The Belding banner-news., 1921-03-09
setting as she had never seen it be-

cNtn HuNe tO INK me! Ht uctiiunutu.
''Dont you think I understand? And
II won't be In your defense-only my
own duty"
''But he is so strong-and you are
so weak"
''I won't be so weak forever. I new
er really cared much about living he
fore. I'll try now. and you'll see
oh. Snowbird. wait and trust me:
understand everything. It's my own
fight-when you kissed me- and he
cried down that word In anger and
jealousy, IL put the whole thing on me.
No one else can make him answer; no
one else has the right. It's my honor,
no one else's that stands or falls"
He lifted her hand to his lips and
kissed II again and again.
And for the first time he saw the
tears gathering In her dark eyes. "But
you fought here. didn't you, DAMP
sne asked with painful slowness. "YOu
didn't put mp your arms-Or try to
run away? I didn't come till he had
you done. so didn't see." She looked
at him ms II her whole JOY Of life hung
| on his answer.
Fought! ! would have fought till
! died, But that isn't enough. Snow
bird. II isn't enough just to fight. In
a case like this. mans got to win
7 would have died II you hadn't come.
And that's another debt that I have
to pay--only that debt owe TO you"
She nodded slowly. The lives OF
hA tai In. hx,
their women without incurring Obliga-
ton. She attempted no barren de-.
malls. She made no effort 10 pretend
he had not incurred tremendous debt
when she had come with her pistol. II
was an unavoidable fact. A life for
n life is the code OF the mountains.
1.-TWO things I must do before can
ever dare to die" he told her sOberly.
"One ~ them Is To pay you: the other
Is tn pay Cranston for the thing he
said Maybe the chance will never
come for the first Of the two; only I'll
pray that ID will Maybe IL would be
kinder to YOU To pray that il wouldn't;
yet ] pray that IL will Maybe can
pdN Nhht dtDt Offs w DtiiiS dihdsS
ready. always watching for chance
TO save you from any danger, always
trying to protect you. You didn't
come in time TO see the fight | made.
Resides lost, and little else mat
ters. And that debt 10 you can't be
paid until sometime fight again-for
you-and win" He gasped from his
NE. l. ht,N
never be able to feel at peace, Snow
bird, until I'm tested i'm the fire before
your eyes. | want to show you the
things Cranston said of me are not
true-that my courage will stand the
test.
1T wouldn't be the same, perhaps.
with an Eastern girl Other things
matter in the valleys. But ] see how
II Is here: that there Is only one
standard for men and by that stand
ard they rise or fall Things in the
mountains are down 10 the essen
tials."
He paused and struggled for
strength to continue. "And I know
what you said TO him." he went on.
HS U WIS. u Ttlftfll-
ber every word. Each word just seems
to burn into me, Snowbird, and I'll
make every one OF them good. You
said | am better man than he, and
sometime II would be proved-and dts
the truth. Maybe in a month. maybe
In n year. I'm not going 10 die from
this malady OF mine now. Snowbird.
many debts to pay. In the end. I'll
prove your words 10 him.
His eyes grew earnest. and the hard
fire went out of them. IFS almost as
" you were a queen. a real queen Of
some great kingdom" he told her,
tremulous with a great awe that was
stealing over him, as a mist steals over
water. "And because | had kissed
your fingers. for ever and ever | was
your subject, living only TO fight your
fightS-maybe with dream I'm the
end to kiss your fingers again. When
you bent and kissed me on that hill
side--for him To see-it was the same:
that | was sworn TO you. and nothing
mattered In my life except the service
and love I could give you. And it's
more than you ever dream. Snowbird.
It's all yours. for your battles and
your happiness"
The great pines were silent above
them. shadowed and dark. Perhaps
they were listening TO an age-old
story. those vows OF service ana self
gained worth by which the race has
struggled upward from the darkness.
"But | kissed you-once before"
she reminded him. The voice was
just whisper. hardly louder than the
stir of the leaves I'm the wind
"But that kiss didn't count" he told
her. 1T wasn't at all the same. I
loved you then. think. hut II didn't
mean what II did today"
"And what" she leaned toward
him. her eyes full on his, "does 1t
mean now?r