Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-08-18

folks"
ers. which had been bought with a
'cOonhIde. were redder sthan fire: his
rundown cowhide boots seemed ridicu-
lousy short because of the great
length OF his slender legs.
When he had reached a point some
three yards from Dale, he halted.
placed the butt of his rife carefully
between his toes. and leaned on It's
muzzle; then he deliberately began to
take eye measurements OF the new
conner.
Dale didn't like the stare-to him Il
was impudent.
''welI. what's the verdIct?" he asked
sharply.
Spoke like a man." drawled by
Heck. 81 reckon you must be up here
a-IOokIn' To- coal"
How did you reach such n cOncIu-
sion as that7'
"Jest plain boss sense" The droop-
ing mustache muffled the words some
what. The Hin't but three things at
can bring a city man here. mister" he
drawled on, land them's mOonshIne
stills. had health. and coal. You shore
Amt got bad health. and you amt got
the cut OF a revenuer. though a few
minutes ago thought mebbe We was"
And you shot at me T. said Dale.
NO" objected Heck. II shot at yore
hat. ] allus hits Mt what 1 shoots at,
mister. wanted ye TO turn yOre face,
SOS l could see II. and ye did. AS TO
that coai-
The Morelands. they owns the coal
In David MOreland's mountain, and
they won't sell II TO- no mount O.
money. They lives over In the settle
ment, them and the LIttlefords.
They're every DANCED one fi4e folks.
I'm a-goIn' over thar now. Want to
go long? Say-dahg my picture ef
didn't fo'git to az what might be yore
name. mistesi"
"BilI Dale" came Quickly-"Bill
bale. Settlement Sure! Lead the
way, by Heck. Who's the young wom-
an | was talking with when you came
upF'
"who7 Herr That's old Ben Little
lords gyurl. Her names Babe. That's
what they call her. She's got another
name; but II ain't been used TO so
long It's been fo'gOt. ! reckon. She's
the youngest one o. old Ben's children
She hain't like none o. the rest o the
Lttleferds. by gosh. she's awful high
headed. She can read good. Babe can.
Old Major Bradley, from down at Car
tersville In the lowland. he spends his
summers up here TO his health, and he
teached Babe how TO read. Fine fell
Ter. Major Bradley. Lawyer. Babe
she has done read everything In the
whole DANCED country. The's sev'ral
Bibles. and book about Pilgrims
Progress, and a Bakers HOss and
Cattle Almaneck. and a dIc-dictionary.
"But we'd better light out TO the
settlement. SIR. Bin. or wei miss din
ner, mebbe. I'm n plumb DANCED fool
about eatin'. ct twenty-five biscuits
o. fiour-bread this mornin' 70 break
fus'. asides a whole billed hamshaak.
and other things accordIn'. It's the
dyin' truth! COme-on. SIR. BILL"
They went down to the creek.
crossed n on stones. and began to
Climb the low cliff.
After an hours travelling Heck
stopped In the trail and put the butt
OF his rifle TO the ground.
From right here. BILL" he said. I'VE
can see every house In the whole
DANCED settlement"
They were standing on the crest OF
David MOreland's mountain. Below
them lay n broad valley checkered
with small farms; and each farm had
its log cabin, Its log barn and its apple
orchard. Beyond IL all rose the great
and majestic Big Pine. which was
higher and more rugged with cliffs
than David Moreland's mountain.
The Morelands lives on this side O.
the river. and the Littiefords lives on
yam SIDE" drawled Heck. ''They don't
never have nothing 20 do with each
other. but they don't hardly ever fight
they're all strappin' big men. and they
fights so DANCED hard It don't pay. Ms
gosh, Bill. every man Of 'em can shoot
a gnat's eyelash on at four hundred
yards wisht I may drap dead ei
theZ-cain'tl Do ye see that bin cabin