The Adair County news., 1921-09-06
The
CLAN
CALL
BY Hapsburg Liebe
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
Copyright, by Doubleday. Page i Co.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE :

"Who besides you has seen this vein,
Carlyle? Anybody that knows cOalT'
"Yes, my father" Dale answered
quickly. He went over it years ago.
Ask him about the coal in David More
lands mountain. Phone him, and then
phone me. I'm waiting at the BIaiS-
dell"
Wheatley agreed a little reluctantly.
Dale waited patiently for fifteen
minutes. Then the clerk called him
to the phone. He took up the receiver
with bOyish eagernesS.
Wheatley began cordially: Your ia
ther tells me it is a good proposition,
Carlyle, so I'll let you have all the
money you'll need. And if you want
good mining man, know where you
can lay your hands on one; also l can
furnish you, at half the original cost,
all the necessary machinery and acces-
sories. You didn't know the old Lu-
ther-Wheatley company dickered in
coal as well as iron; eh? Well, it did.
Let me see you at three o'clock this
afternoon"
Dale was jubilant. Here was a rare
stroke of good fortune. He went to
McLaUrin-whO had not yet found
John MoreIand and Ben Littleford-
and told him about it. McLaurin was
almost as happy as Dale over it. A
beIIboy appeared like a jack-in-the-box
in the center of the floor. "Mistoh
CahIyle Dale! Mistoh CahIyIe Dale"
Dale wheeled. "WelI?"
Wanted immejitly at Doctoh Brae-
meh's hOspittle, suh!"
Dale shook hands with McLaurin
and hurried toward the street.
A few minutes later Doctor Braemer
met him in the reception room.
Whats wrong, doctor?"
The surgeon beckOned. Come with
me-"
He turned and led the way through
q long corridor and to a sunny white
room where Babe Littleford lay with
a bandage about her temples. Ben Lit
tleford was on his knees at his
daughters bedside; he was slowly
wringing his big, rough hands and beg
ging piteously to be forgiven.
Babe stared at him a trifie coldly.
She had not yet seen the two men who
stood in the doorway. Then she in
terrupted her father:
You hush, pap, and go away. I'd
told ye hUnderd times about tightin'
a-bein murder, and specially to US
wimmenfolks, and you never would
pay any tention to me. You hush,
pap, and go away. Eff 1 die, I'll jest
haf to die. And eff 1 die, shore do
want to die in peace. Go way, pap"
But ye must live, Babe, honeyT'
Ben Littleford mOaned. "Ef you was
to die, what'd l do?"
II don't know what ye'd do, pap"
Babe said weakly. You ought to
thought O. that afore, pap. 1t may be
TOO late TOW. want We to 60 on off
an" -. Ef die, | want to
di, ,, Lord knows never
e 80 ce!"
worried look in her
eyes, and the doctor
:. Jde forward deciSiVeIy
ID Littleford to his feet. The
riped away a tear with his
L., e bandana, and hung his
head. = had been made a broken
raan il one day.
"Go out to your friend Moreland,'
smiled the doctor, "and wait there for
a little while"
Babes father walked unsteadiIy out
Of the room. Dale went to Doctor
Braemer and whispered, Isn't she 60
ing to make it?" anxious!y.
Certainly she's going to make it,"
Braemer assured him. Go on; she
wants to see YOU"
Dale drew a chair up close to the
white bed and sat down. Babes eyes
lighted at once, and she put a hand
uncertainty out toward him. Dale took
the hand in his. He saw that it was
a little pale under its delicate sunburn.
"GIad to see you, Babe" he told her
softly. why do you think you're 60
ing to die, BabeY'
She smiled at him. why, l don't
think I'm a-goin' to die" she said. Il
know I'm a-goin' to live, Bill Dale.
1 feel like l could walk fifty miles
right nowV
"But l heard you tell your father"
Il was a-tryin' to skeer him out O.
fghtin' any MORE" she interrupted.
And l believe bout done it, don:
your"
Dale was relieved. 81 do. Is there
anything you want, Babe? If there is
I'll get it for you if it's in the uni
verse"
"The universe?" she repeated inQuir
ingly. whats the universe, Bill Dale
Somethin' to eat?"
1.-The world, the sun, the moon, anC
the stars"
She smiled at him again. NO." sh,
said, "the' amt nothin' want, ant
amt nothin' We can do To- me,
reckon"
"But 1 thought, as they sent 70
me"
Babe LttIeford's fingers held tightl
to his. "It was me that sent To- you.