The Belding banner-news., 1922-01-18
CHAPTER XIX.
A Perfect Cross.

On the floor of the y-furnlshed
library of the Dale home, near a west
window, Miss Elizabeth Littleford sat
reading by the fast fading light of an
early March afternoon. Somehow she
liked To sit on the floor, and always she
liked TO read for one thing. books
helped her To forget that she was
lonely.
There were footsteps behind her,
soft footsteps because of the thick vel
vet carpet then low voice inquired:
Aren't you afraid you will injure
your eyes, Elizabeth? Better have a
light, hadn't you, dearT' The old coal
king turned toward the switch on the
wall.
Mo-" she answered quickly. I'm
through reading for today. and ! like
this twilight
Her Improvement In speech and in
manners had gone on at surprisingly
rapid rate. She rarely spoke with any
hut the simplest words. but she never
fell into anything more than bare sem
bance OF the old drawing hill dialect
unless IL was while she was under the
stress OF some strong emotion.
She closed the book and looked up
with eyes that were like the first stars
in summer sky. Her beauty was
wonderful: II was finer and sweeter
than IL had ever been before.
Old Dale stood looking thoughtfully
into her upturned face. He was lit
tie pale. and he seemed troubled and
uneasy.
Elizabeth shook her head. you're
worrying again! -
He dropped into nearby chair,
leaned slowly forward and let one
hand fall gently on her thick and silky
chestnut-brown hair.
IL wish" he said as though TO him
seelf. that had daughter like YOU"
He took his hand from her head, lay
back wearily in his chair and closed
his eyes. Then he bent forward again.
The Moreands. EIizabeth-they've
moved away from the settlement,
haven't they?"
Yes; Bill Dale has done wonderful
things for them ~ the girl answered.
John X. Dale was silent for a mo-
ment, after which he said suddenly: II
want to see my son there is something
| must tell him. Will you go with me,
Elizahsth?'
"Of course. III 90 with you"
She thought she knew what IL was
that stirred him. BY intuition, supple
mented by Bill Dale's occasional cryp-
tic utterances. and pieced out by hill
tradition. Elizabeth Littleford gradu-
ally had come into possession OF the
old coal mans grim secret.
Neither OF them knew that John
Moreland was then visiting his beloved
old hills for the sake OF some shooting.
The following day John X. Dale and
Elizabeth Littleford alighted from
northbound passenger train at the
Halfway switch. The mountains were
covered with three inches of snow, and
the hemlock and pines bore heavy bur
dens of the beautiful white stuff hut
the air was stlI and ii wasn't very
cold.
YOU'D get your clothing all black
on the coal train." Dale said to his
companion. $50 you'd rather walk over,
wouldn't you? Anyway. tile train isn't
here. I'm good for six miles. | think"
YES" smiled Ben Littleford's
daughter, I'D rather waikiki you're
sure that six miles won't be too much
for you.V
Together. with the girl leading the
way, they set out across David More
lands mountain. The old trail showed
not one footprint ahead Of them; II
was not so much used now. They said
little. Each thought their own thoughts,
and neither cared TO speak them to
the other.
Just before they reached the noun
tain's crest. they passed a group OF
snow-laden pines that concealed big,
brown-bearded man who had been
stealthily following the trail of lone
wild turkey. He wore khaki hunting
clothes and high laced boots, and there
was a certain English fneness about
him. In his bare hands he carried a
repeating rifle, which marked him as
one born in the hills; lowlander
would have had a choke-bored shotgun.
When he saw John X. Dale he
stopped suddenly. II might have been
intuition, or It might have been sheer
curiosity. the average hillman being a
stranger to neither-he followed and
watched the two. unseen by them.
On the rtne-fringed crest, Elizabeth
riftieford halted " view that Which