Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-09-23


catch the l0reman's words
Not guilty"
wild shout rose from the leathery
throat Of the happy BY Heck. The
MorGl3nds and the LittlefOrdS cheered
until they were hoarSe. Sheriff Tom
Flowers had difficulty in Quicting the
tumut. Bill Dale shook hands until
his shoulders ached. The Balls and
their relatives bitter with resentment
and hatred, stole out, were given their
rifles, and went toward the big hills
with the eye Of the militia hard upon
them.
Then the Morelands and the Little.
rords and the Ilecks, with Dale and
his mining man Hayes came out. and
they, too, started for the big hills.
Dale had hired a horse and II side
saddle for Ben LittlefOrd'S daughter,
and the two rode In each others COM
pany on the journey home. When they
were well into the mountains, Dale
drew his horse over close to that of
his companion.
AS soon as | can build and furnish
-" he began, when Elizabeth inter
rupted:
Were ridin' too fast. We're too
much ahead o the others. One o them
Balls might try to pick you off with
his rifle gun"
Not much danger of that" Dale re-
piled The Balls have already been
warned about Sniping; your father told
them that their very name would he
secured off the earth if there was any
Sniping. Besides, BY Heck Is acting
as advance guard somewhere ahead OF
u.s."
He continued, "AS soon as | can
build and furnish little house out
near the mine, l waht you to marry
me, Babe. VIII you?"
Elizabeth Littleturd seemed not to
have heard.
"Will you, Babe?"
Size faced him sadly. He saw In
her hazel eyes the same queer light
of tragedy that he had seen there Il
day or two before; and now. as then
he wondered what it could mean.
Tell me. Babe"
Her head fell forward. The sunlight
found glnts Of gold in her thick chest.
nut-brOwn hair. She was silent for a
moment; then her voice came duly:
"I'd better not marry you, Bill Dale"
Dale sat up straight and rigid In
his saddle and stared hard at her sol
emnly beautiful profile. He could
hardly believe that he had heard cor
rectly He knew she loved him. She
had told him that she loved him. Then
why wouldn't she marry him? He
tried to reason it out, and the attempt
made his brain ache; he was unable
to reason. He knew only that she was
all of the future to him, all Of the
world to him, and-that she had re-
fused to marry him.
When they were within two miles
Of home, Dale went suddenly waite
and caught her almost rudely by a
wrist.
rs it Jimmy Fayne?" he demanded
holly.
She gave him reproaChful glance
and said nothing. He flung her hand
from him angrily.
Dale did not speak again until they
had entered the broad valley that was
home TO him. Somehow he felt limp
now. The great wave Of anger had
passed.
Il guess you ere too good for me"
he said. There was weakness in his
voice, and it was the first weakness
she had ever known in him.
"Win you always think Of me as
the finest and most beautiful woman
in the world?" she asked.
always"
"It's the best ! can hope for" muir
INJURED Elizabeth.
"What do you meanT
Its the best i can h'pc for" ElIzs
beth repeated rs though she wlIe ta;h'
ing to herself.
They rode on IN silence.
There was no sleep for Bill Dale that
night The sweetness of his liberty
had all been taken away by H"be Lit
teford'S refusal to marry him. lie
became bitter toward her again. Size