Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-03-17

a great deal about the frontIersman
that had been Dams grandfather. A
mountain man does not use profuse
adjectives. He talks very simply and
very straight, and often there are long
siiences between his sentences. Yet
he conveys his ideas with entire clear
ness
Dan realized at once that II he
could be, In Lennox's eyes. one-fifth
pf the man his grandfather had been.
be would never have 10 fear again the
iook Of disappointment with which his
host had greeted him at the station.
But instead OF reaching that high
place, he had oniy-death. He knew
what his destiny was in these qniet
hllls And II was true that he began
oshaye secret regrets sliat Ne bad
come BUT Il Tfaan4 tisas iik was alA-
apI1 nfed 10 the land that was open
lne up before him. Il fulfilled every
promise. His sole reason for regrets
lay IN the fact that now the whole
mountain world would know OF the
decay that had come upon his people.
Perhaps u would have been better 10
have LEFT them TO their traditions.
He had never dreamed that the
fame Of his grandfather had spread
so fnr. For the first ten miles Dan
listened TO stories--iegends OF a cold
nerve that simply could not be shaken
Of powerful, tireless physiQuei OF
mornl and physical strength that was
seemingly without limit Then, as
the foothills began TO give way to the
hlghef ridges, and the shadow OF the
deeper forests fell upon tho narrow.
brown road. there began to be long
gaps 10 the talk. And soon they rode
~ utter silence. evidently both OF
them absorbed IN their own thoughts.
Dan did not feel oppressed az all
lie merely seemed 10 fall into the
spirit of the woods. and no words
came 10 his lips. Every mile was nm
added delight to him. Not even wine
could have brought n brighter sparkle
10 his eyes. He had begun to expert
ence vague sort of excitement, nm
emotion that WIS almost kin 70 ex-
ulihtion, over the constant SUR and
movement Of The forest Tlfe Once. rs
tiey stopped the car 10 renll the m.
diator from a mountain stream, Len.
nor looked nj him with sudden curl.
oslty. You are getting a thrill ont
% ibis. arsnt your he asked wonder.
ingly.
II was curious tone. Perhaps II
SHa n hopeful toue. too. lie spoke
~ # be hardly understood.
- thriili I" Dan echoed. He spoke
as mnn Epeaks IN the presence OF
some great wonder. Good Heavens.
I never saw anything Ike Il IA my
life"
sIn this vpfy sfream,- the mountain.
eef told him joyousiy, you may ocea.
slonally catch trout that weigh three
pounda-
But AZ he rot back into the ear the
look Of Interest died out Of Lemons
eyes, or epeese any maD would be
sunewhas excited hy bis trr, glimpse
N Tho wilderness II was NOT that he
had Inherited nny ~ the traits ~ bis
grandfather II vas absurd to hope
that be had. And he would soon get
Tired 81 the sliencea and want 10 go
back 10 his citica lie told bis thought
that u w0Aid an soon grow old to
him md Dan turned almost In anger.
-You don't know" he said Il
didnt know myself. how | would feel
about H. TIM never going to leave the
hills again"
"Ypu don't mean that"
"Bu; / do He tried to speak fur
Their. but he cougbed instead. 'Ilut
couldn't II wanted TO. That cough
tells you why. ! guess"
"You mean 10 say" siIas Lennoz
turned Ia amazcment You mean that
you're a--n goaer1 That you've given
40 hops Of reeoyerinG7"
That's the impression meant 10
convey I've got a little over four
months though don't see that I'm
any weaker than ! was when the doc
tor said had six monthA Those
four VIII take me all through the fail
and the curly winter. And hope you
won't feel that you've been Imposed
npon-to have 3 dying man on pour
haDds.s
III isn't that" slins Lennox threw
his car Into gear and started up the
long grade. And be drove clear 10 the
top OF II and Into another glen before
he spoke again. Then be pointed 10
what looked TO Dan like brown
streak that melted into the thick
brush. 'yrhat was deer" he said
slowly. "Just glimpse. but your
grandfather could have got him be
tween the eyes. Most like as not.
though, he'd have let him 20. He
never killed except when he needed
meat But that--as you say--nln't
the impression Tn trying to convey"
He seemed to be cropping for words
what u IL Mr. Lcnnoxf" Dan
asked.
''Instead Of being sorry. I'm mighty
glad you've come" Lennox told him.
eItA not that expect you to be like
Your grandfather You haven't had
his chance. BUT IT'S always the way
Of true men. the world over. 10 come
back TO their own kind to die. That
deer we just saw-he's your people,
and so are all these ranchers that
grub their lives out OF the forests
they are your people, too. And you
couldn't have pleased the old mans
old friends any better, or done more
for his memory. than TO come back
to his own land for your last days"
The words we're strange, yet Dan
lntuitively understood. 1t was as If
prodignl son Ind returned at last,
and although his birthrIght was
sqnandered and he came only TO die,
tt,a ,.sn.,io ~ hfp hnt,ta Svould rive him