Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1921-09-22

cerned; lt's John that's going 20 be
hard TO bfing to taw. be should be
home this evening. IL he's had good
luck, and III tackle him as soon a. he
comes"
Together they started across David
Moreland's mountain. walking rapidly.
with Dale leading.
Darkness came down on them when
they had covered half the distance.
The great hemlOcks and pOplars
doomed spectral and gaunt in the early
starlight. The almost impeDetrable
thIckets OF laurel and Ivy whispered
uncanny things. and their seas Of PINK
and snowy bloom looked somehow
ghOstIy. Now and then there was the
pattering Of some little animals feet
on the dry. hard leaves Of bygone
years. A solitary brown owl poured
out It's heart In weird and melancholy
cries To the night IL loved. There was
the faint, far-off baying OF a hound.
and the soft swish OF a nighthawk's
wings.
Men from the core OF civilization
must feel these things OF the wilder
ness.
Suddenly Dale drew back and stood
still. In the trail ahead, standing as
motionless as the trees about him, was
the tall figure or a man. IL was almost
as though he were there to bar the
way.
The two went on slowly. The Flgure
didn't move. Dale spoke. and the form
came 10 life. IL was by Heck he was
leaning on the muzZIe OF his rifle.
Its you. is II. BIIl, old boy7" He
ynwned siuggishly. u was a-waitin'
here 70 you. l reckon ! must ha
went to sleep a-standin' here on my
feetI I've got news. BILL"
'Out with it
ave been a-traiIin' Henderson Con
all day" Heck said in guarded tones.
Hes shore cot them Iowdown Balls
TO be!icyin' they're already million
nairs."
Il knew that" Said Dale. That's
not news"
But that aIn't aH." BY Heck went
on. "Cofr's got Saul LittIeford. too
lock. stock, bari ana sights. lie owns
Saul jest the same as I own my old
spotted coon dawg Dime. Saul he
gifts him a job a-beIn' mine boss, ana
what other LittIefords 'at will stick
gifts jobs a-diggin' tlie black dI'mOnt AT
two dollars a day. Asides. all OF 'eIn
Is Ia have big lot o. money when
the dividin'-up time comes. says Gofr.
Much obliged To- you. BY" Date ac-
lodged. Let's 90; bout face.
BY I'm gOin' 10 tie a hard knot in
that vilainous game OF Henderson
Coils"
They reached John Morelands cabin
less than an hour later. MOrcIand
ana his son had just returned from
Gainesville, and Dale learned through
Iiaye.; that the two hillmen had shown
good Judgment and some business
scrSe In making their purchases.
When the evening meal was over
Daie drew John MoreIand out to th,.
cabin yard. where the many Old-fash
Toned flowers made the night air sweet
with their blended odOrs. For mo
'ia'h' A'sa'' sA''' h'tNhhS t'"hi'
very ;,Ii stars and thinking; then
hc told the big man at his side of
t;nn's plan concerning the LittIeIOrdS.
ami strongly urged the making of
friendship between the two clans.
THE Snukc!" uIuinbIed John More
and
tie appeared io he worried about a.
Iic folded hts Hr!as. walked 10 the gate
IIu lack ~ Dale without uttering an.
other word. n was hard for him "a
throw down completely the hatred OF
years upon years. Had IL been any
other person than KiIl Dale, a fighter
after his own heart. WHO had asked
u. he never would have even consid.
cred IL; he would have said quickly
Wen thrash the Balls and the Lit.
tlefordS, tOO!'
The younger man read something of
the others thoughts.
With the help OF the law" said he,
we might whip them all. But II
would mean a great deal of bIoOdshed
at best. The Litilefords are Babes
people, y'know. like Babe You