Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1921-11-11

LulukIuS, uuLIl TIE mluudy HGd1 was
announced. When the midday meal
was over, he resumed his chair and
sat there thinking, thinking, until the
afternoon was half gone.
Then he called Elizabeth to him.
"Will you go to my son and tell him
wish to see him?" he said. And he
added under his breath: II think it is
best that they should know"
Elizabeth heard that which he had
said to himself as well as she heard
that which he had said to her. Should
know! Know what? She had sud-
den wild fear that Mrs. Dale had
broken her promise never to breathe
word of the truth concerning the
Adam Ball affair. Nevertheless, she
put on her hat and her gloves and
went to Bill Dale's office.
Dale sat with his elbows on his desk
and with his head in his hands. To
all appearances, he was unaware of
the presence Of the girl in the door
way.
She spoke. "Bill!"
He sat up straight and faced her.
He seemed surpriso i.
"Well, Babe?"
"Your father wants you," in a low
voice. Hes got something to tell
you that-that will make you think
almost nothing of met"
Young Dale frowned. what is it?"
I'D rather he'd tell you about it.
Bill Dale, / don't think could hear
to tell you myself"
She turned and was about to hasten
away, when he called to her:
swat !"-and she waited.
HAS it," he asked, anything to do
with your marriage to Jimmy Fayne?'
"No!"
He arose and put on his broad
trimmed hat. "Ill admit" he smiled,
that I'm worse than a granny oman
for poking my nose into other peoples
affairs when are you going to mai "
Jimmy, Babe?"
The answer came quickly: Never"
"Never!"
Never" repeated Elizabeth. very
quietly.
"Never?" pursued Dale.
"Never!' cried Elizabeth, exasper-
ated.
"Goodnessi" laughed Dale. You're
dramatic, or vehement, or both. May
walk home with you, Babe?"
Yes, SIR promptly, IF you want
TO-"
They set out across the snow-coV-
cred meadows, and neither spoke an
other word until they had reached
Ben Littleford's log house. The girl
looked at him Queerly as they en-
tered. After he knew
Old Dale still sat before the fire.
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. 'sNow It
down. I've got something to tell the
three Of you. And / fancy it will in
terest all of you"
The two who had just come in took
chairs at the ireside. After a mo-
monr, JOnn n. Dale began:
you've often wondered, Bill, about
that savage streak-as you choose to
| call it--that is in you. You inherited
it. Much of that which we are, it is
claimed, is Inherited, and it 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 a greater love for honesty and
! fair play, or greater hatred for all
that is hollow and false, or more cour-
age to stick up for that which seems
to be right, than you. Now I'll tell
you how you came by those fine quail
tiles and the hot-headedness-"
Elizabeth Littleford sat wide-eyed,
tense, half breathless. If he meant to
tell it, why didn't he tell it! Why did
he beat about the bush like that?
bill, this is hard for me. 1t brings
back a terrible thing. You know about
David Moreland. 49,. When I awoke
that morning. and found him lying
dead at my crazed, drunken hands,
wished that /, too, were dead. !.
That great and silent wilde loss
smothered me. imagined that could
hear voices calling to me, saying
"'Cain! Cain!'
"They came from the laurel thickets,
from .the trees overhead, from the
ground, from everywhere. You see, l
wasn't all bad, even in my Wildcats
days. Then / thought Of the law, and
| ran. -.
"But the cry of child from the
cabin | was leaving halted me before
had gone thirty yards. David More
lands wife had left him with a baby
only a few weeks old, which l didn't
pay any particular attention to until
that morning, that black morning. At
that time there was no other house
for miles around. / couldn't leave the
ci'ild there to die of starvation, after
| killing it's father. SO went back and
got the baby, and all it's clothing, and
took it away with me. l left it at
farmhouse down in the owland, AMI
went to another city, and started life
afresh.
"But later / married, and shortly
after that l went to the farmer and
persuaded him to let me adopt the
child. l brought it up as my own, and