The Ordway new era., 1921-11-18


head swan as she bent forward to
catch the forcman's words
Not guilty!"
\ wild shout rose from the leathery
throat of the happy BY Heck. The
Morelands and the Littlefords checred
until they were hoarse. Sheriff Tom
Flowers had difficulty in quieting the
tumult. Bill Dale shook hands until
his shoulders ached. The Balls and
their relatives, bitter with resentment
and hatred. stole out, We're given their
rifles, and went toward the big hills
with the eye of the militia hard upon
them.
Then the Morelands and the Little
fords and the Hecks, with Dale and
his mining man Hayes, came out, aud
they too, started for the big hills.
Dale had hired d horse and 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:
We're ridln' too fast. We're too
much ahead o. the others. One o them
Balls might try to pick you Oft with
his rifle gun
Not much danger of that." Dale re-
Piled THE Balls have already been
warned about snlping your father told
Il Ian.
secured OFF the earth if there was any
snlping. Besides, BY Heck is acting
as advance guard somewhere ahead Of
US"
He continued, AS soon as l can
build and furnish a little house ont
near the mine, want you to marry
me. Babe. VIII you?'
Elizabeth Littleford seemed not to
have heard.
"Will you, Babe:"
she faced him sadly. He saw in
her hazel eyes the same queer light
of tragedy that he had seen there
day or two before; and now, as then,
he wondered what it could mean.
Tel me. Baber'
Her head fell forward. The sunlight
found glints of gold in her thick chest
nut-brown hair. She was silent for
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 We're within two miles
of home, Dale went suddenly white
and caught her almost rudeiy by
wrist.
rs it Jimmy Fayne?" lie demanded
hotly.
She gave him reproachful glance
and said nothing. He flung her hand
from him angrily.
Dale did not speak again until they
ldu thAtlFb tht bIOuh NdlatS lIlul WIS
home to him. Somehow he felt limp
now. The great wave of anger had
passed.
II guess you are too good for me. !"
he said. There was weakness in his
voice, and it was the first weakness
she had ever known in him.
"Will you always think of me as
the finest and most beautiful woman
in the wOrldf" she asked.
Always"
ITS the best can hope for" muir
INJURED Elizabeth.
"What do you mean?'
ITS the best ] can hope for" Eliza
beth repeated as though she were talk
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 Babe Lit
! tleford's refusal TO marry him. He
| became bitter toward her again. She
| had been exceedingly unfair to him :
| while she really loved him, she was
| going TO marry Jimmy Fayne because
he had so much money. She was un-
| grateful to him: it was through him
| that she was being educated, being
| lifted out of her uncouth and Hitter
ate self and set on higher social and
intellectual plane. All lie had ever
heard Of the sO-called unfathomable
mystery of womankind he now be-
lieved, and more. All this, of course,
was unworthy. But Bill Dale was in
| tensely human, and TO be human is
| to be unworthy.
1t turned cold that night. A little
before noon OF the next day, By Heck
| slammed infn the Mnraland GnaI cnm.