The Belding banner-news., 1921-11-23

Luke took charge OF his tired horse
and led 1t away to the old log barn
and TO some fifteen ears Of yellow
corn. Lukes father escorted him
proudly, the guest OF honor, In to one
OF Addie Morelands Incompatible old
fashioned suppers, which was none
the worse for being late. Several
Littlefords sat at the long. home
made table.
John Moreand turned up the light
a little. and cracked worn but time
" Joke; then he looked toward one
OF the men whom he had fought
throughout many years, and muttered
into his thick brown beard:
''Snn, friend. will We do us the IA
vor O akin the blessln, ef ye please7"
shore. John. o. course"
Saul Llttleford. the very illiterate,
laced his big fingers together across
his plate, bent his head, and told the
good Almighty that they were all
very much obliged to Him for the fine
supper they had before them, for Ad-
die Moreland who had cooked IL, for
pedCe, anu TOT Dill Ddle.
II was almost midnight when the
visitors left. They had been sitting
outside, on the honeysuckle-scented
front porch and in the cabin yard. At
last Bill Dale and John Moreland
were left together on the porch.
There's thing that has puzzled
me since the moment | got here this
evening" said Dale. why is IL that
nobody seems to be grleving over
Caleb's being in jail?"
The big hillmans answer came al
most sharply: mo Moreland ever
grieved over a sacrifyce, Bill"
Dale sat up straight. "A sacrifice !
What do you mean?"
This time the big hillman's answer
came slowly. II mean at Gale he's
a-takin' all o. the load of o yore
shoulders at he can. Gale he's a-takin
yore place in Jail ontel the trial comes
of, which'll be at the October term
o. cote. He trusts you 10 come back
and set him free on the day o the
trial O. course you'll do IL; we hain't
never doubted that TO one little min
ute, Bill. But il wasn't all done 70
yore sake. You're the hope o the
Morelands, and you can do heap
more here an Caleb can"
He leaned toward Bill Dale and
went on In confidential lone:
"And | can tell We this here. ef
you're found guilty o. KILN Adam
Ball. and sentenced TO even one year.
the Moreands and the Littlefords Is
;sgoin to take We from the officers and
turn ye loose with good, long start
on the law"
"Wouldn't that be rather"
Dale broke of because he had seen
the tall figure of man appear in the
open gateway. II was BY Heck, and
he spoke.
Hello, John Moreland -
Hello yeself!" growled Moreland.
who was NOT at all pleased at the in
terruption
Heck advanced, carrying his rifle
by its muzzle. He halted with one
foot on the stone step
1--WE got news fo We, Bill" he said,
recognizing Dale even in the dark
ness. "Fve been a-eavesdrappln mp
al old Balls house. and had 10 choke
about ten dawgs 10 do II. Bit. old
boy, them Balls has done swore by
everything on earth and in Heaven
and In Torment at they'll kill you ef
the law don't. Igod. ye'd better watch
out, Bill"
John Moreland rose from his chair.
Much obleeged to We, BY. And good
night to We. Les go into the house,
Bill. didn't think them d-d pole
cats had that much narve-and don't
hardly believe IL yit. II might ha' been
white ticker s-talkin. Their kind o
white ticker amt hawnest, like BY
Heck's is, though his'n is bad enough.
Their kindll make a man resurrect
his dead inemies out o. the graveyard
and shoot 'em up all over again. II
aln't a-goin to do great deal o. harm,
Bill, ef ye don't light no lamp when
ye go to bed. man CANT never tell
jest what's a-goin' to happen"
"And the Ball-Torrey outfit" Dale
began, when the Moreland chief cut in
@Ef the Ball-Torrey outfit posters
you, they're every one purity burned
apt to die with what Is knowed genial /
ly In this section as the rife-bullet dis
ense."