Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1924-03-27


, 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,
black dead limb at 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 t the Flatwoods,
l guess. Look--jist over the top o.
that scrub poplar, stickin' up ag'nst
that white cloud"
II see itln the man of books ex.
claimed the simple gesture of point
ing out to the distant Landmark re
vealing 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
fluffy whiteness plain as flagstaff"
Nobody in the Flatwoods 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
squatting against the bluffs up the hol-
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 thst fringed what might be
called the front Of the yayd, when Bel
den appeared Ia the open door. He
threw ub bis hand and calied .ut a
word OF two which dis not quite carry
/, lie three riders
Iae mountain gial stopped and hest
tated; TUNED and went slowly back.
Belden stood aside; size entered the
door Beiden closed it.
Jack was watching the preacher.
He saw his quick grip on the bride
rein; saw him stlaen IN the saddle
and elance uneasAg about.
Astonishing Quite extraordinarily
escaped him as the tense BRIEF drama
closed
"Alereym Teyie exclaimed, Il never
kndwed she was crazy
"She amt" the woodsman NUT
tered
Tie preacher glanced around at him;
threw up his head and exploded his
blarey laugh. 1t was queer moment
for laugh, and a queer laugh for the
moment.
Not bad philosophy, that" he said.
"People are not always as crazy as
they-act."
That the preacher was acting, the
woodsman fully believed, but the act
Ing was just a shade overdone--a, cir
cumstance that could hardly escape
such man as Jack Warhope, partieu-
larry after the chance clues that had
first set his suspicious going Why he
was acting and what part, the woods
man was not missing any chances to
find out
The three riders sat for some time
looking toward the cabin in the peck
ct, Texie and the preacher discussing
the astonishing drama that had flared
up for its tense moment in the elbow
of the hills.
But the drama evidently had but
one act, and that act was closed. 1t
seemed to the woodsman, as he covert
ly watched the preacher, lolling with
overdone awkwardness In his saddle.
that he showed just a shade of relief
that it was closed.
The sun, a red warrior on the home
ward trail, had journeyed far down
the paling Businesses Of the sky; had
ducked behind huge cloud bank
piled like a breastworks across the
west. Presently, finding loop-hols
in the turreted cumuli, ne glared back
at the pursuing shadows; launched a
shaft that fell spent and Quivering
upon Eagle run and shivered into
glittering splinters upon the rifle.
Glum at the missped shaft, the red
WAAAAOA tOOA AAAS SJC AAOuf IAG AOOR-
hole; drew farther back behind the
massed Notifications; unstrung his
bow. The pursuing shadows stole
down the BLUFFS: dulled the water
dimmed the woods: walked the breeze
and shook the wild apple twigs till
the white blossoms showed the grass
symbol Of the hopes of men, that
bloom. promise fruit, die.
The girl noticed the shadows. Her
eyes left the cabin; glanced up and
down the opposite bluff, where, under
the brow of the wooded escarpment,
objects were already beginning to dim. |
The girls rowing glance stopped at
a black walnut tree ten or fifteen
yards away, where some frost-blasted |
walnuts OF the season before still |
chung to blighted limb She swept /
a finger toward them, dropped her
hand to the revolver at hqr holt ond /