The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1924-03-13
CHAPTER xIlI-contlnued.

Ties there in the pocket Of the hills
"a nan named Belden, and his sis
tel, lives there" the girl said, following
the direction of his upraised arm.
They're Kentucky mountain folks that
jist moved ln--they say the sisters
quite pretty"
The preacher seemed to be studying
the place, with Its wild wealth of ma
ture about 1t, his eyes straying at
length from the cabin 10 its tumbied
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,
q 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 L the Flatwoods,
guess. Look-jist over the top o.
that scrub poplar, stickin' up ag'ns:
that white cloud"
IL see IT." the man of books ex-
claimed. the simple gesture of point
ing out to the distant landmark re-
veal'ng the native grace that might
still have been his but for the stopped
and studlous air that life had imposed
upon him. IT stands out against the
fluffy wilderness plain as a flagstaff
"Nobody in. the F%latwoods would
think OF harmin'-"
She stopped, with a 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. Sine mud nearly reached
the bushes that frlnged what might be
called the front Of the yard, when Bel
den appeared In the open door. He
threw up his hand and called out a
word or two. WHICH did not quite carry
20 the three riders.
The mountain girl stopped and hest
tated turned and went slowly back.
Belden stood aside; she entered the
door: Belden closed II.
Jack was watching the preacher.
He saw his quick grip on the bride
rein saw him stiffen In the saddle
and glance uneasily about.
Astonishing Quite extraordinary 7"
escaped him as the tense brief drama
closed.
Mercy Texie exclaimed. Il never
knowed she was-crazy."
"She amt" the woodsman NUT
tered.
The preacher glanced around at him
threw up his head and exploded his
blarey laugh. 1t was a queer moment
for a laugh, and a queer laugh for the
moment.
MOI bad philosophy, that" he said.
"People are not always us 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 a man as Jack Warhope. particu-
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
ind out.
The three riders sat for some time
looking toward the cabin in the peck
et, Texie and the preacher discussing
the astonishing drama that had flared
up for It's tense moment In the elbow
OF the bills.
But the drarna evidently had but
one act. and that act was closed. IL
seemed to. the woodsman, as he cover
iy watched the preacher. iolllng with
sverdone awkwardness in his saddle.
that he showed just a shade of relief
that Ii was closed.
The sun, a red warrior on the home
ward trail. had journeyed far down
the paiing Businesses OF the sky had
ducked behind a huge cloud bank
piled like q breastworks across the
west. Presently. finding a loop-hole
In the turreted cumuli. he glared back
Mt the pursuing shadows; launched a
shaft that fell spent and quivering
upon Eagle run and shiverei into
glittering splinters upon the rifle.
Glum al the missped shaft. the red
warrior took his eye from the loop
hole: drew farther back behind the
massed fortifications; 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 tn
the white blossoms snewcd the grass
symbol Of the hopes Of men. that
bloom. promise fruit. die. :
The girl noticed the shadows. Her
eyes Ieif the cabin; glanced up and
down the opposite blsff, where. under
fhe brow OF the wooded escarnmcnt,
ohjests were already b~eginnlpg to dim.
aae rffssrSvaHg Slunte staFpsA-et
a black walnut tree ten or fifteen
yards away, where som f~rost-blassed
walnufs Of The season before still
rf,tt.o III a blissh.ed limb. She sven,