The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1921-05-12
| The Voice of the Pack
BY EDISON MARSHALL
By EDISON MARSHALL
Copyright. 1920. by Little. Brown g. Co.

the mountain men are not saved BY
their women without mourning obliga-
ton. She attempted no barren de-
malls. She made no effort TO pretend
he had not incurred a tremendous debt
when she had come with her pistol. II
was an unavoidable fact. A life for
q life is the code of the mountains.
1.-TWO things | must do before I can
ever dare to die" he told her soberly.
"One of them is to pay you the other
Is TO pay Cranston for the thing he
said. Maybe the chance will never
come for the first of the two; only I'll
pray that it will. Maybe 1t would be
kinder TO you to pray that il wouldn't;
yet | pray that II will! Maybe | can
pay that debt only by being always
ready, always watching for a chance
TO save you from any danger, always
trying to protect you. You didn't
come In time to see the fight | made.
Besides-I lost, and little else mat
tiers. And that debt TO you can't be
paid until sometime l fight again-for
you-and VIM He gaspad from his
weakness. but went ON bravely. I'm
never be able to feel at peace, Snow
bird. until I'm tested in the fire before
your eyes! I want to show you the
things Cranston said Of me are not
true-that my courage will stand the
test.
1T wouldn't be the same, perhaps,
with an Eastern girl. Other things
matter in the valleys. But | see how
1t is here; that there is only one
standard for men and by that stand
ard they rise or fall. Things In the
mountains are down to the essen
tails"
He paused and struggled foi
strength TO continue. and / know
what you said to him." he went on
"Half-unconscious as I was. I remem
Der every word. Each word just scent
to burn into me-, Snowbird, and I'll
make every one of them good. You
said | am a better man than he, and
sometime 1t would be ~proved-and it's
the truth Maybe in a month. maybe
in a year. I'm not going TO die from
this malady of mine now, Snowbird.
I've got too much to live for-too
many. debts to pay. In the end, I'll
prove your words to him."
His eyes grew earnest, and the hard
fire went out of them. "It's almost as
If you were a queen, a real queen OF
some great Kingdom" ne told her,
tremulous with a great awe that was
CfnoIfn, nx-nr him nS N mist ctaaIc nuav
water. "And because | had kissed
your fingers, for ever and ever | wa
your subject, living only to fight your
fghts-maybe with a dream in the
end to kiss your fingers again. Wher
you bent and kissed me on that hill
side-for him to sect was the same
that I was sworn TO you, and nothing
mattered in my life except the servict
and love I could give you. And It.
more than You ever dream. Snowbird
It's all yours, for your battles and
your happiness"
The great pines were silent above
them, shsniowed and dark. Perhaps
they we're listening to IN age-old
st.ry. those vows of service and self
gained worth by which the race has
struggled upward from the darkness.
"But / kissed y%ou--once before
she reminded him. The voice was
just a whisper, hardly louder than the
stir Of the leaves In the wind.
.But that kiss didn't count" he told
her. at wasn't at all the same. ]
loved you then. I think, but 1t didn't
mean what 1t did today"
"And what" she leaned toward
him, her eyes full on his. "does II
mean nowf"
"All that's worth while In life. all
| that matters when everything is said
| that can be said. and all is done that
can be done. And 1t means, please
God, when the debts are paid, that ]
may have such a kiss again."
"Not until then" she told him,
whispering.
"Until then, I make oath that ]
won't even ask II, or receive II II You
should give II. 1t goes TOO deep, dear.
est-and 1t means too much"
This was their pact. Not until the
debts were paid and her word made
good would those lips he his again.
| There was no need for further words.
Both Of them knew.
In the skies. the gray clouds were
gathering swiftly. as always In the
mountains. The raindrops were fall
ing one and one. over the forest. The
summer was done. and fall had come
In earnest.
.CTo BE coNrINUED.)