Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-07-29
CHAPTER w
The Mystery of the Rifles.

An hour after John Moreland had
sent his ten rifle bullets whining over
the head of Ben Littleford, every
Moreland and every Littleford in the
valley knew Of the declaration Of war,
And each man of them oiled his weap-
ons and put them in better working
order.
When Dale went to he'd, there was
too much on his mind to render sleep
Ing easy for him. Tomorrow he would
have to help in the fight against the Lit
tlefords, kinsmen Of the young woman
who had saved him, without doubt,
from death by the murderous rifle OF
the mountaineer Gollath-or break his
word fatty. 1t was poor return for
such q favor! The longer he thought
over the dilemma, the more perple1ed
he became.
He thought, too, Of the everlasting
wonder, the tail Of John Morelands
bedtime prayer, How man could go
down on his knees and ask the bless.
lngs Of the Almighty upon men whom
he NEEDN'T to fight the next day was
a thing tint Bill Dale could not under
stand.
1t was after midnight before he
slept. tIe woke at the break of day,
arose and dressed himself, and went
out. Going toward the fiower-illed
front yard, he found himself facing
very angry John Moreland.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
Matter enough" clipped the noun
taineer. "Bill Dale, I'm a-goin' to az
you a question, and want the truth.
Will l git it?"
you'll get the truth If you get any.
thing. Shoot the question"
"All right. What do you know about
my gun?"
"Ahout as much as you know of the
left hind wheel of Ben Hur's chariot.
WHAT'S wrong with lt?'
Moreland's eyes were steady and
cold. He thrust his hands into the
pockets of his corduroy trousers. Then
his face softened tritle.
81 reckon / ought to ak yore par
don," he said In low voice: "Ye see,
my guns plumb gone"
"You had 1t only last night" Dale
said. did it disappear"
whilst I slept" cut In the hillman.
Both O my guns Is gone. And LuEe's
repeater is gone, and so Is Gales, and
we hain't got nothin' at all to fight
them ID I.ittlefords with"
Gone !" Dale exclaimed wondering
ly and-lt seemed to him-asininely.
"It must ha' been the Littlefords,
guess" frowned Moreland. 40 be-
cause who else would ha done It? But
to save the life O. me cain't see ho"
they got in and took my rifle without
wakin' me up, Bill Dale. slept twice'
rs light as q sick mouse"
Within ten more minutes, every mar
of the Morelands was gathered there
at the house of their chief-and ever,
man of them had lost their weapon:
during the night!
John Moreland called Dale aside
and said to him:
you're high on the good side 0
them thar trlflin' Hecks, and. so fel
as they know, you amt Interested II
the feud. l wisht you'd 60 down tha
and see By and his mother, and SET
eff We can find out whar our rifle
went"
When Dale had gone Off down tn
dusty oxwagon road, Caleb Morelant
climbed O tall ash that grew behln'
his fathers cabin and kept q watcl
toward the Littleford side OF the river
He saw group Of men standing II
Ben Littleford's cabin yard. and moth
Ing else.
A little more than a quarter OF al
hour after Dale left John Morelan'
he entered by. the -gateless gateway a
the cabin OF the HeckS. II was i ul
lapidated place, and 1t stood not Ia
from the river. BY sat In the from
doorway; he was lazlly cutting ne'
midday sun mark in the place OF tn
worn old one. Behind him sat nj
mother, who was busily knitting
gray yarn stocking.
The nloonshiner looked up and star
ed quickly to his feet.
"Hi, thar, Bill, old boy!" he greete
cordially. "My gosh, but we've com
at the right time, shore. We're a-goin
to have young squirrels TO dinner, ane
a billed hamshank with string beans
and cawnbread made with the yelle'
O. hen aigs. Live whilst ye 90 1--we
says |. Come right in, Bill, old boy
LA, Ia, La" cried Granny Heck
looking over the brass rims OF hel
spectacles. "How glad am to see ye
Mr.. Bill! Come right in and tell u:
the news"
Bill Dale crossed the threshold ant
accepted a creaking chair. His eye:
took in ut sweeping glance tile nome
made dining table with its cover OF rex
oilcloth the broken cast-iron stove th'
strings If dried peppers hanging OF
the log walls, the broken stlllWofn
lying in the corner.
"rhe Littlefords," said Dale, "haV'
declared war;"
"Sakesl laughed the old woman
1--WE knowed that last night when '"