Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1922-05-11

III"
He arose, took up the lamp, walked
TO the front door and opened 1t, and
called into the night:
won't We come in, Johnr'
IL reckon l Will, Ben" was the lazy
answer. "ro' IA minute, anyhow. But
| reckon CANT stay long"
Moreland followed Littleford into
the best room. Littleford put the lamp
beside the worn leather-bound Bible |
on the table, and they sat down. They
looked steadily at each other, and
Dale saw plainly that both were Ill
mt ease Surely. thought Morela&l, he
had done great deal when he had |
come Into his old enemy's house.
Surely. thought Llttleford, he had |
done great deal when he had asked
John Moreland into his home
Came a silence that was heavy. !
Each was depending upon the other To
make the advance. The two clansmen
stared at each other more and more
sharply. and soon shadows Of bitter
ness began TO creep into their eyes.
Then Major Bradley, guest of Ben
Iittleford. strobe into the room with
patrician and soldierly air, and he
understood the situation perfectly.
"Gentlemen." he urged, "shake
hands Be friends"
They didn't. Neither seemed TO
have heard the major. 1t angered BIZ
Dale. His knowledge Of these feud-
lists. these grown-up children, was not
vet very thorough. He went TO his
feet. John Moreand, too, arose.
WED as well go, hadn't we?" Dale
clipped. and there was disgust in his
voice.
Il reckon we had" agreed More
land.
They walked out of the cabin, leav-
ing Major Bradley and Ben Littleford
gazing silently after them. At the
cate Dale caught John Moreland's
sleeve and halted him.
"Why on EARTH he demanded,
didn't you make the break?'
"Bill Dale. / went into his house! J"
Dale put his hands on one of the
weatherbeaten gatcposts and looked
over 10 where a bright star burned
like n beacon light above the pine
fringed crest of David Moreland's
mountain. He continued to look at
the star, his face gray, until it glim-
| mered.
Then he began to blame himself;
he was the hope Of a benighted peo-
plc. and he had foolishly lost his tenn
per at n crucial moments He wondered
whether il was yet too late, and
turned his eyes toward his silent com
panion. lie saw that John Moreland
was looking toward the beacon star
The voice of Ben Littleford came TO
them plainly because the night was so
very still; he was reading from the
Gospcl according 10 Saint Mark,
nreparatory 10 his bedtime prayer
The two at the gate listened intently,
The way in which the illiteratc giant
stumbled over the simplest words was
pitiful. -.
The hillman closed the Good Book
and placed it on the table beside him
There was the low shutting of feet
as half n dozen persons knelt at then
chairs. The prayer which followed
was much like John Morelands Owl
bedtime prayer; it had in it less OF
supplicaton than Of thanksgiving.
And in the tail Of it there were
words that were like bullets to the
mountaneer at the gate
BLESS the good man who Is witt
Us here tonight. and all o our kin
folks, and all O. our friends, and all
o. our inemies-and specially The
Moreands. Aymen!"
Dale's hand came down hard OF
John Morelands shoulder.
you told me he wouldn't do it
The old clan leader hung his head
like a man suddenly broken. He re
piled not word; he seemed amazed
into speechlcssness. He had beer
wrong in his estimate Of Ben Little
ford; he had lied about a man wh'
had just asked the good Almighty Il
bless him. John Moreland choked ;
little and started toward the cabin
lie walked as though half blind across
the porch, and entered without knock
ing. and went in to Ben Littleford will
his right hand outstretched.
Les begin anew" he said huskily
les be friends, yorc people and IN.
people. you and me.'
Littleford arose and groped for hi
old-time enemy's hand, found it ant
/, grasped It in both his own.
You're better AN | am, John More
land,' he said-''you'rc u ID sigh
better AN | am"
When Dale left them, they wer
talking over great bcar-hunt tina
: they had taken together a score o
years before.
The moon, full and as bright as neN
gold, had risen just under the beaco
star when Bill Dale reached the door
step of the cabin that was home I
him. He faced about. The broa
:, green valley lay very serene and yer
beautiful there in the mellow ligh
There was no sound save for the gel
:, tie murmuring of the crystal river.
y you wonderful place. he said sol
~, then added: My own country
. CONTINUED next week.