The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-08-18

S1HS ~ S9Vn8 LAWS u04 6ou
had bssn In the act OF playing q COW
ardly trick; he had Killed man In
North Carolina By Just such trice-
and he had boastsd ot II.
The attorney for tho state made q
rejoinder that, almost favored the D.
fendant Then the court CHARGED the
jury, and the twelve good nen retired.
The jury was out not more than
twenty minutes, but to Elisabeth LIT
teferd it was an age Of torture.
Fhe twelve men fled slowly In and
faced the Judge, who turned austers
eyes upon them and asked:
Gentlemen OF the jury, have you
reached verdictr'
They had. Elizabeth Attisford's
head swan as she bent forward to
catch the foreman's words
mot guiltyp - -
A wild shout rose from the leathesy
throat Of the happy BY Heck. The
Aorelands and the Littlsfords chsered
until they were hoarse. Sheriff Tom
Flowers had difficulty in quietinS the
tumult BAl Dale shook hands until
his shoulders, ached. Tho Balls and
their relatives, bitter with resentment
and hatred, stole out. were 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, and
they, too. started for the big hills.
Dale had hired Q horse and a 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 I can build and furnish
-" he began, when Elizabeth inter-
rupted:
"We!re ridin' too fast. We're too
much ahead O. the others. One o. them
Balls might try to pick you Off with
his rifle gun"
mot much danger Of that" Dale re-
piled. "The Balls have already been
warned about sniping; your father told
them that their very name would be
secured of the earth II there was any
Sniping. Besides, BY Heck is acting
ls advance guard somewhere ahead Of
u.s."
He continued, "As soon as I can
build and furnish little house out
near the mine, 1 want you to marry
me, Babe. VIII your"
Elizabeth Littleford seemed not to
have heard.
"Win you, Babef"'
She faced him sadly. He saw In
her hazel eyes the same queer Hight
Of tragedy that he had seen there
day or two before; and now, as then,
he wondered what 1t could mean.
"1ell me, Babel"
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 him7 He
tried to reason 1t 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 were within two miles
Of home, Dale went suddenly white
and caught her almost rudely by q
wrist.
| 'Is 1t Jimmy FayneT he demanded
hotly.
She gave him reppoachful glance
and said nothing. He flung her hand
from him angrily.
Dale did not speak again until they
had entered the broad valley that was
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 1t was the first weakness
she had ever knoYS in him.
! "Win you always think Of me al
the finest and most beautiful woman
In the worldT' she asked.
"Always."
TITS the best can hope for" muir
INJURED Elizabeth.
"What do you meanr
IT'S 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 tha
night. The sweetness Of his libert,
mad all been taken away by Babe Lit
tieford's refusal to marry him. n,
became bitter toward her again. Sh,
had been exceedingly unfair to him
while she really loved him, she wa,
going to marry Jimmy Fayne becaus.