The Belding banner-news., 1921-10-05
CHAPTER X

The Barbarian Princess Goes Home.
Miss Elizabeth Littleford beheld an
Interesting sight when she alighted
from a northbound afternoon train at
the Halfway switch Just below the
long siding shorter siding had been
put rt-the railway company had been
FASTENED. no doubt, by the great in
fuence of old Newton Wheatley-and
from il had been unloaded small
geared locomotive. dozen or so OF
little coal cars opening at the bottom,
and miles OF light steel rails with kegs
of spikes for them.
OUT toward her home crew of men
worked like bees at the building of
trestIe OF round timbers that had been
cut from the nearby woods; she at
once recognized these men as More
lands and Littlefords, and she knew
il 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.
rarTner out toward Doe river am
iher 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 10 her ears
the great duh roar of exploding dyna-
mite as "A cliff was blown clear OF its
foundations.
Miss Elizabeth Littleford smiled
happily. And she had not been happy
FOR long time Patricia McLaurin,
with whom she ha dbeen staying, had
been kindness itself, but the mother
of Bill Dale. her Bill Dale. had
snubhed her--and besides the longing
for the old home hills was riotous in
her blood. So she had come back, run
away at less than a moments notice
as had Bill Dale before her, and how
good il seemed to he at home She
would have gone To see the men, had
il not been that she feared size would
he "A 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 well along in
their course of construction.
She put down her bundle of cloth
ing. shaded her eyes with her hand.
and tried to find Bill Dale among the
builders. But the distance was too
mere speck. =. 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 i'm 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 a voice hailed her from the
laurels out at her right, the voice she
loved better than any other
"Hello, Miss Littleford 20
Babe stopped and faced him, and
she blushed furiously whes she saw
him. He was coming rapidly toward
her with Ills hat in his hand, and his
brown hair was rumpled and damp
with perspiration. She saw that he
was I'm 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
big and dependable looking revolver
In leathern holster.
"Hello, Mister Dale :" she mimicked.
He shook her hand. then he dropped
to moss-covered log that lay beside
the narrow trail.
"Sit down here beside me- he said !;
and he added: I've 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. Babey" he
asked as though he were displeased.
"'Cause.' she answered--and she