The Snyder signal. (Snyder, Tex.) 1887-????, 1921-09-02

trimmed nat. TIT admit" he smiled
that I'm worse than granny woman
for poklng my nose into other peoples
aifairs-when are you going TO marry
Jimmy, BabeY'
The answer came quickly; Never
Never"
Never" repeated Elizabeth, yer,
quietly.
"NeverT" pursued Dale.
Never" cried Elizabeth, exasper,
a,ed.
Goodness {" laughed Dale. You're
dramatic, or vehement. or both. May
walk home with you. Babe?"
Yes, sir promptly, III you want
TO-"
They set ont across the snow-cov-
cred meadows, and neither spoke an.
other word until they had reached
ben l.lttletord's log house. The girl
hooked at him Queerly as they en-
tered. After he knew
and near him sat silent John More.
land. old Dale motioned toward an
inside door.
please close It. Elizabeth he re.
Quested. and she obeyed. Now sit
down. Eve got something TO tell the
three Of YOU. And ! fancy II will in.
terest all OF you"
The Two who had just come In took
chairs az the freside. After a mo
nent, John X. Dale began:
you've Often wondered, Bill, about
that savage streak-as you choose tn
call it--that is In you. You inherited
IL. Much of that which We are IL j.
claimed is inherited, and IL must be
correct: like begets like, Of course
But there is no savage streak In YOU
Bill. You are hot.headed. that's all
Your virtues overbalance that. by FAR.
have never seen another man who
had n greater love for honesty and
fair play. or n greater hatred for all
that II hollow and false, or more cour.
age 10 stick up for that which seems
to be right, Than you. Now I'll tell
you how Won came by those fine quail
titles aud the hot-headedness-'
Elizabeth Littleford sat wide'eyed,
tense, half GREATNESS. II he meant 10
tell IL, why didn't he tell III Why did
he beat about the bush like ihati
"Bill. This II hard FOR me. IL brings
back d terrible thing. You know about
David Moreland. e.. Wher nwoke
that morning and found him lying
dead at my crazed. drunken hands, ]
wished that |. too. were dead.
That grent and silent wilderness
smothsred ne. ! imagined that ! could
hear voices calling to me, saying
Cain Cain"
"Thoy came from the laurel tbickcts,
from the tree, overhead, from the
ground. from Everywhere You see, !
wasn't ali bad, even In my Wildcats
days. Then | thought OF the law, and
! ran.
But the cry uf y child from the
cabin ! was leaving halted me before
had gone thirty yards. David More
land's wife had left him with Il baby
only few weeks old. which didn't
pay any particular attention To until
that morning that black morning. Al
that time there was no other bouS.
FOR miles around. couldn't leave the
child there 20 die Of starvation, after
killlng it, father. So ! went back and
got the baby, and Az its clothing, and
took it away with me. left II at n
farmhouse TOWN In tho iowland. and
went to another city, and started life
afresh. "
But l.icr / married. aud shortly
after thar went 10 the farmer aud
persuaded bim 60 lct me adopt the
child. brought IL mp rs my own, ana
educated it rs - sort Of compensation
And came 20 love II. But IL was
wears before my wife loved II. She
didn't like children then. But she doe'
how. She j. paying now, and J am
paying. Don't you understand, Bill
don't you underestimate"
There was 20 choke IN his voice 10.
ward The last hin Dale went To hiS
feet. His eyes were wide, hut he did
not seem unhappy and for thar Eliza
beth was grateful John Morelund sat
rs still. with his bearded, viking face
rs eNprcSs.onless rs though he had
known It all along.
"And So ! really am In my own
country g. cried 1911 Dale. 81 am q
Morclaud. and the Morelands really
are my own people,"
Yes. you are in your own country
and YOU are NORTHUMBERLAND your
baby uJuc was David said John Is
bale
It was then that John MoreIant
spoke
"Ril. when fuSt seed you, yor
made me think O. my brother the day
he was married. amt never fO'gol
that ! sariainly amt surprised non'
at all. VI. didn't know about the
baby. Cherokee Joe told me the baby
had died
And now, SON pleaded old Dale