The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1921-07-14

up," he saiA decisively. ssXoa must
stay clean cut Of It. You Amt used
to this way O. hghtin'. Asides, you're
our hope. More'n that, mebbe, you
owe yore Life to Babe Littleford; you
cain't get around that, Bill Dale"
He went On, after q moment, "Ef
git my light put out today, l want ys
to do the best ye can with the coal
But O. course ye will. l want ye to
do me two favors, Bill Dale, ef 1 have
my light put out today. Will ye do
'em TO me, my friendT
Certainly" Dale promised.
"Much obliged to ye. shore. The
fust Is this: I want ye to take good
pay out O. what the coal brings. pay
TO yore work. The second Is this:
want ye to GO to Ben Littleford after
I'm dene-pervided he Is yet alive
and tell him about the end o. my bed,
time prayer; l want him to know
went him one better, at was a big.
ger man inside an him. Remember,
Bill. you've done promised me. Nov
you go ahead to Cincinnaty, and dc
jest like ye didn't know the least thing
about this trouble we're a-gofn' &c
have. So long to ye, an good luck u
81 don't like the idea"-Dale began
when the big hillman interrupted
sharply:
go onI You CANT do no good
here!"
Heck started. Dale turned and fol
lowed the lanky moonshiner; thert
seemed to be nothing else TO do.
When they had reached a point I,
little way above the foet Of Davit
Aoreland's mountain. the pair haIte<
and looked back. They saw tia Little
fords and the MOrelands, every one OF
them armed. going toward the river.
1t had a strange and subtle fascina-
uon for Bill Dale, a fascination that
he did not then try to understand.
AS the fighters reached dangerous
ground they dropped to their hands
and knees and began to crawl through
the tall grasses, the ironweed and the
meadow clover. They were intent
upon reaching the shelter of the trees
that lined the banks Of the river with
out being seen. The stream here was
Blue Cat shoals. The two lines OF
trees stood back a rod or so from the
water, making the final shooting dis
tance some seventy yards.
Drawled Heck: Les set down here
and watch it; hey?"
Dale was silent. The very air was
filled with the spirit Of tragedy. The
farof tinkle Of cOwbell seemed
tragic; tragic, too, sounded the song
of bird somewhere in the tree
branches overhead.
did We hear me, Bill7"
81 think" Dale muttered, that I'd
better not go away until tomorrow.
l cans leave matters like this. DO
you know OF any way to stop that
down thereY
BY Heck shrugged his shoulders.
"Do you know O. any way to stop
the risin' and settin' O. the sum-" ne
grinned.
They went back to John Moreland's
cabin.
1t was altogether by accident that
the Littleford chief found his weapons.
He had dropped small coin through
crack In the floor Babe was quick
to say that she would crawl under the
house and look for the coin, although
she had Just put on a freshly laun-
dered blue-and-white calico dress. Her
anxiety showed plainly In her face.
Her father questioned her sharply, and
she stammered in spite Of herself. Ben
Littlefords suspicious were aroused.
So he came out from under the cabin
floor with his hands full of the steel
Of rifle barrels. and with the money
forgotten. He placed the rifles care
fully on the floor of the porch, turned
and caught his daughter by the arm.
"Who hid 'em7' he demanded gruffiy.
II hid 'em," was the ready answer,
defiant and bitter-"1, mel What're
you a-gofn' TO do about ftp
Littletc-d flung his daughters arm
from him. He was king, even as John
Moreland was king. His keen eyes
stared at the young woman's face as
though they would wither it.
What made you hide 'em?" he
growled. Say. what made ye do itr'
ITO try and save human lives, ats
whyI" Babe answered. THAT man
from the city--whatn he think O. us
a-doin' this-away, a-fghtih' like crazy
wildcats2"
LEI he don't like the way we do
here, he can 60 back home" retorted
the angry mountaineer. He amt tied,
is her.