rarely spoke with any
but the simplest words. but she never
fell int anything more than bare sem.
blance Of the old drawllng hill dialect
unless II was while she was under the
stress Of some strong emotion.
She closed the book and looked up
with eyes that we're Ike the frst stars
In q summer sky. Her beauty was
wonderful; II was finer and sweeter
than II bad ever been before.
Old Dale stood looking thoughtfully
Into her upturned face. He was a lit
tie pale, and he seemed troubled and
uneasy.
Elizabeth shook her head. "You'rS
worrying agalnl"
He dropped into q nearby chair.
leaned slowly forward and let one
hand fall gently on her thick and silky
chestnut-brown hair.
II WISH" he said as though to him.
seelf, shat had a daughter like you"
he took his hand from her head, lay
back wearily In his chair and closed
his eyes. Then he bent forward again.
"Tbe MoreIands, Ellzabeth-they'vs
moyed away from the settlement,
haven't theyf"
yes; Bill Dale has done wonderful
things for themi" the girl answered.
John K. Dale was silent for a mo-
ment, after which he said suddenly: ~
want to see my son; there Is something
I must tell him. VIII you 20 with me
Elizabethf'
"0f course. I'll 90 with you"
She thought she knew what II wal
that stirred him. BY intuition, supple
mented by Bill Dale's occasional cryp
tic utterances. and pleced out by hill
tradition, Elizabeth Littleford gradu
ally had come into possession Of the
old coal mans grim secret.
Neither Of them knew that Johr
Moreland was then visiting his beloved
old hills for the sake Of some shooting
The following day John K. Dale anC
Elizabeth LIttleford allghtea from 1
northbound passenger train of tn,
Halfway switch. The. .pouataiss wer'
covered With three Inches Of snow, an'
the hemlock and pines bore heavy bur
dens Of the beautiful white stun; bu
the air was still, aad It wasA't yer.
cold.
YOU'D get your clothing all blacl
on the coal train,", Dale said to hi
companion, $50 you'd rather walk over
wouldn't your Anyway, the train Ism
here. I'm good for six miles. | think.
"Yes," smiled Ben Httleford'
daughter, "Td rather waikiki your
sure that six miles won't be too muc
for you"
Together. with the girl leading III
way, they set out across David More
lands mountain. The old trail shove
not one footprint ahead Of them;
was moi so much used now. They sal
little. Each thought their own thoughts
and neither cared to speak them I
the other.
Just before they reached the mouI
taln's crest. they passed group Q
snow'laden pines that concealed biI
br0wn.heurded man who had bee
stenlthlly following the trail of Ion
wild turkey, He wore khaki huntinj
clothes and high laced hoots and ther
was O certain English fneness Nbol
: him. In his bare hands he carried
repeating rlse which marked him q
one born " Ne kAs lowlandC
would have had chake.hored shotgun
y When he saw John K. Dale b
stopped suddenly II might have bee
lnlulllnn. or II might have been sheS