White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1926-07-16

| BGStlOu. he WduLeu 10 SEE LIZ Dcli
alone. He knew he had no right, ii
was true, but that did not keep him
] from wishing to see 'Liz'beth alone.
The boy left him and he stood there
in the snowy mountain path and wait
ed. And while he waited his mind
was busy-Little Billy had on new
clothing and the mission chapel had a
new organ; Satan's Kitchen was On
a boom! Professor Hardin, no doubt,
had spent well the two thousand dol
lars that he, Buckmaster, had taken
| from the two payroll messengers on
Little Pigeon. 1t was gratifying.
After the better part of an hour
Liz beth came. She wore an imita-
tion Paisley shawl over dress Of
blue calico and the shawl was white
with sparkling snowaakes; her eyes
were bright and her cheeks were pink
from the snappy air and perfect
health. She knew him the moment
she saw him, the ghostly smother
notwithstanding, and she walked
straight up to him, unafraid, and put
out her hand.
He took it reverentty.
I'm glad to Sc eye oncet more,
Liz 'beth," he told her.
I'm glad to see you, too, Lon,'
she said
"Ye don't think I'm as low-down
mean as everybody says l am?"
"No-I don't!" with a tiny dash of
girlish vehemence.
Buckmaster smiled.
Zone o. the God blessedest things
they is about wimmen," he declared,
lis that they're might nigh allus
strong TO- the under dawg l thank
We TO- that, 'Liz'beth, shore. Eff We
could only understand! They amt
nothin on earth as good as to have
friends. Everything else is pore
truck without friends. And l know
,, jest what it is to be without 'em,
Liz beth"
Il think l do unnerstand," said Tom
| Elderidge's daughter. 1--WE heerd a
| lot about We, Lon, and I've sifted it,
I've axed a lot about we, lately. Even
pap, he says We amt half as bad as
folks tells. Ye tried to be straight
and they wouldn't have it that way.
They put them payroll rob'ries at
yore door cause We happened to be
a Bear Creek Buckmaster, Lon, and
TO- no other reason"
"The fust ones-anyhow," NUT
tered Buckmaster.
He was little muddled. YES"
nodded 'Liz'beth. She didn't notice
that he was little muddled. "Pve
been a-thinking', Lon. Mebbe some
body has been a-trailin' ye around,
a-robbin pay messengers and a-usin'
you TO- scapegoat!"
"Mebbe," Buckmaster replied alb
sently. He was thinking Of something
else. Listen, 'Liz'beth," he blurted
II heered about-about you a-remem.
BERN me thataway, in the loft at
night. l won't never fo'git that, and
eff I'm ever pulled out O. the hole I'm
in, I'm a'goin' to ak We to marry me
the next minute!"
'Liz'beth bushed, but she didn't
turn her eyes from his strong, sober
face.
"You amt never seed me but
twicet, Lon Buckmaster. You don't
like me that much"
II don't?" The outlaw smiled
Never seed We but twicet, Ell? Why
bless yore heart, 'Llz'beth, oncet was
enough!"
Then his countenance became seri
GUS, even troubled He began to back
off into snowy laurels. In another
minute he had disappeared and Liz
beth Elderidge stood alone there in
the white-carpeted trail. His voice
came from somewhere out in the
forest:
II didn't have a right to tell We
that, 'Liz'beth. 1 hope yell fo'give
me, eff We can"
They's nothing to fo'give, Lor," she
called back. Once had been enough
for her, too II believe in We, Lon
Mebbe l oughtn't to, but / do, jest
the same. And eff ever we ak me-
that what we said ye'd ak NELL tell
We yes eff die TO- it,"
She wondered, as she went on
whether he had heard.
He had heard, and he hadn't known
what to say. But one thing he did
know: the skies were rosy above the
dark cloud. And he was grateful for
that.
AS he threaded his way through the
white-draped woods an idea of Liz
beth's recurred to him-"Mebbe some.