Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-04-28

and 70 peo-
ms great pines were silent above
them, shndowed and dark. Perhaps
they were listening to an nge-old
story. those vows OF service and self
gnined worth by which the race has
struggled upward from the darkness.
'But I kissed you--once before"
she reminded him. Tho voice WINS
Just whisper. hardly louder than the
stir Of the leaves In the wind.
@But that kiss di5p't count" he told
her. at wasn't al all the same. I
loved you then, think, but Il didn't
mean what II dld today
"And what" she ieaned toward
him. her eyes full on his, -docs Il
mean now7"
"AIl that's worth while In life, all
that matters when everything Il sHid
that can be said. and all is done That
can be done. And II means, please
God, when the debts are paid. that !
may have such q kiss again"
mot until then" she told him,
whispering.
"UntIl then. mike oath that !
won't even aek e. or receive II II son
should give H. II goes too deep. dear.
est--and II means too mncb."
This was their pact. Not until the
debts were paid and her word made
good would those lips be bis ngnin.
There was no need for further words,
Both OF them knew.
In the skies. tho gray clouds were
gathering swiftly. as always 10 the
mountains. The raindrops we're fall
ing one and one. over the forest. The
summer was done. and fall had come
in earnest.
The rains fell increasingly for seven
days: not a downpour but a constant
drlzzIe that made the distant ridges
smoke. The parcbed earth seemed 10
smack It's lips. and little riYulcta be-
gnn TO fall and tumble over the beds
Of the dry streams All danger Of for.
est fro was az once removed. and
Snowbird was no longer needed as .
lookout on old Bald mountain. She
went to her own home. her companion
back 10 the valley; and now that his
sister had taken his place ~ house
keeper, Blu Ind gone down 20 tho
lower foothills with a great part Of
the live stock. Dan spent these rainy
days IN toll ON the hilIeides, building
himself physically SO that he might
pay bis debia
II was no great pleasure. these
rainy days. He would have greatly
liked TO have fingered IN the square
mountain house. listening 10 the quiet
murmur OF the rain on the roof and
watching snowbird at her household
tasks. She could. MS her father had
said, make a biscuit. She could also
roll up sleeves over trim. brown arms
and with entire good humor do a
weeks laundry for three hard-work.
ing men. lie would have liked 20 sIl
with her, through the long afternoons,
ns she knitted beside the fireplace
TO watch the play Of her graceful tin.
gers and perhaps. now and then, 10
touch her hands when he held the
skeins. But none OF these things tran.
spired. He drove himself from day,
light TIL dark. developing his body for
the tests that we're sure TO come.
The FIRST few days nearly killed him
Hc over-exercised IN the chill rain
and one anxious night he developed
all the symptoms OF pneumonia. Such
a sickness would have been the one
thing needed 10 make the doctor'f
prophecy come true. But with Snow.
birds aid. and numerous hot drinks
he fought II Off.
She had made him 60 10 bed. and
no human memory could be 30 dull 81
to forget the little, whispered message
that she gave him with his last spoon
ful Of medicine. She said she'd pray
for him, and she meant II tOo--literal.
entreating prayer that could not 90 ur-
heard. She was mountain girl. and
her beliefs were those OF her auces-
tors-simpIe and true and wholly
without affectntion. But he hadn't
relaxed thereafter. He knew the time
had come TO make the test. Night
after night he would 70 TO bed half.
sick from fatigue, but the mornings
would find him fresh. And after two
weeks, be knew he had passed the
crisis and was on the direct road to
complete recovery.
Sometimes he cut wood IN the for-
est first the Telling Of some tall pine.
then the trimming and hewing into
two-foot lengths. The blisters came
on his hands, broke and bied. but
finally hardened Into callosIties. lie
learned the most effective stroke TO
hurl shower OF chips from beneath
the blade HIS back and limbs hard
ened from the handling Of heavy wood
land the cough was practically gone,
His frame filled out. His face became
swarthy from constant exposure. He
gained In weight.
One cloudy afternoon In early No
vemher found siIas LenDox cutting
wood on the ridge behind his house. II
WINS still M open question with him
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