Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1924-02-14

| ~
Meanwhile, the Three Riders Lei
surely Followed the Eccentric Wind
inos Of the Eagle Hollow Road.
mented. II confess to some such long
lngs myself, sometimes"
The remark not seeming to call foi
an answer. the girl merely shook the
reins ON Brownies neck and they rode
on-out from the shade Of the great
oak up the narrow ribbon Of road, with
the picturesquely broken valley un-
folding Its wonders; the preacher con.
stantly reminded Of something he had
seen In the Alps. or elsewhere In his
travels. and overlooking with effuslve
ordinations punctuated with laugh
SO loud and blarey that II fairly
made his horse shy.
The preachers laugh was the most
strikingly odd expression of his strik.
ingly odd personality--a sort Of hand.
forged laugh that did not seem to
come into existence naturally; a kind
Of sarcastic exclamation point that ex.
ploded at untimely and most unex
pected intervals In his conversation.
As they passed the spot where the
sadly winsome face Of the mountain
girl had fared forth from the copse
that morning and he had picked up
Uncle Nick's trail. Jack warhope, sit
ting his horse ms only a man trained to
the saddle can and riding for the most
part In silence, darted quick look
into the bushes--a look that quite es-
capped the others.
The one girl and the two men--a com
blnation of Infinite possibilities--had
reached the point where the road left
the hollow and picked Its way through
the broken passes Of the bluffs to the
uplands, when the preacher stopped
his horse and sat gazing up and across
the narrow valley.
"How plcturesquely that cabin nes-
ties there In the pocket Of the hills"
"A man named Belden. and his sis
ter, lives there" the girl said. following
the direction OF his appraised arm.
They're Kentucky mountain folks that
jist moved in--they say the sisters
quite pretty
The preacher seemed to be studying
the place. with Its Wild wealth of ma
ture about Il. his eyes straying at
length from the cabin to Its tumbled
setting OF cliffs and down along the
opposite bluffs. mantled with half
sprung leaves, abloom with haw and
dogwood and wild apple. until, as he
twisted around In the saddle the
whole beautiful panorama OF the mar
row valley had passed In review be-
fore him back TO the winding road by
which they had entered.
As the girl followed his rowing eyes,
a black dead limb az the top OF Eagle
Oak, towering high above the quicken.
ing foliage, came into view. She raised
her arm and pointed up and away to
the lofty landmark.
That's where the big gray eagles
ben comm every summer-sence
white men first come Z the Flatwoods,
i guess. Look--jist over the top o.
that scrub poplar. stickin' up ag'nst
that white cloud"
Il see III" the man Of hooks ex-
claimed. the simple gesture OF point.
Ing out 10 the distant landmark re-
veallng the native grace that might
still have been his but for the stopped
and studious air that life had imposed
upon him. 1T stands out against the
iuffy Wilderness plain as flagstaff"
Nobody In the riatwoods would
think OF harmin'--"
She stopped, with low exclamation,
for the woodsman had suddenly
Strengthened In his saddle and had
| Jerked his hand toward the cabin
sauattine against the bluffs up the ho,.
low. The others followed the motion
Of his hand and sat staring.
Loge Belden's sister had appeared
| from behind the cabin and was running
toward them. She had nearly reached
the bushes that fringed what might be
called the front OF the yard. when Bel
den appeared In the open door. He
threw M his hand and called cut a
word or two which did not quite carry
TO the three riders.
The mountain girl stopped and hest
| tateus turned ana went slowly BACK.
Belden stood aside: she entered the
door; Belden closed Il.
Jack was watching the preacher.
he saw his quick grip on the bride
rein: saw him stiffen In the saddle
and glance uneasily about
"Astonishingi Quite extraordinary
escaped him ~ the tense brief drama
closed.
'Mercyr Texie exclaimed. Il never
moved she was-craxy.-
she amt" the woodsman mutt.
tered.
The preacher glanced around at him;
threw up his head and exploded his
olarey laugh. II was queer moment
for laugh. and . queer laugh for the
moment.