The Belding banner-news., 1921-10-26
BY Heck Keeps a Secret.
CHAPTER xI


When Sheriff Tom Flowers and the
others had been gone for half an hour,
| Elizabeth Littleford sat up in the 81.
lence. II was Il great and heavy silence
| that lowered there over the north end
| of David Morelands mountain. There
was not even the drumming of a yel-
| lOwhammer. not even the saucy chat
tering Of a boomer squirrel, not even
| the twittering of bird Not leaf
Stirred anywhere. Everything seemed
| lifelesS. Ii was almost as though she
were the sole inhabltant of the world.
Then she thought. II was noontime.
and the officer and his prisoner would
doubtless halt AT John Moreland's
| cabin for the MONDAY meal; and II
she hastened she would get to see Bill
Dale again.
SO she ran like n doe through the
green Woodland. through the tangle OF
| laurel and ivy and over the moss
covered stones. across shoulder OF
David Moreland's mountain. She was
barefooted. and her dress was sim
pie garment Of white-dotted blue
calico and her long brown hair flowed
behind her like the hair of young
witch-because Of the excitement OF
| the morning. she had forgotten TO give
| il its usual daily plating.
AS she drew near to the Moreland
leaders home. she saw Bill Dale and
the sheriff walk out at the gateway
and mount their horses. Major Brad
lev came out and he, too. mounted his
| horse and she was glad that he was
| going along. There was great crowd;
all the Littlefords were there, and all
| the Morelands. and old Granny Heck.
| the fortune-teller. On every face Babe
saw signs OF sympathy and sorrow.
| Her eyes filled. She was so glad that
they. TOO. loved him. 1t was worth go
| ing 10 jail to know that one was loved
| like thar. Not that IL didn't hurt to
| see him going to jail. OF course. Jail
and horror are words that mean the
| same 10 the mountain dweller.
She went on 10 tell him good-by.
| She knew il would he hard but she
| steeled herself: she would be a Little
III. =.
and he turned his bay horse and rode
10 meet her. She stopped and ciasped
| her hands. with her arms down full
| length. and tried 10 smile az him.
'You promised me-" he said gently
that you'd 60 back to Patricia and
| finish your ed,ratlon.'
II keep my promises" was the quick
Ieply. lest like every other Littleford
! that ever lived kept their promises. |
| would ha' went hack this mornln'
| ef II hadn't ha been"
| And there she broke on abruptly.
| After silent moment. she continued
sadly. half tearfully: And yet-aDd
| yel--thr's rot hit O use In me
| ,-..on hack NOW e
| "Th. Z" pnlp was smiling. and she
t. note that hr did not ap-
pear TO be grieving over his E,isfor-
tune.
| "'Cause the amt" simply.
But youll go?"
"Yes." she said. "in the mornin' I'll
! 20
| He bent toward her and held down
his hand. "Good-by, little girl. | hope
1t will come out all right, and | be-
lieve il will"
Babe slowly lifted her hand to his.
Her eyes were downcast.
"GOOd-by.' she told him brokenly.
And | hope it will come OUT all right,
too-God knows 20. Fill Dale"
Thus they parted Dale rode back
to the sheriff and Major Bradley, and
n minute later the three OF them start
- for the lowland and Cartersville
jail.
When \ bend in the dusty ox-wagon
road had hidden them from view,
Elizabeth Llttleford turned homeward.
Her mother followed her.
The younger woman dropped 10 the
stone step al the vine-hung front
porch with the air of one who is very
tired. plucked a full-blown marigold
and began absently 10 tear its petals
slowly apart. Mrs. Littleford looked
out across the meadows, sighed.
smoothed back her gray hair with
both hands, and sat down beside her
uaugnter.
Il wouldn't worry aboV IL. Babe,
honey" she finally said. Then she
too pIucked marigold and began 10
tear Its petals slowly apart "Ef he
killed Adam Ball. It was to save him
self. He's a good man, honey. think
he's about the best man I ever seed,
Babe"
mo, he never killed Adam Ball TO
save hisself even" Babe replied.
Hes a fighter, but he amt no killer.
Listen. mother. II might ha' been this
away:
"He Is shind OF a tree, and Adam is
ahind OF another tree. Adam shoots
at his hat. and he shoots at Adams
hat--which Is the reg'lar way Of a
two-man fight. as you know. Well.
suddenly Adam he jumps up like he's
been shot, and fails a-gr0anin' and
s-twistin'. BIZ Dale. a-thInkiD he's