Cheyenne Wells record., 1922-01-19


han, nor head and sobbed again.
one Of her bare hands began 70
rrope Idly in the snow at her side. ana
She did not feel the cold. Suddehiy
she realized that her hand was full
NJ shavings, whittlinss. Some man
had been sitting there whiting with
a nocket knife-it must have been .
man for who ever heard Of a woman
whiting? She felt In the snow with
hotb hnuds. and found more whlttitngs
there were bushels Of whittlings, II
seemed to her, lying there under the
snow.
Then she wondered-eonlered VINO
II could have been.
II was quite dark now, sSt the moon
was not yet up. A great. bright star
biozed above David MOrelands tomo
like beacon fire. She heard the mut-
fed sounds of slow masculine foot
stems in the snow behind her. She
did not turn her head In her soul
she knew 1t could he but one man.
Bill Dale's head was down. and he
moved AS though he neither knew nor
cared whittier he went. Then he saw
the dark heap Oh the rivers bank be-
fore him, and lie halted. lie knew IN
his son, that IT could be but one wOnt.
an.
Dale went on and sat down on
stone the size OF small barrel tNat
Law at the rivers rim.
"Habc?" lie said. 1t was the mating
call of his heart in the sprnstime ol
his life.
"Who d-done all o this within.
Bn:" asked Elizabeth.
"a did" softly.
"But j thought you were so busy
here. It's nobody but oilers. or
course. that whittles-that is. most o
the timc lis nobody but idlers that
whittles."
KNOW" replied Dale.
"Tel me this Elizabeth asked
poinicdly: What made you come to
. this one spot TO do your whittiin I
Couldn't you wI,ittle up there In my
| daddy's cabin yard?"
He answered her unhesitatinsly !:
"Bccause like to he here. This
place is shrine TO me. 1t was here
that first loved you, Babe. Now yon
tell me this: Why did You come to
this particular spot 10 sit down in
the snow? There's snow in your dad
dy's cabin yard!'
Said Elizabeth. in a voice that sound
| 2 I~
here-this place Is shrine to me,
too-it was here that I first loved you,
Bill Dale!"
"Then why" he demanded. "won't
you marry meg"
| Because 1t was me that sl,ut-Ad-
am Ball."
She went on, and though emotion
had set every fibre Of her TO Quivering.
she did not fall into the old hill talk.
which was proof Of the masniucence
Of her:
Il thought you wouldn't want me
II you knew that did thai. and !
couldn't marry you without telling you.
But you know now! And do what
ever you feel like doing or saying. you
can't hurt me; ! can never be hurt
any-any m-in-m-mOre--"
BIZ Dale shot erect. Truly, this
was day Of surprises for him. lie
stopped and caught her up.
"A real wO.n;ln!' lie said hnppily,
Strengthening with her In his arms. "A
real, all gold. pure gold woman! You
loved me well enough to kill man
to save me, and wouldn't let me know
It.! Woman Is mystery. sure enough.
But perhaps It's because women are
so fine and so far above menfolk that
menf0lk cannot understand them.
Well, Babe, kitten. must I drag you
to the altar. or will you go with me
Of your own accord?'
She put her arms around his neck
md drew them tight.
I'D so with you. Bill Dale-.-or David
Moreland. whichever 1t is--to the very
last inch Of the end Of the world" she
said " ~
.
Early the next morning. there came
strOllins lazi!y up the rivers bank q
tall and lanky mountaineer who wore,
among other things. Niagara Falls
mustache and cOwhide boots that
seemed ritliculously short because Of
the great length Of his slender legs.
He carried rife in the hollow of one
arm; he was looking for rabbIt-tracEs
in the snow. Near the pool above the
biown.dOwn sycamore. he came npon
tracks that hnd not been made by any
four.footed animals. There were the
footprints Of man coming from one
direction. and the footprints Of WON.
an coming from another direction
only the footprints Of the man went
away toward Ben Iittleford's cabin.
By Heck was puzzled. Here comes
Bin he frowneti. '-and over here
comes Babe. And thar, rs plain as
day. goes Bill: hut what become o
Babe? Whar In the name o. the devils
pet ridin'-hOss did she 20 to? No,
straight IN, SllOrely!~