Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-08-17
The End of IL All.
CHAPTER Xxx

tain, John IL. Dale took a rocker be-
fore the fire and sat there thinking.
thinking. until the midday meal was
announced. When the midday meal
was over. he resumed his chair and
sat there thinking. thinking, until the
afternoon was half gone.
Then he called Elizabeth TO him.
-Will you go 10 my son and tell him
l wish TO see him?" he said. And he
added under his breath: Il think ii is
best that they should know"
Elizabeth heard that which he had
said 10 himself as we'll as she heard
that which he had said to her. Should
know Know what? She had a sud
den wild fear that Mrs. Dale had
broken her promise never TO breathe
a word OF the truth concerning the
Adam Ball affair Nevertheless. she
put on her hat and her gloves and
went to Bill Dales Office.
Dale sat with his elbows on his desk
and with his head In his hands. TO
all appearances, he was unaware of
the presence of the ~ In the door
way.
She spoke. "Billl"
He sat up straight and faced her.
He seemed surprised.
SWELL. Babe?"
"Your father wants YOU" in a low
voice. He's got something to tell
you that-that will make you think
almost nothing of me"
Young Dale frowned. "What is it,"
I'D rather he'd tell you about II.
Bill Dale. don't think l could bear
to tell you myself"
She turned and was about TO hasten
away, when he called TO her:
"Wait !''-and she waited.
HAS it," he asked, anything to do
with your marriage to Jimmy Fayne?"
"No!"
He arose and put on his broad
trimmed hat. "Ill admit" he smiled.
that I'm worse than a granny woman
for poking my nose into other peoples
atfnirs-when are you going TO marry
Jimmy, Babe?"
The answer came quickly: Never"
'Never!"
Never" repeated Elizabeth, very
quietly.
"Never?" pursued Dale.
"Neverl" cried Elizabeth, exasper-
ated.
Goodness u laughed Dale. You're
dramatic, or vehement, or both. May
walk home with you, Babe?"
Yes, SIR" promptly, IF you want
to-"
They set out across the snowcov-
cred meadows, and neither spoke an
other word until they had reached
Ben Littlefords log house. The girl
looked at him queerly as they ell
tered. After he knew
Old Dale still sat before the fire,
and near him sat silent John More
land. Old Dale motioned toward an
inside door.
please close 1t, Elizabeth" he re-
Quested, and she obeyed. Nov sit
down. I've got something 10 tell the
three Of You. And / fancy 1t will in
terest all of YOU"
The two who had just come In took
chairs at the Preside. After a mo-
ment, John X. Dale began:
You've often wondered, Bill, about
that savage streak--as you choose to
call it-that is In you. You inherited
IL. Much of that which we are, it is
claimed, Is Inherited, and II must be
correct; like begets like. of course.
But there Is no savage streak In you,
Bill. You are hot-headed, that's all.
Your virtues oyerbaiance that, by far.
l have never seen another man who
had n greater love for honesty and
fair play, or a greater hatred for all
that is hollow and false, or more cour-
age TO stick up for that which seems
- be right, than you. Now I'll tell
you how you came by those fine quail
tiles and the ot-headedness-"
Elizabeth Littleford SAT- wide-eyed,
tense, half breathless. IL he meant to
tell 1t, why didn't he tell 1t! Why did
he beat about the bush like thatf
"Bill, this is hard for me. 1t brings
back terrible thing. You know about
David Moreland. -. When i awoke
that morning and found him lying
dead at my crazed, drunken hands.
wished that L. bo. were dead. :.
That great and silent wilderness
smothered noe. imagined that could
hear voices calling to me. saying
"'Cain Cain'
"They came from the laurel thickets,
from the trees overhead, from the
ground, from everywhere. You see,
wasn't all bad, even In my Wildcats
days. Then thought Of the law, and
] ran.
But the cry Of child from the
cabin I was leaving halted me before
] had gone thirty yards. David More
lends wife had left him with baby
only a few weeks old, which didn't
pay any particular attention to until
that morning. that black morning. AT
that time there was no other house
for miles around. / couldn't leave the
child there to die Of starvation, after
killing its father. So went back and
got the baby, and all its clothing, and
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