Licking Valley courier., 1921-11-17

word. But 1t didn't matter. John K.
Dale understood perfectly.
Then he took his arm away, faced to
the right, and drew his hat rim low
over his eyes. For two minutes he
stood there and looked for the little old
cabin down near the foot Of the north
end Of the mountain, and he failed to
find It. His mind had gone back once
more to that woeful night that had cut
his life In twain. He remembered
plainly waking In the early morning
with an aching head and with the
ranking taste Of much dead whisky
In his mouth. Remembered seeing Da.
vld Moreland, with q bullet hole
through and through him, lying on the
floor beside him. Remembered his
horror, his smothered cries Of anguish,
and his hurried flight. -.
He had wondered, he remembered,
why the law made no attempt to track
him down. He had not known that the
mountaineer's code Of honor demands
that the mountaineer himself collect
that which Is due him.
"Tell me-" he said In tones so low
that Elizabeth barely heard. "whers Is
David Moreland buriedr'
he had turned, and stood facing her.
She pointed to the southwark.
"They buried him out the crest O
the mountain a little ways. on the
highest place. by the side Of his
wife. That was always a touchin'
thing to me, that he buried his wife on
the very highest point Of his own
mountain. You know why, don't youi
David Moreland believed In God and a
hereafter, and he believed that heaven
was up. He wanted to get even bis
wlfe's ashes as close to heaven as he
could"
"I-Id like to 90 out there" John
Dale said, his voice almost a whisper
"rd like to see the place."
II wouldn't" replied Ben Little
ford's daughter. For she knew-oh
she knew.
ayes. yes, my dear-I must see the
place." declared John X. Dale, hoarse'
ly whlsperlng-"let's 20 out there"
There was never any dlsobeylng hin
when he was determined, and he was
determined now. II is strange. that
dread human thing that drew him
Elizabeth turned and started out
the snowy crest of the mountain, wend
Ing her way here and there between
clumps OF snOw-heavy laurel and Ivy
and under snow-heavy pines. After &
quarter Of an hour OF this somewhat
difficult travelling, the two drew up be
fore small inclosure made OF rOunC
oaken posts and round open ralllng'
aud hand.splt and pointed oaken pal
lngs as high as n mans shoulders, al
OF which were gray and weatherbeat
en-. Elizabeth knew the spot well. Sh,
swung the gate stlfily open on Its wood
en- hinges and stepped inside. Old Dale
trembling In every tiber, followed her
His face was very, very pale.
Before them were two snow.coveret
mounds bordered with the dead stalk
OF flowers OF another year-marlgolds
pretty-by.nlghts, Elnnlas. Near IN,
two graves there grew bare.branche,
wild honeysuckle and redbud, an,
green.leaved laurel. which In the sum
mer time were covered with beautlfu
and fragrant blossoms OF golden vel
low, roya purple, and waxen white. A
the head of one mound a great, rough
ly-shaped slab OF brown sandston
marked the last resting place Of Davl
Moreland's young wife; Il had bee
lettered by David Moreland himself
and II was a crude but sincere trlbut
to womanklnd.
On the face Of the other great sla
OF brown sandstone were chlseled othe
ill.shnped letters and mlsspelle
words. The hands Of John Morelan
had done this. Old John Dale steppe
! Continued on page three,)