Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1921-09-16

eff II hadn't ha been
II And there she broke of abruptly
After a silent moment, she continued
sadly. half tearfully: And yet--ant
vet--the's not bit O. use In me
a-goin back now u
"Why?" Dale was smiling, and she
WAS glad 10 note that he did not ap
pear TO be grieving over his misfsr
tune.
",Cause the amt" simply.
'But you'll goY"
Eyes" she said, ''in the mornin' III
60"
He bent toward her and held down
his hand. ''Good-by, little girl. l hope
it VIII come out all right, and l be-
lieve II will"
Babe slowly lifted her hand to his.
Her eyes were downcast
"Goodlhy," she told him brokenly.
"And hope 1t will come out all right,
! too-God knows l do, Bill Dale"
Thus they parted. Dale rode back
to the sheriff and Major Bradley, and
minute later the three of them start
ed for she lowland and Cartersvills
jail.
When q bend in the dusty ox-wagon
road had hidden them from view,
Elizabeth Littleford turned homeward.
Her mother followed her.
The younger woman dropped to tho
stone step at the yine-hung front
porch with the air of one who is very
tired plucked a full-blown marigold
and began absently to tear It's petals
slowly apart. Mrs. Littleford looked
out across the meadows, sigheds
smoothed back her gray hair with
both hands, and sat down beside her
daughter.
II wouldn't worry about 1t, Babe,
honey" she finally said. Then she
too plucked marigold and began to
tear Its petals slowly apart. EFF he
killed Adam Bail. 1t was to save him
self. He's a good man, honey. l think
he's about the best man I ever seed,
Babe
mo, he never killed Adam Ball to |
save hisself even," Babe replied, |
He's fighter, but he amt no killer.
Listen. mother, 1T might ha' been this
away:
HE is ahind Of tree, and Adam IL
lhind Of another tree. Adam shoots
1t his hat, and he shoots at Adams
is the regular way Of a
woman fight, as you know. Well,
Adam he jumps up like he's
,een shot, and falls a-groanin' and
4-twistin'. Bill Dale, a-thinkin' he's
Tiled Adam, comes out from ahind OF
is tree. Havin' drawed Bill Dale out
nto the open by his trick, Adam gifts
eady to shoot and kill him. Jest as
dam Is about to shoot, somebody else
boots and kills Adam and saves Bill
the amt time fo' any
hing else Now don't Je see? And
ont it all sound natchel, mother?"
II reckon it does" granted the old :
oman. "But who was it shot Black
DAMP"
Somebody who Is a friend O. Bill
ale's," said Babe. Somebody who
as a-follerin' Bill with the idee O.
ertectin' him eff he needed it. Some ,
ody who knowed it was dangerous
him to go off by hisself in the =.
Gods that away. I've got it reasoned
1T jest like this. And who
'er it was at was friend enough to :
III Dale to kill a man to save him =
III be friend enough to own up when
e proper time comes and keep Bill y
ale from a-bein' hung Whoever it q
rs at done 1t is skeered bad now, 8
It later on he'll shore tell It, eff it'll 8
We Bill. You jest wait and see,
other.
81 hain't never fo'got," Babe went
, after a moment, "ahout Black
lam Ball a-tellin' me abous a-workin'
at same trick on a man over In
with Ca'liner-and he killed the
IN. The law never found it out.
ID We see what Black Adam got.
no lives by the sword shall perish
the sword It's in the Good Book,
Their, honey; and everything in the
cd Book is God A'mighty's truth, as
/ know"
EFF l was pinned down to guess who
was AT done it," drawled Mrs. Lit
ford, I'D guess it was BY Heck.
was plumb fool about Bill Dale. pa
nav she says he talks in his sleep As
nut Bill Dale. He was allus a-fol- tn
n him around like dawg." by
'abe pointed to the meadow. An pr
d and stopped and witchlike wom- CHI
was limping slowly through the tn
yer, coming toward them. Ia
Granny Heck" muttered Babe. az
he neighborhood's newsbearer and ia
limped on up to the -. a.,
In, and dropped to the stone step 20 "a,
ide Ben Littlefords wife and o.
ghter. e
La, la, la" she painted, for the Al
s were warm. "And hain't it Jest
-iblel l wisht may die this min
eff ] wouldn't might nigh as soon :
my own son so to jail But 'en du
all come out right Wit Babe ha