Licking Valley courier., 1921-09-01
-=-Is~ ~9 Copyright BY Doubleday Pooe a g

',ht BY Doubleday Pope & CO
old and mildewed cabin at the nortI,
end of David Moreland's mountain.
Moreland led the way<in and pointed
to spot under a small, paneless win
dow.
"l'har," said he, "is whar we found
my brother David"
The two men turned for. the point
at which the coal vein ran out to tie
light of day.
Dale picked up piece of To shin.
Ing black stuff. Judging by the little
he knew and the great amount of de-
scription he had heard, the vein was
very large and the coal itself of the
finest grade.
1t was a big find" he told his com
panlon, "a big find. 1t was a pity to
let II lie here, untouched for so long
and yet it's worth more today than ii
was ever worth before"
His enthusiasm ran warm, and More.
land caught 1t quickly. Together they
hastily planned out the little railroad
/ that was to wind Its way through the
wllds and connect with the big rail-
road al the Halfway switch.
vi know I'm a-doln' right about IT,"
the mountaineer said twice for the
/ benefit Of his conscience. II know
pore David he would want me to do
this eff he could know"
VIM sure Of it," agreed Dale. l'n
start for Cincinnati tomorrow. I've
got enough money to take me there
and back. | have very wealthy
friend there-his name Is Harris; |
think | can borrow enough from him
to finance the beginning of this thing,
And I'll buy locomotive and cars,
and all the other necessary machinery,
while I'm In Cinclnnati-unless ! fail
to get the money from Harris. When
| get back, which should be within
eight days, we'll start the work. At
a guess, I'd say we'll need twenty
men. Can we get themT"
"Shore," nodded the mountalneer.
"And all Morelands at that"
They turned homeward. At last
BIZ Dale was happy. He had some
thing to do now-an aim In life. He
had difficulties to overcome, obstacles
to remove, barriers to surmount-lt
was his big chancel
II was almost sundown when. Dale
returned from his visit to the coal
vein-Big Pine mountain hid the sun
ut little after three In the afternoon.
lie borrowed a fishing rod and min.
now pail, which made his going to the
river seem proper enough to John
Moreland, and set out to meet Babe
lIlttlefOrd. He was glad that nobody
expressed desire to accompany him.
ne found Ben Llttleford's daughter
where he had found her twice before
sitting on stone the size of small
barrel, She was fishing with an un.
balted hook, which was equal to fish
ing not at all, and she seemed pleased
when she saw him coming. He sat
down on the stone at her side. She
moved over little shyly, and tried ia
cover her feet with her calico skirts.
"Neednt bother to hide them,
laughed BIZ Dale. "They're pretty
enough. Most feet, y'know, are neces.
Sary evils, like chimneys and rain
Spoutsl"
Babe Llttleford blushed, lie went
on, to hide her confusion, "Tell me
about the rifles"
"You must shore keep 1t a secret
he told him.
~ promise"
BETTER put yore hook in, SOS ef any
rOdy comes along"
Dale threw out an empty hook,
~ want to tell We some other things
'ust, SOS yen understand better when
come to the part about the rifles,
babe began, looking thoughtfuly
across the water to where q kinghshel
sat In wntchful waiting. She contin
ted slowly, choosing her words care
FULLY, n was brought up to hate then
Slorelands, butt don't think do. NJ.
people Is Jest like the Morelands. Tn,
biggest difference ye can find Is tina
one side mostly has grey eyes lik,
you and t'other side mostly has brow
eyes like me. All but their everlastin
lightln', they're good people, Bill Dale
Each side, ye see, is brought up I,
nate t'other side. I'm ashamed to tel
4, butt understand the fust plnll
words my Uncle Saul Littleford's las
hnhy said was these here: 'D-n JOIN
MOrelnndr II started long time agC
md II started over nothln'. Grnndpa
l.lttleford and John MOrelnnds pa
GOT In dispute over whether knln
lucky was In Virginny or Nawih Ca
ner, and went to lightin' about II
'urty soon my Uncle Saul and Abne
'loreland happened along, aud the
went to hghtln too Thank goodness
I was on Sunday, and none Of 'el
| 'l'll NNNt NltNll llNNN NlAl Nlls w lN'
yer else we ure or ain't up here, 1911
bale, we gen'nlly respects the Sabbut
luy to keep II holy. E., :"
~ see" Dale muttered sympathe
'cully.
"l've seen my own mother set dow
N the floor and take her boys hen
IN her lup-Oh, such big, line hoy h
was while the blood run through h,
dress from n Moreland's bullet. II
died with mothers arms and nil
around him. II was all we could d
TO him, was to love him. I've seen 81
ters watch their brothers die fro
; Morelnnd bullets, and young winnie
watch their sweethearts die, aud wlv,
watch their husbands die. ..
~ tell you, Blll Dale, them Nor
,, lands never misses when they hay
even half u fair shot, Yodd be pu
fectly safe In n.lettln' any of 'em sho
dimes from ntween yore finger NJ
u thnnh all div And itu thn sump ~,